Guardians of the UK’s nuclear deterrent train for critical mission
The marines of 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group are on duty 24/7 365 days a year, tasked with stopping unauthorised access to the UK’s strategic deterrent and the Vanguard-class 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 the USMC Security Force Regiment, based at the Atlantic and Pacific homes of the US Navy’s deterrence boats, Kings Bay and Bangor, and their British comrades razor sharp for their no-fail duties.
Tartan Eagle takes place in two phases – in the summer 43 Commando travel to Chesapeake in Virginia and Bangor, Washington, for an exchange with the Security Force Regiment and their Recapture Tactic Team.