Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines (FPGRM)

Once known as 'Comacchio Group', this specially trained and equipped cadre of Commandos are responsible for the security of Royal Navy assets, including Britain's Nuclear Weapons.

FPGRM - Organisation

FPGRM are organised into several squadrons

• HQ headquarters squadron
• O rifle squadron
• R rifle squadron
• S rifle squadron

Fleet Protection Group are based at HM Naval Base Clyde, Faslane, Scotland. Since FPGRM's focus is on fleet operations, they are not under the 3 Commando Brigade command structure, instead reporting to the Commander Operations Fleet, Royal Navy.

Total fighting strength is around 530 Marines.

Fleet Protection Group - Sub Units

Joint Support Unit

One group of the FPGRM (Joint Support Unit (JSU) Northwood) defends the UK's defence HQ at Northwoods. JSU is manned by Marines from O and R Squadrons.

Fleet Standby Rifle Troop

Another sub unit, the Fleet Standby Rifle Troop (FSRT) specialises in fleet security and the boarding of hostile ships. The FSRT was designed to be called in to bolster an existing on-ship force of Marines as needed, anywhere within the fleet. Nowadays, with the days of a permanent Royal Marines presence on many Royal Navy ships mostly over, FSRT units are being frequently deployed onboard UK naval vessels for temporary periods.

Maritime Sniper Teams

Among the FPGRM Marines that deploy on Royal Navy warships are the specialised Maritime Sniper Teams (MST).

read more : the Maritime Sniper Team

FPGRM Weapons

FPG Marines have been spotted using the following weapons:

• full-size SA80A2 assault rifles
• SA80A2K carbines
• MP5a3 9mm Sub Machine Guns
• Browning High Power 9mm pistols

FPGRM Watercraft

FPGRM use a range of surface vessels including:

• Offshore Raiding Craft - used as patrol and escort boats
• Rigid Inflatable Boats - Arctic 22/28s used for ship boarding and patrols

FPGRM Clothing

Specialist clothing includes:

• membrane drysuits
• Gecko Marine safety helmets
• life jackets

(view photo of FPGRM wearing the above)

FPGRM - background

Before the role was taken over fully by the SBS in 1987, the FPG's forerunners, Comacchio Group, were responsible for protecting the UK's maritime interests from terrorism. Even though MCT (Maritime Counter-Terrorism) is no longer their main role, their training in VBSS (Vessel Boarding, Search and Seizure) and other techniques means that FPG Marines are well suited to supporting large-scale SBS MCT operations. In such scenarios, FPG Marines will be able to act as a backup force, searching and securing areas of large vessels/installations whilst the SBS storm the primary objectives. It is most likely that is was the unit's skills in such support operations that led to it providing the bulk of Royal Marines manpower to the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) when it was created a few years ago.

A Royal Marine from O rifle squadron, Fleet Protection Group, takes aim with his Browning High Power 9mm pistol whilst training aboard HMS Portland, a Royal Navy frigate. Note the cord attached to the pistol, ensuring that the weapon cannot be lost. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 1st Class Kevin H. Tierney.

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FLEET PROTECTION GROUP RESOURCES:

FPGRM photos:

FPGRM video:
+ Prince William visits the FPGRM
(report + video of FPGRM ship boarding exercise)