Largest Military Exercise In 15 Years Sees British Commandos Surface off Scottish Coast From German Submarine

As part of the largest exercise involving British commandos in 15 years, personnel were seen aboard a German submarine, conducting a challenging operation. This was one of the drills performed during Exercise Strike, a NATO naval exercise at Cape Wrath.

German Navy’s Type 212A was used for the manoeuvre off Scotland, marking the first time since the Afghanistan war that all the specialist elements of the Commando Force worked together in a joint drill.

The exercise was intended to practise allied response during crises, emergencies or wars across the High North and the North Atlantic Ocean, which presents some of the most risky weather conditions.

The UK Commando Force, which consists of small teams, can conduct littoral, expeditionary and amphibious missions as they specialise in reconnaissance, target identification, artillery, logistics and medical training.

Over 200 personnel from the U.S., Canada, Norway, the Netherlands and Germany also participated in the NATO exercise with 8 naval ships and 19 fighter planes.

In the daring exercise, commandos from 148 (Meiktila) Commando Forward Observation Battery, Royal Artillery, boarded the submarine off the Scottish coast before infiltrating towards the shore.

The submarine offered information and other support to the team as it approached the target area, after which they carried out a secret mission involving a small inflatable raiding boat.

The commandos took cover and stealthily moved to the nearby cliffs to form an observation post. After this, they locked in the simulated target and fired at the enemy.

The firepower was provided by a frigate of the Portuguese Navy, the Dom Francisco de Almeida, using an Oto Melara deck gun.

After striking the enemy, the team moved back from the post and returned to the coast. The Royal Navy said that the exercise brought many allies together, with the German submarine identifying the target, the commandos landing on the shore, and the Portuguese vessel providing the firepower to engage the enemy.

The 148 Battery operations officer said this level of coordination and complex operation involving live fire and assets involving partner and allied navies had not been achieved in three decades, making it a significant naval exercise.

He added that the forces involved in the exercise wanted to show their allies across the U.K. Defence and NATO SOF that they are ready to take on any future threats.

The exercise was conducted in several areas, such as the Western Isles, Galloway, the Borders region, the North-West Approaches and the North Sea.