Future Commando Force
[12][13] The FCF is also strongly linked to the "Autonomous Advanced Force" concept by its emphasis on leveraging new technologies to augment commandos on operations.
[17] Simultaneously, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary was suffering severe crewing problems, as well as a labour force disruption, meaning that the manning of its Bay-class landing ship dock vessels was facing serious challenges.
The Royal Navy will invest £40m more over the next four years to develop our Future Commando Force ... to deliver a more agile and lethal littoral strike capability.
Forward deployed to respond rapidly to crises, this special operations-capable force will operate alongside our allies and partners in areas of UK interest, ready to strike from the sea, pre-empt and deter sub-threshold activity, and counter state threats.
Autonomous systems using AI technologies such as computer vision will also connect in mesh networks and MANETs to supply ISTAR to the Royal Marines in a single integrated platform.
Furthermore, new vehicles such as quadbikes[37][38] and ships[39][40] were trialled in exercises to develop the FCF as well as novel tactics, including an increased use of deception, working in teams of reduced sizes and of different compositions, and operating with greater agility and autonomy.
[60][61] The internal documents Designing for the Future – A Transformational Concept, authored by the Commandant General Royal Marines on March 2, 2018, and Generating and Operating 2 x Littoral Strike Groups, authored more generally within 3 Commando Brigade on December 10, 2018, further detailed the Littoral Strike and FCF concepts, and followed wider discussions on how 40 and 45 Cdo should be restructured that had been ongoing since at least 2017.
[62] Further development of both concepts was, in part, likely to help implement Boris Johnson's post-Brexit policy of "Global Britain", given the FCF's nature of forward deployment and special operations capability, the latter of which is pivotal to modern warfare.
[63][64][65] On February 11, 2019, then-Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson described upcoming changes to the British Armed Forces, including the FCF, Littoral Strike concept, and LRGs.
[75][76][29] 40 Commando again further developed the FCF during Exercise Talisman Sabre, taking place from June 2019 in Australia, in which they acted as an advanced reconnaissance and raiding force ahead of amphibious landings.
[102] In September 2020, it was reported that marines from 40 Commando had been experimenting with potential tactics to be used in the FCF, including working in smaller teams of 4, three of which make a troop of 12.
The LRG(X) task group reached Cyprus by the end of October, where they began experimenting with the use of drones, as part of Autonomous Advance Force 3.
[109] Soon after, 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines continued experimentation with throwbots, RPAS, and ATAKs during Exercise Serpent Rock in Gibraltar.
[117][118] In early March, it was reported that marines from A company, 40 Commando, were experimenting with Virtual Reality (VR) technology to augment existing training methods.
[122][123] On March 18, 2021, Forces News reported that the Vanguard Strike Company, from marines of 40 Commando, had been performing exercises including night-time shooting and experimenting with working in 12-man teams.
[133][134][135] In late May, the Commando Logistic Regiment carried out Exercise Green Dragon to better understand how members of the FCF would remain supplied on operations.
[141][142][143] Further, marines from B Company, 40 Commando, took part in Exercise Talisman Sabre in Australia, where they continued to practice working in 12-man teams and with drones as they acted as an advance force ahead of the main landings.
[144][145][146] Ending in late September, Exercise Dynamic Mariner 21/Joint Warrior 21-2, which saw HMS Prince of Wales being declared fully operational, involved FCF development.
[156][157] Later in February, a report published from the National Audit Office found that "the New Medium Helicopter and Future Commando Force programmes ... are currently underfunded".
The government later responded to the National Audit Office, restating the commitment to the FCF and creating LRGs, mentioning investments made into the initiatives and planned upgrades to ships.
