List of equipment of the Royal Marines

This is a list of equipment of the Royal Marines currently in use. It includes personal equipment, small arms, combat vehicles, snowmobiles and watercraft. The Royal Marines are a highly specialised and adaptable light infantry force, a part of His Majesty's Naval Service. The equipment of the Royal Marines has a high degree of commonality with other arms of the British Armed Forces – particularly the British Army – but includes some unique items.

To meet their commitments, the equipment of the armed forces is periodically updated and modified. Programs exist to ensure the Royal Marines are suitably equipped for both current conflicts and expected future conflicts, with any shortcomings in equipment addressed as Urgent Operational Requirements (UOR), which supplements planned equipment programmes.^[1]

Infantry equipment

Personal equipment

Helmet

The Royal Marines now use the Ops-Core Future Assault Shell Technology Helmet, also known as the FAST helmet, as part of the Future Commando Force programme. The Revision Batlskin Cobra Plus helmet, which formed the helmet component of the earlier Virtus programme, remains in limited use.^[2]

Combat body armour

As part of the Future Commando Force programme, the standard issue combat body armor / plate carrier is the C2R CBAV (Commando Ballistic Armour Vest) Plate Carrier, which forms the core of the Commando Modular Assault System. The Scalable Tactical Vest component of the earlier Virtus programme remains in limited use.^[2][3]

Respirator

The General Service Respirator replaces the older S10 respirator.^[4] These respirators are also used by the rest of the Naval Service, the British Army and Royal Air Force.

Uniforms

Royal Marine at Lulworth Range in July 2023 with Crye uniform and Ops-Core helmet; he also wears the Virtus programme's Scalable Tactical Vest.

As part of the Future Commando Force programme, the standard issue uniform since autumn 2020 has been an off-the-shelf design from Crye Precision featuring the company's MultiCam camouflage pattern. The Crye uniform is lighter weight, has higher tear-strength, is faster-drying, and is more breathable than typical cotton-nylon uniforms. It replaces the previously used Multi-Terrain Pattern Personal Clothing System uniform, which is still in use by the rest of the British Armed Forces.^[5]

Weapons

Watercraft

Vehicles

The Royal Marines maintain no heavy armoured units, instead, they operate a fleet of lightly armoured and highly mobile vehicles intended for amphibious landings or rapid deployment. The primary armoured fighting vehicle operated by the RM Armoured Support Group (RMASG) is the BvS 10 Viking amphibious armoured all-terrain vehicle.^[42] Other, lighter vehicles include the Land Rover Wolf, the Jackal 2(MWMIK), and the Polaris MRZR.^[43]

Future equipment

• The Royal Navy plans to retire the LCVP Mk5 in 2027 and replace it with the new Commando Insertion Craft (CIC). A competition for CIC design, manufacture and support is expected to commence at the end of 2024. The Commando Force programme director, said that top-level requirements called for a vessel “that can carry a strike team and a small vehicle in from 150 miles, at 25 knots plus and with a low (thermal, radar, visual, acoustic) signature".^[53][54]
• Under the international Collaborative All-Terrain Vehicle (CATV) programme, the UK Commando Force will receive 60 Future All-Terrain Vehicles (FATV) starting from February 2025.The FATVs will be in-service until 2058, replacing the BV206 tracked and older BvS 10 ‘Viking’ models. Their articulated mobility systems provide optimal manoeuvrability across varying terrains so they can traverse snow, ice, rock, sand, mud or swamps, as well as steep mountain environments. The vehicles’ amphibious feature also allows them to swim in flooded areas or coastal waters, and a logistics variant can carry 6 tonnes of equipment.^[55]
• 22 Malloy Aeronautics T150 heavy lift quadcopter drones were ordered in February 2024.^[56]

See also

• List of equipment of the British Army
• List of equipment of the RAF Regiment

References

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