The Royal Marines have carried out a covert commando raid launched from a German U-boat during the largest military exercise held in the Arctic so far this year.
Commandos surfaced aboard the submarine U-35 in a remote fjord roughly 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle.
The troops – part of specialist units designed to carry out reconnaissance and direct naval gunfire from behind enemy lines – slipped silently away on inflatable raiding craft.
Once their mission was completed, they returned to the submarine and disappeared beneath the waves.
The exercise was part of Cold Response 26 (CORE 26), a major Nato drill involving 14 nations and more than 25,000 personnel.
Led by Norwegian forces, the aim is to conduct cold-weather training and test defence concepts and the integration of Allied Forces while showing presence in the region.
As well as the UK, personnel taking part include troops from America, Denmark, Finland and Sweden.
Around 1,500 Royal Marine commandos have been operating in northern Norway since January, building up to CORE 26.
The aim of the mission carried out on March 3 was to slip in unseen and remain hidden while reconnoitering ‘enemy’ positions. Commandos then called in naval gunfire from allied warships before making their getaway.
Specialist elements of the UK’s highly skilled Commando Force: The Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron (SRS), Shore Reconnaissance Troop (SRT) and 148 Commando Forward Observation Battery all took part.
SRS boarded the German U-boat using an Inflatable Raiding Craft and stowing all their kit before diving below the surface.
Once in position, they disembarked the boat under the guise of night to establish an observation post to allow 148 Battery to confirm a target to a partner force ship to execute naval fires.
The second in command of SRS, whose identity cannot be revealed for operational reasons, said: ‘In the High North’s harsh and unforgiving domain, where extreme climatic conditions and adversary vigilance dominate, the ability to covertly insert reconnaissance teams ashore via Inflatable Raiding Craft (IRC) launched from a submarine is indispensable.
‘It delivers the stealthy edge needed to penetrate denied areas, deny the enemy sanctuary, collect vital intelligence on subsurface and littoral threats and shape the operational environment before any escalation.
‘This insertion capability from below the waves provides critical initiative to Nato in one of the planet’s most strategically contested regions.
The UK and Norway have committed to stepping up their joint military partnership in the Arctic, as Nato allies look to strengthen security across the region against threats from Russia.