The exercise combined day and night close-quarters combat, vessel boarding and compound clearance with training in directing airstrikes. Its final validation phase was conducted from the U.S. Navy amphibious transport dock USS Arlington.
“Resolute Strike was not only an exceptional Maritime Special Operations training opportunity, but it also proved vital integration with our US partners, testing interchangeability of tactics, equipment, and processes,” said Major George Eatwell, officer in command of M Company, 42 Commando. “Whenever, or wherever we may fight alongside the US in the future, we are now better aligned at the operator level having built those lasting foundational relationships.”
The UK contingent included 27 commandos from M Company and specialists from 148 Battery, which provides targeting and fires expertise. They traveled to Virginia Beach after a month of riverine and jungle raiding training in southern Mississippi.
At the Navy Dare Bombing Range in North Carolina, 148 Battery personnel worked with SEAL teams to direct strikes by F-18 Super Hornets. The aircraft targeted simulated area-denial capabilities, including surface-to-air missiles, while the teams practiced suppressing enemy air defenses; the Royal Navy said the training certified 148 Battery to support operations while retaining its high-readiness status.
M Company’s team, which forms Special Operations Maritime Task Unit 9, focused on maritime interdiction with the SEALs. After exchanging tactics, the forces carried out more than 20 close-quarters missions, including nighttime helicopter insertions to seize compounds.
Training then shifted to a nighttime vessel takedown, with the teams practicing explosive and mechanical entry and close-quarters marksmanship. In the final week, two Black Hawk helicopters delivered a combined U.S.-UK assault team from USS Arlington onto a U.S. Navy target vessel, which the team seized.
The Royal Navy said the commandos and SEALs both have specialist Arctic capabilities. It said the forces plan to continue their joint training in colder conditions this winter.
