In ancient times, coastal territories were chosen as a place for hostilities. The main goal that each opposing party pursued was to capture the coastal cities. In this way, the main trade and supply of the ground forces could be blocked by the enemy. As the main tool used infantry. According to military experts, this military clan is effective on land and at sea. To perform delicate tasks, namely sabotage and reconnaissance, special forces of the marine corps are involved.
A bit of history
A large contribution to the creation of modern marines was made by the Roman army. According to the researchers, already in Rome they began to think about creating the first special forces units on warships. The Vikings also landed infantry on the enemy coast, from the military campaigns of which the whole of Western Europe was in awe. Such tactics of warfare proved to be very effective, as a result of which it became one of the elements of military strategy. Soon the sea powers began to equip their fleets with special units, which were also called boarding teams. Today, the naval fleet of many leading countries has such units. For example, in the United States, the Marine Corps is the main striking force of its army.
In Russia
They decided to create special infantry units as part of the Navy after the Northern War. According to researchers, Peter the Great played a large role in this matter. During his reign, several special infantry teams were formed, which were used as boarding and assault groups. Their high efficiency was demonstrated in battles with the Swedes. As a result, in November 1705 a royal decree was issued on the creation of a regiment of naval soldiers as part of the Baltic Fleet. It was from this time that a new military clan began its history. Today, the Marine Corps Day in Russia is celebrated on the date of the tsar’s decree, namely November 27th. Initially, and until 1811, the Marine Corps was part of the Russian Imperial Navy. From 1811 to 1833 was assigned to the Russian Imperial Army, from 1914 to 1917. - fleet, and until 1991 - the Navy of the Soviet Union.
Today, this type of troops is subordinate to the Russian Navy. The service in the Marine Corps is 35 thousand people.
About composition
The marine brigade structure is represented by battalions, batteries and other support and support units. Each regiment has three battalions, namely reconnaissance, air assault and tank. Each of them has its own combat mission and certain weapons.
According to military experts, such a structural distribution guarantees an effective offensive by the Marine Corps and the liberation of a number of cities with further cleansing of occupations. In the postwar period, parts of the marines were completely disbanded. However, this state of affairs did not last long. Soon, the units were assembled again and they can be used for their intended purpose and participate in international exercises.
Baltic Fleet
The composition of the marine corps of the Baltic Fleet is represented by the following units:
- The 336th Separate Guards Bialystok Brigade of Orders of Alexander Nevsky and Suvorov. It is deployed in military unit No. 06017 in Baltiysk.
- 877th separate battalion in the city of Sovetsk.
- 879th Separate Air Assault Battalion in Baltiysk.
- 884th Separate Marine Corps Battalion (Baltiysk).
- 1612th separate self-propelled howitzer artillery division. The formation is based in the village of Mechnikovo.
- 1618th separate anti-aircraft missile artillery battalion in the village of Pereyaslavskoye.
- The battalion in charge of material support.
- Reconnaissance landing company.
- A battery of guided anti-tank missiles (ATGMs).
- A company of signalmen.
- Rifle company of snipers.
- Flamethrower company.
- Engineering landing.
The Baltic Fleet’s marines are also equipped with a curfew platoon, medical aid and maintenance companies.
Black Sea Fleet
According to experts, the Black Sea is reinforced by a fairly powerful group of Russian marines. The main striking force is represented by a separate brigade No. 810. In addition, separate battalions No. 557, 542, 382, 538, separate artillery battalions No. 546, 547, separate companies (5 formations), platoons (3), a separate training ground No. 13 and a battery of anti-tank guided missiles.
Parts of the Marine Corps in the Northern Fleet
The village of Sputnik became the place of permanent deployment of the legendary Kirkenes 61st regiment. Additionally, in the Northern Fleet, the Russian marines were reinforced with five separate battalions No. 874, 876, 886, 125, 810, three separate artillery divisions, and a missile and artillery division No. 1617. Also at the disposal of the Northern Fleet there is a naval infirmary and a unit that provides maintenance.
Pacific Fleet
According to experts, recently in the Pacific, the Russian marines have substantially lost their striking power. It was decided in this region to leave only the 155th brigade and the third separate regiment with a permanent place of deployment in Kamchatka. These units are considered the main in the Pacific Fleet. In addition, the naval infantry consists of the 59th separate battalion and the separate signalmen battalion No. 1484.
Navy in the Caspian
As in the Pacific, army reforms also affected the Caspian flotilla. As a result, the 77th brigade, which in this region was considered the most combat-ready, was reduced. Today, in this direction, the country's security is ensured by a separate brigade of the marine corps (OBMP) No. 727 and the 414th separate battalion.
The abovementioned military formations are quite effective, but specialized missions are needed to complete individual missions, whose fighters undergo special training. Read more about special forces of the Navy more
Acquaintance with the formation
Special forces of the Marine Corps were created to carry out reconnaissance and subversive activities at sea and in coastal zones. Often a soldier of this unit is called a combat swimmer. However, according to experts, such a definition is incorrect. Due to the fact that the main activity of the marines special forces is the reconnaissance of enemy positions, in this case the name "scout diver" is considered more correct. Like land, sea reconnaissance is subordinate to the General Staff of the Main Intelligence Directorate.
Tasks
When a country is in a state of war, marines special forces carry out the following functions:
- Mining enemy coastal bases and ships.
- Identify and destroy marine and coastal assets and objects with which the enemy can launch a missile attack.
- They conduct reconnaissance in the marine and coastal area, coordinate airstrikes and the work of naval artillery.
It would seem that in peacetime the above skills would not be in demand. However, according to experts, this is not so. Of course, they are not as massive as during the war, but they are used to counter terrorists. The fact is that criminals often seize ships or resort areas. In such situations, special forces of the marine corps are involved, which coordinates their actions with other law enforcement agencies.
Structure
Today, the special forces of the Navy consists of four naval intelligence points (MCI). At the moment, the Russian Navy has the following MCIs:
- 42nd Special Maritime Reconnaissance Point (OMRP). Location of military unit No. 59190 (Vladivostok district). MCI assigned to the Pacific Fleet.
- OMRP Special Purpose (SPN) No. 561 of the Baltic Fleet (Parusnoe settlement).
- OMRP SpN No. 420 of the Northern Fleet. The formation is deployed in the Murmansk region in the village of Polyarny.
- OMRP SpN No. 137. Military unit No. 51212 is located in Tuapse and assigned to the Black Sea Fleet.
According to experts, this location of intelligence posts was not chosen by chance. MCI are arranged in such a way that it is more convenient for employees of the GRU General Staff operating in this region to work with it. The staff of the marine reconnaissance point is equipped with four autonomous groups of 14 people each. It is noteworthy that the technical staff, which is responsible for communication between groups and equipment repair, exceeds the total number of fighters by 20%. Each item consists of three groups of different specializations. If necessary, they can perform a common task, but due to personalized training, special forces have an advantage.
About Specializations
The first group is trained to destroy objects on the coastal territory as quickly and efficiently as possible. They have to act not only in water. In this regard, the training of fighters of the marine special forces practically does not differ from the training that is provided for the ground units of the Main Intelligence Directorate. The fighters of the second group are taught to discreetly collect information about the location of enemy targets. According to experts, the uniqueness of training for the third group lies in the fact that special forces are trained to quietly move in water, since their main task is to carry out mining. Despite the fact that these groups provide in-depth skills in a specific area, the fighters are also taught general skills. For example, they must act in concert when landing from the sea, air or land.
Selection
Due to the fact that the special forces are called upon to carry out tasks of a specific nature, it is not easy to get a black marines and get into the ranks of this formation. When selecting applicants, special attention is paid to their physical and psychological health. Contracting military men, cadets of the naval school and conscripts who subsequently wish to connect their lives with the army go to maritime special forces.
According to experts, you can get into the maritime special forces only after successfully passing the most difficult tests. To overcome heavy loads, the applicant must be in good physical shape. The commission is familiarized with the profiles of applicants and identifies those to whom diving is contraindicated. Automatically weed out those who are below 175 cm tall. It is desirable that the weight be in the range from 70 to 80 kg. Then they work with the remaining applications. Having become acquainted with personal qualities, a psychologist gives his conclusion. Then they check how physically and mentally the applicant is ready to serve in the Marine Corps.
Proof of Applicants
The physical form is checked first. The applicant must run a 30-kilometer march with 30 kilogram ammunition. Next, stress resistance is determined. The command should know how the fighter will react if he gets into an unusual situation. The test is carried out in the cemetery. The subject is simply left alone at night among the graves. According to experts, this method is the most effective, since in 3% of applicants the psyche does not withstand it. Such participants are eliminated.
Very often, those who want to serve in marine special forces do not realize that they have claustrophobia or hydrophobia. To identify these problems, simulate a torpedo tube. The applicant needs to swim through a 12-meter narrow (530 mm wide) enclosed space. If a person is even dressed in a light diving suit, such a pipe width is too narrow for him. At the same time, this method is very effective, since it allows you to identify phobias. This is followed by a test called the “purge helmet”. The bottom line is to fill the helmet with water. The participant dives and opens a mask at a shallow depth. Then it returns to its original place, and the water is drained using a special valve. This test is considered quite serious, as it gives an idea of how calm the applicant will be in a critical situation.
Since the first time most of those who want to start to panic, the command to pass this test gives two attempts. If the second time the applicant failed to cope with his mental state, he is eliminated. To test physical endurance and psychological stability, the last test is provided. Its essence lies in the fact that the applicant must swim in a diving suit under water and a half kilometer distance. It is noteworthy that the air in the cylinder is at a pressure of 170 atmospheres. If a person is calm, then the correct breathing technique is used, as a result of which the pressure decreases only to 6 atmospheres. If the applicant starts to get nervous and panic, his condition changes, and he begins to breathe through his mouth. This technique is considered incorrect. As a result, the pressure inside the cylinder drops to 30.
Final stage
Since commandos are not lone saboteurs, much attention is paid to mutual trust and a normal atmosphere within the team. Since the previous tests it is technically impossible to carry out all in one day, most likely the applicants during the test will have time to get to know each other. Each of the participants receives a list in which he needs to choose a person from the list of fellow students with whom he would work in pairs. Wearing the uniform of a marine is not destined for the applicant, whom no one has chosen. Those who received the least number are also screened out, since there is no desire to cooperate with them. When all the tests have been successfully completed, the cadets are distributed in parts and begin to train.
