Royal Marines from 45 Commando have completed intensive training in the mountains of California, testing both traditional commando skills and new kit in demanding conditions, according to a Navy News update.
The unit, normally based in Arbroath, Scotland, deployed to Pickel Meadows at the United States Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, 7,000ft up in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The six-week exercise, known as Green Dagger, was designed to maintain the UK Commando Force’s expertise in mountain warfare and to strengthen cooperation with allied forces.
According to the Royal Navy, the training began with a week of acclimatisation to the 35°C heat and the altitude, followed by instruction in the theory of mountain operations. Commandos then advanced to practical skills, including vertical assaults, abseiling, long-range reconnaissance, and river crossings. They also built Tyrolean traverse bridges to cross ravines and carried out 100m abseils.
The exercise also provided a test for new equipment in high-altitude conditions. Marines trialled the KS-1 rifle, as well as new optics, night vision systems, thermal imagers, and long-range binoculars. Green Dagger also highlighted the value of pack animals, with mules helping to transport heavy weapons and supplies to positions high in the mountains.
The training went beyond mountaineering. Commandos practised break contact drills, ambushes, medical evacuation, air defence, and mortar operations. Engineers from 59 Commando Royal Engineers worked on fortifications and explosive ambush techniques, while 29 Commando Royal Artillery provided fire support teams to coordinate indirect fire.
A key element of the exercise was integration with allied forces. Royal Marines trained alongside US Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, and worked against 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, US Marine Corps Special Operations Command, and a company from the United Arab Emirates’ Presidential Guard. This force-on-force phase allowed 45 Commando to validate its training and assess its tactics against larger, combined forces.
The Royal Navy stated that these skills remain essential in environments where vehicles cannot operate effectively. It noted that operating in such terrain requires significant physical conditioning, resilience, and technical mountaineering knowledge.
Exercise Green Dagger was described as both a test of endurance and an opportunity to refine interoperability with international partners. For 45 Commando, designated as the UK’s mountain and Arctic warfare specialists, it provided a vital chance to keep their expertise sharp for potential future deployments in extreme environments.
35 degrees in the mountains?! That in itself sounds awful.
Thats nothing for 45 mate. Pretty tame stuff.
hot, thirsty work well done to them all