ROYAL MARINES OF THE FUTURE

Imagined by Britain's best and brightest engineers

In partnership with UKNEST

kitting up

Royal Marine Commandos must be at home in any environment from the Arctic to the desert.

Commandos are trained to use a variety of high tech equipment to enable them to operate for long periods of time without being detected and when the time comes strike the enemy where it hurts with lethal weaponry.

The aim is to make their Bergen rucksacks lighter and more versatile, with dual use options.

THE INTELLIGENCE BRIEF

The intelligence brief

A successful raid depends on a clear understanding of the situation.

A commander must prepare his strike team through gathering intelligence and using this to plan their strike accordingly.

In this scene you see the Marines preparing for the raid and being briefed in the hangar of HMS Queen Elizabeth, the flagship of the Royal Navy. The marines are using information from space, fusing big data and sophisticated intelligence to prepare.

Ekranoplans are at the far end of the hangar and you see a Sycamore Stealth Pod slung from the underside of the hangar ceiling.

Sycamore stealth pod

Capable of being fired from an electro-magnetic rail gun mounted on a Royal Navy ship, Sycamore Stealth Pods enter high altitudes at high supersonic speeds giving them ranges of more than 100 miles.

These bullet shaped projectiles are not intended as munitions, they can carry supplies and are large enough even to fit a Royal Marine Commando. Two sets of contra-rotating blades open during the pod’s decent, bringing them to earth quietly for covert insertions.

The rotating blades power a generator, with the energy generated being stored to act as a power source. This power source also allows the pod to operate in gyro-copter mode for extraction from the combat zone.

The insertion

Royal Marines are known for their abilities to operate in all climates and use landing craft or helicopters to get there.

From raiding beaches to rapid-roping from Merlins in the middle of jungles, commandos use their stealth and skill to get behind enemy lines.

The aim is to go one step further and use Ekranoplan Landing Craft to skim across the surface of waves at 300 knots.

Ekranoplans

Stealthy Ekranoplans will transform the way Royal Marines and their equipment is brought to shore. With a sleek arrow head and low-drag profile, the Ekranoplans will be able to deploy from a ship far out at sea. Able to travel at 300 knots, the vessel can swiftly cover large distance before switching for low speed, silent manoeuvring as it approaches its insertion point. An active camouflage system embedded in its hull provides enhanced stealth capabilities.

Force Protection Escort Drones

Ekranoplans are protected by autonomous escort drones. These diamond-shaped flyers are controlled via a neural network connected to an Ekranoplan command system. The drones have a modular payload system and can be fitted with weaponry, sensors and communication systems.

‘Grunt’ Drones

Grunt drones are the future of mobile autonomous resupply. The modular resupply system design incorporates ion-drive engines, located in 'arms' which extend for in-flight stability and retract for launching out of the Ekranoplan landing craft.

Vectoring nozzles provide precise guidance to the on-board AI control systems, which will guide payload equipment and supplies to Royal Marine forces ashore.

SCALING THE CLIFF

Scaling the cliff

Months of training make sure Royal Marines are ready for whatever obstacles they may face. This could be crawling in the undergrowth, crossing deserts or scaling cliffs.

They have to ensure they can move themselves and their kit safely and securely.

In this scenario, while scaling a cliff, the commandos use bionic crawler extensions and personal ghost drones - helping to keep their camouflage protection in place. Other marines use short flight extensions on the back of their Bergens to get to the top of the cliff.

Gecko Unit

Webbed, oversized gloves and feet will be electrically charged making them ultra-sticky, enabling Royal Marines to scale any surface. The short-range flight attachment with micro turbo jets gives them the ability to cross minefields, obstacles and scale small cliffs.

Ghost Drones

A smaller variant of the escort drone, ghost drones accompany Royal Marines into the field on operations. Their small size and low signature level allows them to remain covert alongside the commandos. The drones are equipped with multi-spectral sensors which feed directly into the marines' helmet visor display. This provides them with real-time 'eyes and ears' on the ground. They ghost drones also have a decoy system using holographics to distract and disorientate adversaries.

THE ASSAULT

The assault

A successful Royal Marines raid depends on surprise and speed.

Having planned their assault, the commandos are ready to engage with the enemy, using a variety of weapons and equipment.

The aim is to use the overwhelming firepower from rail guns and the speed of light weapons with support from heavily-armed drones.

Dual Mode Rifle

The rifle combines both conventional rounds and a directed energy (laser) weapon system. It will be linked to the commando's visor display, with target motion analysis algorithms providing precision fire solutions straight the marine for increased accuracy at range.

Battlefield Perception Helmet

A visor display provides a range of information to the Royal Marine, from enhanced and sharpened views of the real world to tactical overlays and squad health displays. The helmet also shows combat information, has a low light and thermal mode and can get integrated feeds from other marine assets.

VICTORY

Victory

No matter how much technology is improved, the ethos of the Royal Marines has always focused on a tough, determined band of men prepared to exert the overwhelming forces - even if it means fighting hand-to-hand.

With one mission complete, the commandos are resupplied with ammunition and lightweight vehicles from the sycamore drop pods. Re-armed and re-focused, they race to their next objective - always prepared to face the enemy.