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This is a list of equipment of the Royal Marines currently in use. It includes personal equipment, small arms, combat vehicles, snowmobiles and watercraft. The Royal Marines are a highly specialised and adaptable light infantry force, a part of His Majesty's Naval Service. The equipment of the Royal Marines has a high degree of commonality with other arms of the British Armed Forces – particularly the British Army – but includes some unique items.
To meet their commitments, the equipment of the armed forces is periodically updated and modified. Programs exist to ensure the Royal Marines are suitably equipped for both current conflicts and expected future conflicts, with any shortcomings in equipment addressed as Urgent Operational Requirements (UOR), which supplements planned equipment programmes. [1]
The Royal Marines now use the Ops-Core Future Assault Shell Technology Helmet, also known as the FAST helmet, as part of the Future Commando Force programme. The Revision Batlskin Cobra Plus helmet, which formed the helmet component of the earlier Virtus programme, remains in limited use. [2]
As part of the Future Commando Force programme, the standard issue combat body armor / plate carrier is the C2R CBAV (Commando Ballistic Armour Vest) Plate Carrier, which forms the core of the Commando Modular Assault System. The Scalable Tactical Vest component of the earlier Virtus programme remains in limited use. [2] [3]
The General Service Respirator replaces the older S10 respirator. [4] These respirators are also used by the rest of the Naval Service, the British Army and Royal Air Force.
As part of the Future Commando Force programme, the standard issue uniform since autumn 2020 has been an off-the-shelf design from Crye Precision featuring the company's MultiCam camouflage pattern. The Crye uniform is lighter weight, has higher tear-strength, is faster-drying, and is more breathable than typical cotton-nylon uniforms. It replaces the previously used Multi-Terrain Pattern Personal Clothing System uniform, which is still in use by the rest of the British Armed Forces. [5]
Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Image | Details |
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L119A1, L119A2 | Canada | Assault rifle | 5.56×45 mm | Initially used by 43 Commando, [6] before being declared as the replacement for the SA80 family of weapons in all Royal Marines units. [7] Both A1 and A2 variants are used. [8] | |
L403A1 | United States | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm | Knight's Stoner 1 variant of the ambidextrous Knight's Armament Company SR-16 fitted with a muzzle signature reduction system (suppressor) and a magnified optic. It is chambered in 5.56x45mm, and weighs 3.1kg. Handguard allows mounting of enablers such as torches and laser aiming devices. An initial order of 1,620 systems has been placed, with an option to procure up to 10,000 systems over the next decade. [9] [10] | |
L85A2, L85A3 | United Kingdom | Assault rifle | 5.56×45 mm | Formerly the standard issue assault rifle, the L85A2/A3 is currently being phased out in favour of the L119 series and/or the L403A1 [7] but remains in limited service until the transition has been completed. [2] Can be fitted with SUSAT, ACOG, Elcan SpecterOS 4X or Thermal Viper 2 sights. The LLM-Vario Ray laser aiming module and the L123 Underslung Grenade Launcher (UGL) can also be attached. [11] | |
L7A2 | Belgium | General-purpose machine gun | 7.62×51 mm | The designated GPMG for sustained fire out to 1,800 m. The L7A2 GPMG is a 7.62mm x 51mm belt-fed machine gun which can be used as a light weapon and in a sustained fire (SF) role. [12] In the SF role, mounted on a tripod and fitted with the C2 optical sight, it is fired by a two-man team who are grouped in a specialist Machine Gun Troop to provide battalion-level fire support. In SF mode, the GPMG lays down 750 rounds-per-minute at ranges up to 1800 metres. The GPMG can be carried by a single marine and employed as a light machine gun (LMG). A fold-out bipod is used to support the GPMG in the LMG role. | |
L129A1, L129A2 [13] | United States | Designated marksman rifle | 7.62×51 mm | The primary designated marksman rifle, equipped with an ACOG optical sight for long-range engagements. There is also a Sniper Support Weapon (SSW) version fitted with a 12x Schmidt & Bender scope and a suppressor for use by the second man in each sniper team. [14] [15] An improved L129A2 version with a new Leupold scope, a HuxWrx suppressor, an Envision Technology ballistic calculator, and a Pixels-on-Target thermal sight is currently being adopted. [9] | |
L115A3 | United Kingdom | Precision rifle | 8.6x70 mm | Now regarded as the primary precision rifle for all British military trained snipers. It is equipped with a 25x scope, a suppressor, a folding stock, a five-round .338 Lapua Magnum magazine and has an effective range in excess of 1,100 m (3,600 ft). [16] | |
L131A1 [17] | Austria | Semi-automatic pistol | 9×19 mm | Adopted as the new standard issue sidearm to replace the L9A1, L47A1, and SIG Sauer pistols. [18] The L131A1 is a Glock 17 sidearm used for close combat with a magazine capacity of 17 rounds; [19] [20] where deemed appropriate, it is the primary weapon of personnel working in operational staff appointments and vehicle commanders and carried as a backup weapon by frontline personnel. [21] [22] | |
L3A1 | United Kingdom | Bayonet | The blade is offset to the side of the handle to allow the rifle to be fired while the bayonet is fitted; it is shaped to produce good penetration when thrust and a ribbed section for rope cutting. The bayonet handle is shaped so as to allow the bayonet to be used as a multi-purpose knife when needed. The L3A1's scabbard features a saw blade for use on wood, a sharpening stone to hone the bayonet, and a bottle opener; when combined with the bayonet, it also forms a wire cutter. [23] A rail-mounted adaptor was developed to allow the bayonet to be used with the L129A1 Sharpshooter Rifle. [24] | ||
L109A2 | Switzerland | HE grenade | Fuse | British version of the Swiss HG 85 Grenade. It differs from the original in that it has a matte black safety clip similar to the American M67 grenade. It has a 3–5 second fuse (climate dependent), contains 155g of high explosive and has a lethal range of 10 m (33 ft). | |
NLAW | Sweden United Kingdom | Anti-tank weapon | 150 mm | Man-portable, short range fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile system designed for non-expert use. It is designed to "rapidly knock out any main battle tank in just one shot by striking it from above". [25] | |
FGM-148 Javelin | United States | Anti-tank weapon | 127 mm | Man-portable medium range anti-tank missile system. It fires a high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead and can penetrate explosive reactive armour. Compared to the American original, the version in British service has a more effective sight system and a tripod for improved firing and observation. [26] | |
Accuracy International AX50 | United Kingdom | Long range rifle | 12.7x99 mm | Long range standalone .50 BMG anti-material rifle that is based on and replaced the earlier AW50. [27] Royal Marines snipers are trained to use the AX50 to shoot the engine blocks of fast moving boats from Wildcat helicopters to aid the Royal Navy in the prevention of drug smuggling. [28] | |
L111A1 | United States | Heavy machine gun | 12.7x99 mm | The L111A1 is the British version of the American M2 Browning. It can be attached to both armoured and soft-skin vehicles, or a ground-mount tripod. The belt-fed HMG fires .50 BMG at a rate of 485-635 rounds-per-minute to a range up to 2000 meters. [29] | |
L16A2 | United Kingdom Canada | Mortar | 81 mm | The L16A2 81mm Mortar is a indirect fire weapon which is capable of providing accurate High Explosive, Smoke and Illuminating rounds out to a maximum range of 5,650m, at a rate of 15 rounds per minute. The modernised L16A2 features GPS and laser-range finding systems. [30] The Viking Mortar Section of the Armoured Support Group transport and fire their mortars in BvS10 Viking vehicles. [31] Otherwise, it is carried disassembled in three loads, (barrel, baseplate and bipod with sights, each approximately 11 kg), normally carried by a vehicle or helicopter, but can be carried by a marine on foot and assembled for firing from the ground. |
Name | Origin | Type | Number | Displacement | Image | Details |
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Landing Craft, Utility Mk 10 | United Kingdom | Landing craft | 9 [32] | 240 tonnes (240 long tons; 260 short tons) | The LCU is the Royal Marines' largest landing craft, carried by the Albion-class and Bay-class landing ship. These vessels are capable of carrying 120 Royal Marines Commandos and operating independently with a range of 600 nautical miles. [33] | |
Rigid (Inshore) Raiding Craft | United Kingdom | Raiding craft | 50 [32] | 2.25 tonnes (2.21 long tons; 2.48 short tons) | The MK III RRC has a top speed of 33 knots laden with a payload of eight troops plus two crew and up to 680 kg of equipment, making it ideal for beach assaults, river patrol and dive support and comes complete with four lifting points to allow for transportation by helicopter or larger vessels. [34] | |
Offshore Raiding Craft | United Kingdom | Rigid-hulled inflatable boat | 27 (troop carrying) + 8 (fire support) [32] | 5 tonnes (4.9 long tons; 5.5 short tons) | The ORC is designed for commando insertion/extraction, patrol, maritime interdiction and fire support missions, and can operate in two variants; the Troop Carrying version and the Fire Support Platform version. Swapping between these variants can be completed in 60 minutes. [35] | |
MK 11 Shallow Water Combat Submersibles | United States | Submersible | 3 [36] | 4.5 tonnes (4.4 long tons; 5.0 short tons) | Manned submersible used primarily for covert or clandestine missions by the Special Boat Service (SBS). The system fits inside the CHALFONT dry deck shelter on the Astute-class submarines. [37] | |
Landing Craft, Vehicle Personnel Mk 5b | United Kingdom | Landing craft | 8 [32] | 8.2 tonnes (8.1 long tons; 9.0 short tons) | The LCVP is carried by the Albion-class amphibious warfare ships. It will be replaced by the new Commando Insertion Craft (CIC) by 2027. [38] | |
Island-class patrol boat | United Kingdom | Patrol boat | 3 [32] | 20 tonnes (20 long tons; 22 short tons) | Three Island-class patrol boats (Mull, Rona, Eorsa) are used for force protection duties by 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group at HM Naval Base Clyde . [39] | |
Inflatable Raiding Craft | United Kingdom | Inflatable boat | 1.25 tonnes (1.23 long tons; 1.38 short tons) | Small raiding craft primarily used for over-the-horizon clandestine insertions of small teams of Royal Marines or SBS commandos. [33] | ||
BAE Fast Interceptor Craft | United Kingdom | Stealth boat | At least 2 [40] | The Fast Interceptor Craft is a stealth boat used by the Special Boat Service, for the role of insertion and interception. It has a rumoured top speed of at least 60 knots and has a low radar and thermal signature. [41] |
The Royal Marines maintain no heavy armoured units, instead, they operate a fleet of lightly armoured and highly mobile vehicles intended for amphibious landings or rapid deployment. The primary armoured fighting vehicle operated by the RM Armoured Support Group (RMASG) is the BvS 10 Viking amphibious armoured all-terrain vehicle. [42] Other, lighter vehicles include the Land Rover Wolf, the Jackal 2(MWMIK), and the Polaris MRZR. [43]
Name | Origin | Type | Image | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|
Viking | Sweden | Amphibious armoured fighting vehicle | The RM currently operates four variants of the vehicle: The Troop Carrying Variant (TCV) capable of carrying 2 crew plus 10 passengers; the Command Variant (CV), which carries 2 crew plus up to 8 passengers with the rear cab being designed as an enhanced digital communications platform, the Repair and Recovery Variant (RRV), carrying 4 specialist maintenance vehicle mechanic crewmen and the Ambulance Variant (AV). The rear cab of the RRV carries a HIAB crane, a fully mobile workshop, an air compressor and a 9 tonne capacity capstan winch, together with hydraulic anchors. [44] All variants are fully air-portable under a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, and are also fully amphibious; being capable of swimming in varying sea-states with a full load of passengers and stores. [45] Will be replaced by the Future All-Terrain Vehicles (FATV) as part of the Collaborative All-Vehicle (CATV) programme, starting from February 2025. [46] | |
Jackal 2 & Coyote | United Kingdom | Protected mobility vehicle | The primary roles of these vehicles in the Royal Marines are deep battlespace reconnaissance, rapid assault, patrol and fire support – roles where mobility, endurance and manoeuvrability are important. The Coyote 6×6 Tactical Support Vehicle (TSV) is a larger derivative of the Jackal, which acts in support of the Jackal 2 4×4 and allows transportation of supplies and equipment over similar terrain (up to 1.5t). [47] | |
Land Rover Wolf | United Kingdom | Utility vehicle | The Land Rover Wolf is a militarised version of the Land Rover Defender. They can be found in service with British forces worldwide, and can be armed with one 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun and a 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun. The Land Rover Wolf is designated as a Truck Utility Light (TUL – Defender 90) and Medium (TUM – Defender 110). | |
Polaris MRZR 4 | United States | Utility vehicle | The Polaris MRZR-D4 is an ultralight 4x4 off-roader that can carry up to four marines and reach speeds of 60 mph for rapid movement across the battlefield. It is ideally equipped for the Future Commando Force programme. The turbocharged diesel vehicle can be used to carry supplies and equipment – like ammunition, water and fuel – for commando missions, but can also be fitted with machine guns and grenade launchers for added firepower. It can be used for quick attacks and withdrawals, but also for logistical resupply and casualty evacuation. The MRZR can be stored in the interior of Chinook helicopters, meaning that marines riding the vehicle can be quickly deployed to the mission area. [48] [49] | |
Hippo BRV | United Kingdom/ Germany | Armoured recovery vehicle | The Hippo is a conversion by Alvis Moelv, now BAE Systems, of a Leopard 1A5 tank. The turret has been replaced with a raised superstructure which resembles the bridge of a small ship. The original 830-horsepower (620 kW) diesel engine has been retained but the gearing of the transmission lowered; reducing the vehicle's road speed from 65 to 20 kilometres per hour (40 to 12 mph), but increasing its tractive force to 250 kilonewtons (56,000 lbf). Other modifications include the addition of working platforms, a nosing block, raised air intakes and an auxiliary power unit. The Hippo has a fording depth of 2.95 metres (9 ft 8 in) and can pull vehicles up to 50 tonnes weight or push a 240 tonne displacement landing craft off the beach. Four vehicles are in service, primarily based on the HMS Albion and Bulwark Landing Platform Dock ships. [50] | |
Lynx GLX 5900 Snowmobile | Finland | Oversnow Reconnaissance Vehicle | Royal Marines with 3 Commando Brigade's Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron (SRS) drive snowmobiles (ski-doos) [51] The squadron comprises highly-trained Mountain Leaders – experts in reconnaissance, mountain and arctic warfare. They are trained to use these snowmobiles to gather valuable information on the terrain, the enemy and suitable beach landing places for larger amphibious forces to come ashore. [52] |
The Royal Marines, also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, and officially as the Corps of Royal Marines, are the United Kingdom's amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, and provide a company strength unit to the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG). The Royal Marines trace their origins back to the formation of the "Duke of York and Albany's maritime regiment of Foot" on 28 October 1664, and the first Royal Marines Commando unit was formed at Deal in Kent on 14 February 1942 and designated "The Royal Marine Commando".
HMS Albion is a landing platform dock of the Royal Navy, the first of the two-ship Albion class. Built by BAE Systems Marine in Barrow-in-Furness, Albion was launched in March 2001 by the Princess Royal. Her sister ship, Bulwark, was launched in November 2001, also from Barrow. Affiliated to the city of Chester and based in Plymouth, she is the ninth ship to carry the name Albion, stretching back to the 74-gun 1763 warship, and last carried by an aircraft carrier decommissioned in 1973 after 19 years service. Designed as an amphibious warfare ship, Albion carries troops, normally Royal Marines, and vehicles up to the size of the Challenger 2 main battle tank. She can deploy these forces using four Landing Craft Utility (LCUs) and four Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel (LCVPs). A flight deck supports helicopter operations.
The Albion-class landing platform dock is a class of amphibious warfare ship in service with the Royal Navy. The class consists of two vessels, HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, ordered in 1996 to replace the ageing Fearless class. Both ships were built by BAE Systems Marine at the former Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering yard in Barrow-in-Furness. Albion was commissioned in 2003 and Bulwark in 2004. Each of the ships has a crew of 325 and can accommodate up to 405 troops. Thirty-one large trucks and thirty-six smaller vehicles and main battle tanks can be carried inside the vehicle deck. To disembark troops and vehicles, the vessels are equipped with eight landing craft. As of 2024, both vessels were in reserve.
The Netherlands Marine Corps is the elite naval infantry corps of the Royal Netherlands Navy, one of the four Armed Forces of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The marines trace their origins to the establishment of the Regiment de Marine on 10 December 1665, by the then grand pensionary of the Dutch Republic, Johan de Witt and famous Admiral Michiel de Ruyter. It is the second-oldest still-active marine corps in the world.
Amphibious warfare is a type of offensive military operation that today uses naval ships to project ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore at a designated landing beach. Through history the operations were conducted using ship's boats as the primary method of delivering troops to shore. Since the Gallipoli Campaign, specialised watercraft were increasingly designed for landing troops, material and vehicles, including by landing craft and for insertion of commandos, by fast patrol boats, zodiacs and from mini-submersibles. The term amphibious first emerged in the United Kingdom and the United States during the 1930s with introduction of vehicles such as Vickers-Carden-Loyd Light Amphibious Tank or the Landing Vehicle Tracked.
The FV107 Scimitar is an armoured tracked military reconnaissance vehicle formerly used by the British Army, until it was retired from active service in April 2023. It was manufactured by Alvis in Coventry. It is very similar to the FV101 Scorpion, but mounts a high-velocity 30 mm L21 RARDEN cannon instead of a low-velocity 76 mm gun. It was issued to Royal Armoured Corps armoured regiments in the reconnaissance role. Each regiment originally had a close reconnaissance squadron of five troops, each containing eight FV107 Scimitars. Each Main Battle Tank Regiment also employed eight Scimitars in the close reconnaissance role.
Bandvagn 206 is a tracked articulated, all-terrain carrier initially developed and manufactured by the Swedish company Hägglund & Söner, and subsequently by BAE Systems Hägglunds, for the Swedish Army. It consists of two units, with all four tracks powered. It can carry up to 17 people, 6 in the front compartment, 11 in the rear. The trailer unit can be adapted for different uses.
His Majesty's Naval Service is the United Kingdom's naval warfare and maritime service. It consists of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Marines Reserve and Naval Careers Service. The Naval Service as a whole falls under the command of the Navy Board, which is headed by the First Sea Lord. This position is currently held by Admiral Sir Ben Key. The Defence Council delegates administration of the Naval Service to the Admiralty Board, chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence.
The role of the Commando Logistic Regiment (CLR), Royal Marines is to provide second line Combat Service Support to 3 Commando Brigade.
The BvS10 is a tracked articulated amphibious all-terrain armoured vehicle produced by BAE Systems Land Systems Hägglunds of Sweden. This vehicle, referred to as the All Terrain Vehicle (protected) - ATV(P) or Viking by the UK forces, was originally developed as a collaboration between industry - Hägglunds Vehicle AB - and the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) on behalf of the Royal Marines.
The Jackal or MWMIK is a family of vehicles designed and developed by Supacat Ltd at their factory in Honiton, Devon, UK, for use by the British Army and Royal Air Force Regiment.
The current Royal Marines Armoured Support Group (RMASG) is an element of the Royal Marines that operates the Viking BvS 10 All Terrain Vehicle. It is based at Bovington in Dorset. The original RMASG was formed in the Second World War to give British and Commonwealth forces heavy fire support in the opening attacks of the Normandy landings.
The Bronco All Terrain Tracked Carrier (ATTC) is a twin chassis multi-purpose tracked articulated vehicle jointly developed by ST Kinetics and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) for the Singapore Army. A variant of the Bronco in British service in Afghanistan was named Warthog.
Royal Marines recruit training is the longest basic modern infantry training programme of any Commonwealth, or North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) combat troops. The Royal Marines are the only part of the British Armed Forces where officers and other ranks are trained at the same location, the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) at Lympstone, Devon. Much of the basic training is carried out on the rugged terrain of Dartmoor and Woodbury Common with a significant proportion taking place at night.
The Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) is a versatile amphibious landing craft designed to transport troops or armoured vehicles from ship to shore during amphibious landings. The designation was first used in British service for the LCVP Mk2s introduced with the two Fearless class amphibious transport docks, the role having previously been carried out by the Landing Craft Assault developed during the Second World War. They are manned and operated by 1 Assault Group Royal Marines.
A Littoral Response Group (LRG) is a Royal Navy task group usually consisting of one or two amphibious warfare ships, a company of Royal Marines and supporting elements primarily tasked with littoral warfare from the littoral areas. They were first deployed in 2020 and have been described by the Royal Navy as being more flexible and agile compared to previous amphibious task groups with an emphasis on forward-basing, precision strike capabilities, high mobility, modern command and control technology, networked autonomous systems and deception capabilities. Multiple LRGs can combine to form a more substantial Littoral Strike Group (LSG) and they can also join a UK Carrier Strike Group to form an Expeditionary Strike Force.
The Future Commando Force (FCF) is an in-progress modernisation programme and transformation of the role and operations of the Royal Marines. The FCF essentially retasks 40 Commando and 45 Commando with forming two Littoral Response Groups (LRGs) which will be permanently deployed, though other units from 3 Commando Brigade are also included in the composition of LRGs, as well as changing the role and operations of the Royal Marines and the equipment and tactics they use.
The Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) is a planned class of up to six multi-mission amphibious warfare ships in development for the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. The ships were first officially mentioned in the British government's 2021 defence white paper, titled Defence in a Competitive Age. In May 2024, funding for the ships was announced at the Sea Power Conference in London. They will replace the service's two Albion-class landing platform docks, three Bay-class landing ship docks and the multi-purpose support ship RFA Argus.