10 Landing Craft Training Squadron Royal Marines
10 LC Training Squadron is the Royal Marines' centre of excellence for all amphibious training.
Although the Squadron undertakes a number of core training activities its main focus is the Specialist Landing Craft Career training:
LC 3 Course
This12-week course and is the entry point for volunteers into the LC Specialisation.
Students are taught to the necessary boat handling skills to operate and live from the Inflatable Raiding Craft (IRC), the Rigid Raiding Craft (RRC) and the Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) in the tactical environment.
They are also taught to crew the Landing Craft Vehicle & Personnel (LCVP) and the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) as well as all the navigation and engineering skills required to be self sufficient when deployed in small groups.
The course is accredited to RYA Advanced Powerboat level.
LC 2 Course
When the LC3 Marine is ready for further advancement to Corporal he completes further specialist training on the LC2 Course.
This is a 14 week course which builds on skills learned on the LC3 Course as well as operational experience gained by employment within the Assault Squadrons. The student is trained to command a raiding section, coxswain the Landing Craft Vehicle & Personnel and second coxswain the Landing Craft Utility.
During the LC2 Course engineering skills are enhanced and an advanced navigational course must be successfully completed. As a result, the LC2 Course is RYA accredited to Coastal Skipper standard.
LC1 Course
Attendance of the 14 week LC1 Course comes when an individual has gained a substantial amount of experience, both from his previous LC Courses and from further operational experience with the Assault Squadrons. The attendees must also now be ready for further advancement to Sergeant.
The students are trained to coxswain and command the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) as well as plan and conduct amphibious and riverine operations as a Boat Group Commander.
The students have further training in advanced navigation techniques including; ships stability calculations and open sea, coastal and inland techniques. The students receive RYA Offshore Skipper accreditation on successful completion of the course.
LCOQ Course
This is the Landing Craft Officer Qualifying Course for subalterns joining the LC Specialisation. It is 16 weeks long and encompasses many of the practical skills taught to non-commissioned ranks on the other LC Specialist Courses.
The students are primarily trained as amphibious operations planners, surface manoeuvre advisors and Boat Group Commanders.
The students are also taught advanced navigation techniques to the same level as the LC2 Course with RYA Coastal Skipper Shorebased accreditation.
Additional Training Courses
10 LC Training Squadron also undertake a number of other training tasks:
- Amphibious training for Royal Marines recruits,
- Young Officers and the All Arms Commando Courses.
- Small boat training for the Royal Navy, Army, Police and Customs.
- Engineering and navigation training for the Assault Squadrons
- Specially tailored LC Specialist training for 2 Raiding Troop from the Royal Marines Reserve.
- Surface Manoeuvre expertise to the wider amphibious community.
10 LC Training Squadron is an extremely busy establishment with a high training load placed upon it. In addition to the requirement for a continuous output of trained LC Specialists and amphibious training for Commandos the Squadron is also used as a pool of manpower for the operational Assault Squadrons.