Royal Marines call in US Himars rocket strikes in Nato exercise

Royal Marines have called in rocket strikes and raided the Polish coastline in Nato's Exercise Baltops in the Baltic Sea.

Commandos and a Royal Navy amphibious task group were among 6,000 troops from 19 allied nations who took part in the exercise on Nato's eastern flank.

Amphibious Royal Navy vessel HMS Albion – the assault ship at the head of the Littoral Response Group (North) – delivered commandos to the shoreline at Ustka in northern Poland to survey the beach and prepare it for other Nato marine forces to come ashore.

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The Royal Marines provided intelligence before US Marines and troops from Italy, Poland and Romania took up their coastline positions.

X-Ray Company from 45 Commando worked with the specialist Surveillance and Reconnaissance Team – known as the eyes and ears of the UK Commando Force.

UK personnel – 148 Battery from 29 Commando Royal Artillery – sent co-ordinates to the task force at sea for US Himars rocket launchers to strike targets and allow Nato forces into the area.

Using small inflatable raiding craft, 47 Commando brought fellow Royal, and US, Marines onshore.

British personnel worked with Golf Company from 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, US Marine Corps (USMC), on HMS Albion.

USMC Company Commander Major Ryan Rullman said: "Working with the Royal Marines and Navy has been a fantastic experience.

"We have progressively strengthened our ability to work together at the tactical and operational levels, and successfully integrated our primary command and control systems."

Captain Marcus Hember RN, Commander of the Littoral Response Group (North) Task Group,  and also Commanding Officer of HMS Albion said: "In bad times, good friends turn up; the UK's commitment as a Nato ally to Baltic and Northern European security is steadfast, and this exercise is just another example following on from months of Albion and LRG(N) working closely with our allies and partners in the region.

"We have shown we are stronger together."