45 Commando Group’s mission in the High North requires small teams of Commandos to operate far from command and control and demands a high level of trust at the lowest levels. During this year’s Winter Deployment, Z Coy tested their skills during Exercise Joint Viking (Ex JV). It was a great opportunity for Commando Teams to operate with maximum mission command, for extended periods and over extended distances.
Firing from behind an OSRV
Commando Forces had a vital role in Ex Joint Viking. As the maritime advance force, Z Coy sent three teams to Senja island to conduct coordinated strike operations on enemy A2AD systems denying access to the Norwegian mainland. Success would, crucially, enable the NATO amphibious task group, led by the Dutch HNLMS Johan de Witt to begin operations.
Three Commando Teams deployed via surface and aviation onto Senja at last light to conduct surveillance and reconnaissance. Each team had a FST (fire support team) or JTAC (joint terminal air controller) attached to allow coordinated strikes on targets identified. The climax of this phase saw Z Coy’s JTAC synchronising strikes across three different targets with a Dutch fixed-wing unseen above the clouds. Following the success of this phase 0 operation, the Johan de Witt was able to insert a larger landing force and Z Coy could extract to our HQ at Sørreisa where we would re-cock, ready for redeployment as needed. At the same time, Z Coy was joined by a fourth team that had conducted a long-range OSRV insertion.
After a brief operational pause and a change of command from the maritime to the land component, orders were received to redeploy to two areas where the land components sensor coverage was lacking. Command Teams rapidly redeployed to cover these gaps with the organic ability to strike if required. Team 3 conducted a preliminary move via Merlin to within 10km off their target a forward area rearming and refuelling point (FARRP) in the deep battlespace and well beyond NATO’s forward line. With an OP established and with around 2km stand-off from the target area, we received orders to provide terminal guidance for a company deliberate attack on to the objective. Three teams massed near the objective with our OP providing the intelligence required to initiate the attack when a high-ranking logistics commander arrived by vehicle. This culminated the exercise, demonstrating versatility of multi-disciplinary strike teams working to both enable follow-on forces and quickly adapt to a sabotage and disrupt capability when needed.