The US Navy SEALs and the British Royal Marines—arguably the finest commandos on each side of the Atlantic Ocean—cooperated on joint naval boarding and compound clearing drills in Virginia.

This month, the Royal Navy’s Commando Force crossed the “Pond” to take part in “three weeks of intensive maritime special operations training” alongside the United States Navy’s famed SEALs. Resolute Strike ensured that the commandos and SEAL teams could jointly operate seamlessly—and that UK forces remain ready for potential NATO operations, the Royal Navy announced this week.

Although the full picture of the training hasn’t been disclosed, the special operators took part in day and nighttime close-quarters battle (CQB) drills, which included both the boarding of vessels and “compound clearing,” the tactical procedure of systematically searching, securing, and neutralizing threats within an enclosed group of buildings, enclosures, or a patrol base.

The exercises concluded with drills on the US Navy’s San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD-24). A joint US/UK team landed on the target vessel from two Black Hawk helicopters and quickly gained control against a simulated enemy.

“Resolute Strike was not only an exceptional Maritime Special Operations training opportunity, but it also proved vital integration with our US partners, testing interchangeability of tactics, equipment, and processes,” explained Major George Eatwell, Officer in Command of M Company, 42 Commando.

“Whenever, or wherever we may fight alongside the US in the future, we are now better aligned at the operator level having built those lasting foundational relationships,” Eatwell added.

A total of 27 commandos from M Company and specialists from the Royal Artillery’s 148 Battery—already experts in multi-domain fire and targeting operations—traveled to Virginia Beach, Virginia, to take part in the exercises. It came after the British military personnel had already spent the previous month training in southern Mississippi, where they participated in riverine and jungle raiding drills to hone their skills in terrain quite distinct from that of the UK.

The Commandos Received “Daring” Training Together

Members of 148 Battery operated alongside SEAL teams at the Navy Dare Bombing Range in North Carolina, a 72-square-mile facility that serves as an air-to-surface bombing range for the US Air Force and US Navy. It is also employed in select special operations and Joint Terminal Attack Control (JTAC) training drills as it offers a remote location and landscape.

“The UK commandos guided in attacks by F-18 Super Hornets alongside the U.S. East Coast-based SEALs, targeting area denial capabilities – such as surface-to-air missiles– and suppressing enemy air defences,” the Royal Navy added. The completion of the drills ensured that 148 Battery is fully certified to support JTAC-style missions.

The 148 (Meiktila) Battery was originally formed in India in 1942, as S Company, 2nd Battalion of the Bengal Artillery. It was transferred to the Field Artillery in 1861 following the Indian Mutiny of 1857, and reformed as the 148 Battery in the Royal Field Artillery in February 1915 during World War I.

In the 1970s, the unit transitioned to its current amphibious and commando observation role, becoming the specialist naval gunfire support unit attached to the 29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery.

British “SOMTU” Soldiers Training With SEALs

The M Company team, which forms the basis of the Special Operations Maritime Task Unit (SOMTU) 9, focused on maritime interdiction training with the US Navy SEALs. The British high-readiness elite military unit is designed to deploy globally from ships or land bases to conduct maritime special operations. It can operate independently or integrate seamlessly with partner and joint forces.

The SOMTU doesn’t operate as a single permanent fixed organization, and instead was created as a modular, scalable tactical-level combat element formation that is employed across various international military doctrines—including NATO, the UK Commando Force/Royal Marines, and other allied special operations forces.

No. 42 (Royal Marine) Commando can trace its origins to August 1, 1943, when it was formed from the disbanded Royal Marine (RM) Battalion, during World War II. It remains an elite, highly specialized unit with the UK’s Royal Marines, and it trains in high-threat boarding, ship protection, counter-piracy, and joint personnel recovery. The unit is based in Plymouth, Devon, and can deploy globally on short notice.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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