Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Royal Marines’ new mission to disrupt enemy
ASENIOR West military leader has said Royal Marines could take on more of a special forces role in the future, according to reports.
Lieutenant Colonel Simon Rogers, commanding officer of Tauntonbased 40 Commando, was addressing a Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think tank.
The Times reports that he told the gathering that commandos will be sent on covert missions overseas to disrupt enemy activity ahead of any potential conflict.
The newspaper reported that he said they could be operating in the grey zone “between peace and war” on missions including “fake electronic transmissions to confuse adversaries”, efforts to “disrupt online systems” and attempting to “deceive enemy forces by making them think UK troops are positioned elsewhere”.
It would free up troops from the Hereford-based SAS for other missions.
He told the conference “special operations are now no longer the preserve of special forces”, according to The Times.
Royal Marines from 45 Commando have recently been exercising in the Arctic Circle in northern Norway on winter training operations.
And Wiltshire-based 5 Rifles have been somewhere just as cold, battling minus 20C temperatures in Estonia earlier this month.
Hundreds of British soldiers took part in the Nato-led Exercise Winter Camp.
The infantry companies of 5 Rifle honed their fighting skills in dense snowy forestry with a combination of dismounted close combat live and blank fire tactical training.
“We all joined the infantry for a challenge, and this absolutely qualifies as one,” says Major Rob Fellows, Officer Commanding of A Company,
I have never operated in winter conditions as challenging as this MAJOR ROB FELLOWS
5 Rifles. “Although I have operated in cold conditions before, including in an Afghan winter, and done attacks with snow on the ground in the UK, I have never operated in winter conditions as challenging as this, where the snow is as deep as it is, and where the climate is as unforgiving.”