539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines
539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines (539 ASRM) provide 3 Commando Brigade (3 Cdo Bde) with an amphibious capability. The unit specialises in small boat operations. Their role is to deliver Royal Marine raidng parties onto land from water and to carry out patrols on the sea and along waterways.
539 ASRM are 3 Cdo Bde's high readiness boat group. The squadron is permanently at five days readiness to deploy on global operations.
The Squadron's landing craftsmen (LC) operate a range of boats and other watercraft
- Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) Hovercraft
- Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP)
- Inflatable Raiding Craft (IRC)
- Offshore Raiding Craft (ORC)
- Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIB)
Used under Open Government Licence
529 ASRM Organisation
539 ASRM are based at RM Tamar in Devonport Naval Base.
The unit is organised into a number of Troops: 1 Troop (LCVP, LCAC,IRC), 2 Raiding Troop (ORC, IRC), 3 Troop (RIB) and a Support Troop of Royal Navy Engineers.
note:
formed in 2018, 3 Troop (formerly 6 Ops 1 AGRM) operates Pacific 24 RIBs in support of Juliet Company 42 Commando's Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIOPS) role.
Used under Open Government Licence
Other 539 ASRM elements include:
Squadron Reconnaissance Team (SRT)
539 ASRM's Squadron Recce Teams / Shore Recce Teams are six-man teams that carry out beach reconnaissance ahead of an amphibious landing by 3 Commando Brigade.
more info : Squadron Reconnaissance Team
Armoured Support Group
529 ASRM Armoured Support Group provides armoured amphibious mobility for 3 Commando Brigade via the Viking All Terrain Vehicle Protected (ATV(P)) (Viking Squadron).
While overall control of ASGRM is with 539 ASRM, Viking Squadron is actually a sub unit of Commando Logistics Regiment. The unit operates out of Bovington Garrison in Dorset.
more info : Armoured Support Group
539 ASRM Operations
539 ASRM was officially formed in 1984 in response to lessons learned by Royal Marines rigid raider operations during the 1982 Falklands conflict. During that conflict, a fledgling 539 Squadron, formed ad hoc, inserted and extracted Special Forces recce and raiding parties onto the islands.
More recent operations include Operation Telic in 2003. 539 ASRM supported 3 Cdo Bde as they took the Al Faw Penninsula, carrying out numerous operations such as several landings and the clearing of various waterways. As Op Telic progressed, 539 ASRM continued to perform security patrols of Iraq's southern ports and water networks.
read more on 3 Commando Brigade operations in Operation Telic
Elements of 539 ASRM took part in security operations on the Thames during the 2012 London Olympics.
