Royal Marines to get total overhaul
THE Royal Marines are to undergo a complete rebrand, with a new role, new weapons and fresh uniforms.
The move will make the 350-year-old elite unit better equipped for 21st-century challenges, it is claimed.
Under the plans the Royal Marines will provide more direct support to Special Forces and be deployed aboard prepositioned “littoral strike” ships close to the shore in areas such as the Mediterranean and the Gulf.
At a tactical level, they are to be issued with a new camouflage combat uniform.
Though only some Royal Marines now have access to the Colt C7 assault rifle, the move will see it rolled out to all members and mark the corp’s ditching of the standard-issue SA-80.
As part of the push to return to its maritime role, discussions are under way to change officer’s rankings to match Royal Naval ranks, rather than the Army, though this is still under review.
What has been decided, however, is that the Royal Marines will retain their iconic green beret and cap badge.
“The scale and ambition of our transformation is significant. Nothing is offlimits and we aspire to be at the cutting edge of defence,” said Royal Marines Commandant General Major-general Matt Holmes.
Senior sources confirmed that the new “force distribution” policy was inspired by recent US Marine Corps (USMC) guidance.
Under the new plans, to be phased in over three years, the Royal Marines will adopt a more “special operations” approach by using more and smaller units.
The regiment currently operates one specialist maritime unit, 42 Commando, which is deployed in small groups in areas such as the Gulf and mounts operations against piracy and to protect shipping from potential attacks.
But now Maj-gen Holmes wants the entire 3 Commando Brigade – the Royal Marines’ main fighting arm – to become a special operations force, similar to its USMC counterpart.
It means more Royal Marines are to be based on new littoral strike ships and placed on high readiness in areas of tension.
The Ministry of Defence has already dedicated £35million to building two new vessels, which are to be rolled out in five years. Each will contain a company of 120 commandos and up to six helicopters.
In the meantime a new amphibious task force, headed by Commodore James Parkin, has just been launched.
A Royal Marines spokesman said: “The Royal Marines are a distinct but integral part of the Royal Navy and work is ongoing to reinforce their role as an effective maritime fighting force.
“The Future Commando force will harness cutting-edge technology to be an effective maritime infantry force using innovative, potent, fighting capability.”