List of active Royal Marines military watercraft is a list of
landing craft and other watercraft in service with the
Royal Marines. It consist of a varied fleet of transport vessels, patrol vessels and special forces watercraft (I.e mini submarines etc.) maintained by the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
and designed to transport the Royal Marines or special forces from ship to shore as well as conduct river or estuary patrols.
[The Royal Navy Handbook, p. 106]
Landing Craft
As of 2014, there are presently 33 Landing Craft in service with the Royal Marines; 10
LCUs, 19
LCVPs and 4
LCACs. Total
displacement is approximately 3,000 tonnes.
Offshore Raiding Craft
The Offshore Raiding Craft (ORC) is a recent addition to the Royal Marines inventory. The ORC is primarily employed for 'Strategic Raiding' where speed and covertness is desired, however, the Offshore Raiding Craft is equally as capable when conducting amphibious operations alongside the larger and more traditional LCACs, LCUs and LCVPs. The ORC is fitted with several
general purpose machine guns as well as protection against enemy fire for the troops inside. The ORC can be underslung from a helicopter or deployed from ships of various sizes.
[Royal Marines - Landing Craft](_blank)
royalnavy.mod.uk, Retrieved 15 June 2014 39 ORC are currently in service with the Royal Marines
Raiding Craft
The Raiding Craft (RC) are operated in large numbers by the Royal Marines and can be divided into two groups; The
Rigid Raider (RRC), and the smaller
Inflatable Raiding Craft (IRC). Despite being the smallest of the amphibious craft, the Raiding Craft are the most widely used due to their mobility and versatility. As such, the RCs often find themselves deployed in amphibious and riverine operations around the globe, in environments ranging from the
Arctic
The Arctic ( or ) is a polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenland), Finland, Iceland, N ...
to the
tropics
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in
the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referr ...
. Examples of these craft are not only embarked on all amphibious warfare vessels, but are also carried aboard other Royal Navy ships for use on patrol duties, such as searching ships or anti-piracy.
Specialist Craft
The Royal Navy operate three
SDV Mk8 Mod 1 mini-submarines for use by the
Special Boat Service
The Special Boat Service (SBS) is the special forces unit of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. The SBS can trace its origins back to the Second World War when the Army Special Boat Section was formed in 1940. After the Second World War, the Roya ...
. They are designed to deliver special forces personnel and their equipment for covert
special operations
Special operations (S.O.) are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment". Special operations may include ...
missions on hostile shores. The British SDV Mk8 Mod 1 is the same as used by the
United States Navy SEALs.
In 2018 it was announced that the UK would buy three MK 11
Shallow Water Combat Submersibles (SWCS) to replace the Mk8s.
From 2011 to 2013, the Royal Marines leased four
CB90-class fast assault craft
Stridsbåt 90 H(alv) (Strb 90 H; CB90) is a class of fast military assault craft used by several countries after being originally developed for the Swedish Navy by Dockstavarvet. Its name means Combat Boat 90 Half; the ''90'' refers to the yea ...
from the
Swedish Armed Forces
The Swedish Armed Forces ( sv, Försvarsmakten, "the Defense Force") is the government agency that forms the armed forces of Sweden, tasked with the defense of the country as well as with promoting Sweden's wider interests, supporting internati ...
to gain operational insight into the design and capabilities of such a craft. The CB90 or a similar vessel may in future fulfil the Royal Marines concept of the 'Future Force Protection Craft'. It is intended that such a vessel would provide a Task Group in the littoral zones protection from hostile fast attack craft.
The Fast Insertion Craft (FIC) is in use with the
Special Boat Service
The Special Boat Service (SBS) is the special forces unit of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. The SBS can trace its origins back to the Second World War when the Army Special Boat Section was formed in 1940. After the Second World War, the Roya ...
. It has a reported maximum speed of up to 55 knots and its hull features a highly stealthy design and advanced 'wave piercing' qualities. It is similar to the American
Mark V Special Operations Craft
The Mark V SOC (Special Operations Craft) was a marine security, patrol, and special forces insertion boat used by the United States Navy and manufactured by VT Halter Marine Inc (Gulfport, Mississippi). It was introduced into service with the ...
.
Patrol Boats
The Royal Marines operate three dedicated patrol vessels of the Island-class based at
HMNB Clyde
His Majesty's Naval Base, Clyde (HMNB Clyde; also HMS ''Neptune''), primarily sited at Faslane on the Gare Loch, is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Devonport and HMNB Portsmouth). It ...
. They are tasked with protecting high value Royal Navy ships such as the
Vanguard-class submarine
The ''Vanguard'' class is a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) in service with the Royal Navy. The class was introduced in 1994 as part of the Trident nuclear programme, and comprises four vessels: , , and , built ...
s. The vessels -called ''Mull'', ''Rona'' and ''Eorsa''- are ex
MoD Police boats. ''Mull'' and ''Rona'' were handed over to the Royal Marines during 2013, with ''Eorsa'' arriving at a later date.
See also
;Lists of ships operated by or in support of
Her Majesty's Naval Service
His Majesty's Naval Service is the United Kingdom's naval warfare and maritime service. It consists of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Marines Reserve and Naval Careers Service. The term Naval Ser ...
*
List of active Royal Navy ships
The Royal Navy is the principal naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. As of October 2022, there are 72 commissioned ships in the Royal Navy.
Of the commissioned vessels, twenty-two are major surface combatants (two aircraft ...
*
List of active Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships
*
List of ships of Serco Marine Services
List of ships of Serco Marine Services is a list of active ships operated by Serco Marine Services in support of Her Majesty's Naval Service (incl. Royal Navy, Royal Marines) and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
The ships ''Kingdom of Fife'' and '' ...
References
External links
Royal Marines - Landing Craft(royalnavy.mod.uk)
{{United Kingdom Ministry of Defence
Watercraft
Any vehicle used in or on water as well as underwater, including boats, ships, hovercraft and submarines, is a watercraft, also known as a water vessel or waterborne vessel. A watercraft usually has a propulsive capability (whether by sail, ...
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...