Royal Marines on the Peaks of the Sierra Nevada: Extreme Training with US Allies

Facing the scorching heat, thin air, and peaks over 11,000 feet of the Sierra Nevada was no small feat, but for the Royal Marines of 45 Commando, it was a necessary step to maintain their legendary mountain warfare capabilities. For six weeks, the men stationed in Arbroath, Scotland, left the mists of the Cairngorms to move to the Mountain Warfare Training Center in Pickel Meadows, California, where they participated in the international exercise Green Dagger.

Training in Extreme Conditions

The program began with an acclimatization phase: the marines had to quickly adapt to working at over 2,000 meters altitude and temperatures reaching 35 degrees. This period included theoretical study of mountaineering techniques and practical application in a harsh and hostile environment, very different from the Scottish mountains.

The activities ranged from vertical climbs and abseiling to river and valley crossings, up to building a Tyrolean traverse rope bridge to overcome deep canyons. The commandos also faced a challenging 100-meter descent, testing their physical and mental endurance and ability to operate in extreme situations.

Logistical support was not overlooked: the use of mules, for example, proved essential for transporting heavy weaponry on rugged trails. A demonstration that, in similar scenarios, technology goes hand in hand with traditional survival and movement methods.

New Equipment and Tactics

The exercise was also a testing ground for new equipment: the Royal Marines tested the KS-1 rifle, new optical systems, night and thermal vision devices, as well as long-range binoculars. The goal was to verify their reliability in extreme environmental conditions and during high-altitude combat maneuvers.

Alongside infantry skills, specialized roles were also tested:

• 59 Commando Royal Engineers focused on fortifications and explosive techniques to obstruct enemy supply routes.
• 29 Commando Royal Artillery worked on indirect fire control with forward observer teams.
• Other units conducted air defense activities, mountain communications, and tactical medicine.

Joint Operations and Final Validation

The culmination of Green Dagger was joint training with allies: the 45 Commando operated side by side with the 2nd Battalion 4th Marines of the United States and a company of the Presidential Guard of the United Arab Emirates, facing combat simulations against larger forces, including the 1st Battalion 5th Marines and the Marine Forces Special Operations Command.

This “force-on-force” scenario was a crucial testing ground to validate the procedures, tactics, and operational capabilities of the British commandos in a mountain environment.

The exercise once again demonstrated why the Royal Marines remain the UK's foremost experts in mountain and arctic warfare: adaptability, physical endurance, technological innovation, and esprit de corps make them ready to operate in any condition, wherever they are called.