Members of a new Royal Marines task force have been conducting boarding drills in the Baltic Sea ahead of deployment with the Allied Reaction Force (ARF).
Fighters from Plymouth-based 42 and 47 Commando will be making up part of the U.K. Special Operations Maritime Task Group (SOMTG) next year as part of NATO’s ARF.
The SOMTG will be drawn from teams spanning the Royal Navy and U.K. Commando Force; it will specialise in tasks such as covert littoral raids and maritime board-and-recapture missions.
As part of their ongoing training, the Plymouth-based Marines have been taking part in Exercise Baltic Dawn, part of the wider Exercise Tarassis activities overseen by the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).
It has seen them carry out boarding drills aboard RFA Lyme Bay and launching small boats from her, as well as conduct a joint raiding operation with the British Army’s 3 Ranger on the island of Saaremaa off Estonia’s west coast.
SOMTG Commanding Officer Major Adam Kidson commented: “Exercise Baltic Dawn reaffirmed what Commando Forces have always stood for — the ability to strike unpredictably from the sea, anywhere, at any time.
“What’s different today is how we’re evolving that timeless capability. By operating from a Royal Fleet Auxiliary platform and conducting complex Maritime Interdiction Operations, we’ve expanded our reach and flexibility.
“With the support of our maritime planners, we’ve shown that we can adapt to any platform and any mission — a hallmark of the Commando mindset.
“That spirit of adaptability and relentless pursuit of excellence is what has ensured we’re ready for NATO’s evaluation in January 2026 — and ready for the challenges that lie ahead.”
- You can read more details on the Royal Navy website