Exercise Predators Run: Royal Marines test capabilities in remote Australian terrain
More than 400 UK commandos have been deployed for six weeks in the Australian bush for military drills designed to test their ability to operate ahead of the main allied force.
The Royal Marines trained alongside their Australian hosts, as well as the United States and the Philippines.
The exercise, named Predators Run, is aimed at increasing the allies' ability to work together and is a major show of strength in the Indo-Pacific.
Operating deep behind enemy lines, the commandos executed precision raids along the vast Indian Ocean coastline and the bushland of the Northern Territory.
Small teams targeted critical infrastructure to pave the way for the Australian Army's 1 Brigade to strike adversary strongpoints.
Deployed under the cover of darkness, the commandos arrived by helicopter and raiding craft from the coast.
Their operations were supported by RFA Argus and RFA Lyme Bay, part of the Royal Navy's Littoral Response Group (South).
This task force is designed to respond to global events and crises from the Suez Canal to the Indo-Pacific.
Working far from established supply chains, they formed small raiding teams intended to cause maximum disruption to the enemy.
"This has been a unique experience," said the officer in charge of Bravo Company, Major Jack South, Royal Marines.
"It's provided an opportunity to test the limits of our capabilities and push beyond our own boundaries."
RFA Lyme Bay and RFA Argus served as launchpads for amphibious and helicopter raids, with three Commando Merlin aircraft from Yeovilton-based Commando Helicopter Force's 845 Naval Air Squadron flying marines into action.
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