Navy News
Direct from the front-line, the official newspaper of the Royal Navy, Navy News, brings you the latest news, features and award winning photos every month.
Marines of 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group are on duty 24/7 365 days a year, tasked with protecting the UK’s strategic deterrent and the Vanguard nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines that carry it.
These specialist commandos are based at Clyde Naval Base in Scotland, from where the submarines operate, and are required to maintain extremely high standards in a range of combat skills – namely fighting in tight and closed-quarters combat environments.
A yearly exercise – named Tartan Eagle – keeps the marines from both nations, who are committed to this specialist role, razor sharp for their duties.
Tartan Eagle takes place in two phases – first 43 Commando travel to Chesapeake, Virginia, and Bangor, Washington, for an exchange with their counterparts at the Marine Corps Security Force Regiment (MCSFR), specifically their Recapture Tactics Team.
In the autumn, the MCSFR travel to Clyde for the UK leg of the exercise.
Over these two phases, the marines carry out intensive drills in close-quarters battle and marksmanship, keeping them at the top of their game, always developing tactics and procedures.
For the first time in 16 years, the UK contingent were able to visit the US sensitive nuclear areas in Washington to develop a first-hand understanding of the MCSFR’s operational environment.
Officer Commanding of 43 Commando’s O Squadron, Major JDN Attrill, said: “Exercise Tartan Eagle occurs biannually, with one iteration in the United States of America and one in the United Kingdom, to ensure collective tactic development in support of sensitive nuclear security missions.
“This iteration reintroduced mission-specific site visits – essential for the understanding of the operation – for the first time since 2008.
“Further integration will occur in 2024 through student exchanges on the US Close Quarter Battle course and UK Commando Force Assaulters Course.
“Combined, this effort enhances the relationship between all units and, critically, ensures marines at all ranks have a more complete understanding of mission requirements… that marines at every level also enjoyed free time on both United States coastlines requires no further mention: it was good.”
O Squadron’s Solta Troop spent time initially in Chesapeake, Virginia honing the fundamentals of marksmanship, before progressing to live-fire closed-quarters battle drills at the multi-floor skills house.
They then flew to Seattle to conduct training at a mock village, named Leschi Town, which has a school, tower blocks, compounds and streets to train in.
Here, the commandos carried out a range of drills – cordoning off areas, breaching buildings and recovering valuable assets – alongside the Recapture Tactics Team.
The two sets of marines are now primed for the next phase in October in Scotland.
Direct from the front-line, the official newspaper of the Royal Navy, Navy News, brings you the latest news, features and award winning photos every month.