Marines

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Marine

Peruvian marines conducting amphibious assault exercises on

the Amazon River

Occupation

Names Naval infantryman

Occupation type Profession

Activity sectors Military

Description

Competencies Physical

Stamina

Mindset

Fields of Corps and fireteams

employment

Related jobs Airman

Sailor

Soldier

Commando

Mercenary
 Marines, also known as a Marine corps or naval infantry, are typically an infantry force that
specializes in the support of naval and army operations at sea and on land and air, as well as the
execution of their own operations. In the majority of countries, the Marine force is an integral part of
the Navy. For example the United States Marine Corps is under the United States Department of the
Navy yet it operates independently; and similarly the Royal Marines come under Her Majesty's Naval
Service. Marines can also be under the Army like the Troupes de marine (French Marines)
and Givati Brigade (Israeli Marines).
Historically, tasks undertaken by Marines have included: helping maintain discipline and order
aboard the ship (reflecting the pressed nature of the ships' company and the risk of mutiny),
the boarding of vessels during combat or capture of prize ships, and providing manpower
for raiding ashore in support of the naval objectives.
With the industrialization of warfare in the 20th century the scale of landing operations increased;
this brought with it an increased likelihood of opposition and a need for co-ordination of various
military elements. Marine forces evolved to specialize in the skills and capabilities required
for amphibious warfare.

Contents

 1History
 2Etymology
 3Roles
 4By country
 5Historical marine forces
 6See also
 7References
 8Further reading
 9External links

History[edit]

Ancient Greek trireme

The Roman corvus

In the earliest day of naval warfare, there was little distinction between sailors and soldiers on
a warship. The oarsmen of Ancient Greek and Roman ships had to be capable of fighting the rowers
of opposing ships hand-to-hand;[1] though hoplites began appearing on Greek ships specifically for
the boarding of enemy ships.[2][3]
The Roman Republic was the first to understand the importance of professional soldiers dedicated to
melee combat onboard of ships. During the First Punic War, Roman crews remained inferior in naval
experience to the Carthaginians and could not hope to match the Carthaginians in naval tactics,
which required great fleet maneuverability and tactical experience. The Romans therefore employed
a novel weapon which changed sea warfare to their advantage — they equipped their ships with
the corvus, a long pivoting plank with a beak-like spike on the underside for hooking onto enemy
ships, possibly developed earlier by the Syracusans against the Athenians during the Sicilian
Expedition of the Peloponnesian War. Using it as a boarding bridge, Roman infantrymen were able
to invade an enemy ship, transforming sea combat into a version of land combat, where the
Roman legionaries had the upper hand.[4] During the early Principate, a ship's crew, regardless of its
size, was organized as a centuria. Crewmen could sign on as naval infantry (called Marinus),
rowers/seamen, craftsmen and various other jobs, though all personnel serving in the imperial fleet
were classed as milites ("soldiers"), regardless of their function; only when differentiation with the
army was required, were the adjectives classiarius or classicus added. The Roman Navy's two
fleet legions, I Adiutrix and II Adiutrix, were among the first distinct naval infantry units .[5][6]
The first organized Corps of Marines was created in Venice by the Doge Enrico Dandolo when he
created the first regiment of ten companies spread on several ships. That Corps participated to the
conquest of Byzantium (1203-1204), later officially called " Fanti da Mar" (sea infantry) in 1550.[7]
Later also the Spanish king, Carlos I, assigned the naval infantry of the Compañías Viejas del Mar
de Nápoles (Naples Sea Old Companies) to the Escuadras de Galeras del Mediterráneo
(Mediterranean Galley Squadrons) in 1537, progenitors of the current Spanish Navy
Marines (Infantería de Marina) corps, making them the oldest marine corps still in active service in
the world.[8][9]
The third oldest marine corps in the world was founded as the Terço of the Navy of the Crown
of Portugal in 1618, predecessor to the modern Portuguese Marine Corps.[citation needed]

Etymology[edit]
The word marine is from the English adjective marine, meaning "of the sea", via French marin ("of
the sea") from Latin marinus ("of the sea") itself from mare ("sea"), from Proto-Indo-
European *móri ("body of water, lake") (cognate with Old English mere ("sea, lake"), Dutch meer,
German Meer, all from Proto-Germanic *mari).
The word marine was originally used for the forces of England and exact one-word translations for
the term do not exist in many other languages except for the Dutch word marinier. Typically, foreign
equivalents are called naval infantry or coastal infantry. In French-speaking countries, two phrases
exist which could be translated as marine, troupes de marine and fusiliers-marins; similar pseudo-
translations exist elsewhere, e.g., Fuzileiros Navais in Portuguese.
The word marine/marina means "navy" in many European languages such as Dutch, French, Italian,
German, Spanish, Danish and Norwegian.

Roles[edit]
Marines from the U.S. conducting a live fire training exercise aboard an amphibious assault ship in 2004.
The principal role of marine troops is military operations in the littoral zone; operating from ships they
are trained to land on and secure key points to around 50 miles inland, or as far as ship borne
logistics can provide.[citation needed]
Marine units primarily deploy from warships using boats, landing craft, hovercraft, amphibious
vehicles or helicopters. Specialist units are also trained in combat diving/combat swimming and
parachuting.
As well as amphibious operations, marine troops are also used in a variety of other, naval roles.
Stationed at naval bases or forming marine detachments onboard naval ships, they also conduct
small scale raiding, maritime boarding operations, security of naval vessels and bases, riverine and
coastal missions, mess duty, and field day operations.
In addition to their primary roles, they also perform other tasks, including special operations and land
warfare, separate from naval operations; ceremonial duties and miscellaneous other tasks as
directed by governments .

By country[edit]
Argentina[edit]
The Argentine Marine Corps (Infantería de Marina de la Armada de la República Argentina or
IMARA) is a part of the Argentine Navy. Argentine marines have the same rank insignia and titles as
the rest of the navy. It is composed of a fleet marine force (one marine battalion, plus artillery, air
defense, communications, logistics, engineer and vehicle units), a southern marine force (two
marine battalions), a river operations battalion, a special forces unit (the Amphibious Commandos
Group) and several security battalions and companies.
The Argentine Marine Corps dates from 1827 when a single infantry battalion was raised. This was
expanded in 1880 but seven years later the corps was merged with the existing coast artillery, to
form a Naval Artillery Regiment. A series of reorganizations followed until responsibility for coastal
defense was passed to the Argentine Army in 1898. Between 1935 and 1938 the marines
reappeared in the form of five battalions of Marine Infantry, serving both on board ship and in coastal
defense fortifications. In 1968 the Infanteria de Marina was reorganized as a separate corps distinct
from both Navy and Army.[10] The 5th Battalion of the Argentine Marines fought in the Falklands
War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur).
Australia[edit]
The marine and naval infantry designations are not, officially, applied to Australian Defence
Force units, although some Australian Army units specialise in amphibious warfare, including

 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment – retrained in an amphibious light infantry role from
2012.[11]
Bahamas[edit]
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) is the navy of The Bahamas. Since the Bahamas does
not have an army or an air force, its navy composes the entirety of its armed forces. The RBDF
Commando Squadron is a sizable force of 500 Special Marine Commandos.[12]
Bolivia[edit]
The Bolivian Naval Force includes about 2,000 naval infantry personnel and marines. These are
organised into seven small battalions.
Brazil[edit]
Brazilian marines demonstrate lane training.

 The Corps of Naval Fusiliers (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais), with about 15,000 men, is
subordinate to the Brazilian Navy. The marine corps is composed of an operational brigade and
some guard and ceremonial duty battalions. The main unit is the brigade-sized Divisão
Anfíbia (Amphibious Division).
Cambodia[edit]

 The Royal Cambodian Navy created a force of 2,000 marines in 2007.

Chile[edit]

Chilean Navy special forces seen here using the MP5N

 The 4,200 strong Chilean Corps of Naval Infantry (Cuerpo de Infanteria de Marina) is a branch
of the Chilean Navy.
Specialized in amphibious assaults and land fighting, the corps is build around four detachments
based along Chile's long coasts at Viña del Mar, Talcahuano, Punta Arenas and Iquique. Each
detachment is made by infantry battalions as well as tactical support companies comprising artillery,
air defence and light tanks elements. There are also a number of independent companies and
platoons, for security protection at naval bases, other shore installations and the Ministry of Defense.
The Viña del Mar and Talcahuano detachments contribute to the Amphibious Expeditionary Brigade
(Brigada Anfibia Expedicionaria). The detachment at Iquique includes a whole artillery group,
equipped with Soltam 155mm howitzers for coastal defence and land fire support.
There is as a group of Marine Infantry commandos (Grupo de Comandos IM), which together with
the group of naval tactical divers (Agrupación de Buzos Tácticos) are part of the Navy's Special
Operations Command (Comando de Operaciones Especiales).
China, People's Republic of[edit]

 People's Liberation Army Marine Corps

Taiwan (Republic of China)[edit]
Taiwanese marines during a military parade in 2007

 The Republic of China Marine Corps (traditional Chinese：中華民國海軍陸戰隊) is responsible

for amphibious combat, counter-landing and reinforcement of the main island
of Taiwan, remote islands, defense of ROCN facilities, and also functions as a rapid reaction
force and a strategic reserve.
Colombia[edit]
The 24,000-member Colombian Marine Corps is organized into a single division with four brigades
(one counter-terrorist and three river brigades), each with several battalions plus numerous small
security units. It is a part of the Colombian Navy.
The modern Marine Corps dates from the establishment of two rifle companies in 1936. While
remaining a small force the corps saw service during the civil war between Conservatives and
Liberals of 1946-58; and provided volunteers for service in the Korean War. By the 1960s it had
been expanded to a battalion of marine infantry plus five independent companies.[13]
Cuba[edit]

 The Cuban Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria or MGR) maintains a small
marine battalion called the Desembarco de Granma.
Denmark[edit]

 The Guard Hussar Regiment (Gardehusarregimentet or GHR) maintains a marine squadron

based in Almegårds Kaserne on the Baltic island Bornholm. The squadron is a part of the 3rd
Light Reconnaissance Battalion and trains conscripts.
Ecuador[edit]

 The 5,000-man Ecuadorian Navy maintains a 1,700-man Naval Infantry Corps (Cuerpo de
Infanteria de Marina) headquartered in Guayaquil. It was formed on 12 November 1962. It is
organised into two security battalions, one in the Amazon River area and the other on the Pacific
coast. There is also a commando battalion based on the Galápagos Islands.
Egypt[edit]
Egyptian marines aim a SG43machine-gun during an amphibious during Exercise Bright Star '85

 The 111th Independent Mechanized Brigade (formerly the 130th Marine Amphibious Brigade) of
the Egyptian Army can conduct amphibious assault operations. There is also the 153rd
Commando Group with three Marine Commandos Battalions (515th, 616th, 818th) controlling 12
Marine Commandos Companies.
El Salvador[edit]

 The El Salvador Navy included two 600-man Marine Infantry Battalions (Batallon de Infanteria
de Marina or BIM), and a 300-man Naval Commando Force. The BIMs were located at La
Unión and Usulatan. The Salvadoran Marine Corps uses green pixelated and green woodland
uniforms.
Finland[edit]

Finnish coastal jaegers conducting an amphibious landing

 The Finnish Uusimaa Brigade (Swedish: Nylands Brigad) in Ekenäs is the home of the Finnish
Marines — the Kustjägarna (in Swedish) / Rannikkojääkärit (in Finnish) / or Coastal Jaegers (in
English). The Brigade is part of the Finnish Navy, and the only Swedish-speaking unit within the
Finnish Defence Forces.
France[edit]

Group of naval fusiliers of Toulon, France

 The Fusiliers Marins (Naval Fusiliers) and Commandos Marine (Naval Commandos) are naval
personnel. The fusiliers marins protect vessels and installations, provide the navy with military
training, augment boarding-landing parties and support operations of the Commandos Marine.
The Commandos Marine (Naval Commandos) are a seven company Commando formation
whose roots can be traced to the Second World War. The Commandos Marine have evolved to
be broadly comparable to the British Special Boat Service, with whom they exchange officers.
French Troupes de marine with Task Force Korrigan in Afghanistan, 2009

 Troupes de Marine ("Marine Troops"), are a branch of the French Army, renamed from
the Troupes Coloniales who served in France's overseas territories to maintain or expand
French interests. The modern Troupes de Marine have units permanently based in Africa: one
battalion in Senegal, one battalion in Côte d'Ivoire (until 2009, now forming the core of Operation
Unicorn), and one battalion in Gabon; in addition they man bases in the French Overseas
Territories. The Troupes de Marine include infantry (Infanterie de Marine), paratroops, light
cavalry and artillery (Artillerie de Marine). They now provide the large ground combat elements
of French amphibious task forces and are specifically trained for that purpose.[14] The 9th Marine
Brigade (9e Brigade Légère Blindée de Marine (9 BLBMa)) is twinned with the 3 Commando
Brigade of the Royal Marines,[15] organising the exchange of officers and sharing training and
exercises.
Germany[edit]

A German Navy boarding team member provides security for the remainder of his team as they board a local
cargo dhow by fast rope to conduct a search of the vessel.

 The Spezialisierte Einsatzkräfte Marine (Naval Special Deployment Force) was a special
operations formation of the German Navy. The battalion included the K