Strike Warrior marks the first time since the war in Afghanistan that all the specialist elements of the commando formation have worked together. More than 2,000 personnel from six nations are taking part, rehearsing allied crisis-response operations in the High North and North Atlantic region.
The Royal Navy named the participating countries as the UK, the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Norway and the United States. Forces are operating across the Western Isles, the North-West Approaches, Galloway, the Borders region and the North Sea.
From submarine to clifftop
The Cape Wrath operation began when the submarine surfaced at the most north-westerly point of mainland Great Britain. Navy and Army commandos from 148 Battery, a commando forward observation unit, then slipped away in inflatable raiding boats and set up an observation post on the cliffs.
From that position they directed the guns of the Portuguese warship NRP Dom Francisco de Almeida onto ‘enemy’ positions. The battery belongs to a group of specialist units trained to carry out reconnaissance and direct naval gunfire from behind enemy lines.
The Royal Navy said the operation showed the strength of combining allies, with the German boat charged with identifying targets, the commandos landing discreetly and the Portuguese ship bringing the firepower. “This level of complexity and coordination of live assets has not been achieved by 148 Battery for nearly 30 years,” said the battery’s operations officer, who cannot be named for operational reasons.
“We wanted to demonstrate to our partners across the United Kingdom Commando Force, wider UK Defence and NATO Special Operations Force community the type of missions we are prepared to execute against future threats,” the officer said. “Warfighting is our focus, and we are prepared to employ specialist assets to deliver Multi-Domain Fires and Targeting.”
NATO frigates join the fire missions
Earlier in the exercise, the same battery controlled naval gunfire from warships of Standing NATO Maritime Group One, NATO’s premier task group in Northern European waters. The Dutch frigate HNLMS Van Amstel and the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS St. John’s each linked up with commandos in their observation posts to bring fire down on ‘enemy’ positions.
Eight warships, 19 aircraft
Eight warships and 19 aircraft are involved in Strike Warrior, which began on 28 September and ends on Friday, 9 October. Alongside the gunfire missions, the programme has taken in amphibious landings, boarding operations, intelligence and surveillance missions, logistics and sustainment work, maritime security and anti-submarine warfare.
Commandos have also carried out drone missions, including strikes and the resupply of troops in combat. They have built underground medical facilities too.
