Royal Navy Amphibious ships.

[IronDuke99]

The main current Royal Navy Amphibious warfare ships include:

HMS Ocean: Landing Platform Helicopter, 18 helos -up to chinook size- 4 x LCVP landing craft. Up to a maximum of 1,000 Royal Marines.

She is due to pay off in 2018/19. This ship has been used very hard in her career and she really should be replaced in my view.

HMS Bulwark, HMS Albion: Landing Platform Dock, each 4 X LCU and 4 X LCVP landing craft. very large flight deck, 400-700 Royal Marines, around 70 vehicles up to MBT size.

4 X Bay Class Royal Fleet Auxiliary: Landing Ship Dock, each 1 LCU or 2 x LCVP, large flight deck, 350-700 Royal Marines, up to 24 x Challanger2 MBT or equivalent.

In addition up to 6 x Point Class sealift ships are available to the RN, at between 20 and 30 days notice, that can carry up to 130 armoured vehicles and 60 trucks. they also have a flight deck.

All of the above ships can operate helos up to Chinook size.

The Royal Marines Brigade Group has 3 x Royal Marine Commandos -roughly battalion sized formations- plus supporting arms, including a regiment of 105mm light gun artillery support and Special Forces. They can be reinforced by British Army formations including armour and Apache attack helicopters, etc.

The Royal Marines also have hovercraft, the latest being 2400TD (C. 2010) that carries some armour.

Please note that the three Royal Marines Commandos units are in Company, not squadron formations. Like the USMC, the Royal Marines are part of the Navy, not the Army. The Special Boat Service -SBS- are the Royal Marines Special Forces and, roughly, equivalent to the US Navy Seals.

Hopefully useful to anyone doing British amphibious landing ops.

[Suhiir]

FYI
http://www.military-today.com/navy/t...ault_ships.htm

[IronDuke99]

In terms of Army reinforcement to the Royal Marines, in the 1982 Falklands campaign, the RM brigade was reinforced with two British Army Para battalions, another regiment of 105mm light guns and two troops of light Tanks -CVR(T)- plus assorted Special Forces, SAM and logistic assets. Later joined by another British Army Brigade group.

These days British forces actually have much better amphibious assets than in 1982, that can carry both more and heavier kit and, shortly, will have far superior Carrier assets.

Outside of the USMC, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines have, by far, the best and largest Amphibious forces in the West.

[Suhiir]

I've always found the evolution of the USMC a tad amusing. Prior to WW II it also existed as only brigade (usually regimental) sized units until 1st MarDiv was officially formed in 1941, and was never in the same place until just prior to Guadalcanal.

Post war it was decided to keep divisional formations, but of course with the draw-down and manpower shortages they were so under-strength (less then 65%) as to be a joke. Then came Korea.

Creating the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade in the summer of 1950 took a reshuffling of basically the entire active-duty strength of the USMC. And the 1st Division itself was created with reserves and WW II vets recalled to active duty.

It wasn't really until post Korea "real" divisions continued to exist and even now it's really organized around reinforced and self sustained battalion sized Marine Amphibious Units (MEUs). I'm not sure the USMC has ever done a divisional (or even brigade) sized training other then Command Post Exercises (CPXs), HQ units out in the field but no actual troops.

So while four USMC divisions exist on paper, and can be fielded (the Gulf Wars) when needed, as I've said elsewhere it almost never happens.

[IronDuke99]

Following Iraq and Afghanistan (Wars we did not win and never really had a plan to win, and lost, certainly as soon as we gave pull out dates -just how stupid do our political types think the enemy is?

There is a big reluctance to put boots on the ground -beyond Special Forces, who are generally everywhere, and sometimes nowhere, depending on who you believe.

In terms of Marines and Amphibious forces, because they are both very mobile, self contained and amphibious they are very often the first used. people need rescue, yep. ally invaded, yep. Quick intervention, yep. operations in Islands, yep. Slow down a heavier armed enemy, until reinforcements can arrive, yep.

Although, for any bad guys reading this, you might equally get hit Air attack or by airbourne/helicopter forces, or by Special Forces you never get to see, until too late, missiles from the sea, or maybe a combination of all or some of these...