All Arms Commando Course

All Arms Commando Course
source
Name	All Arms Commando Course
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Commando qualification
Role	Amphibious assault, raiding, mountain warfare, cold weather operations
Command structure	Commando Training Centre Royal Marines
Garrison	Lympstone, Devon

All Arms Commando Course The All Arms Commando Course is a specialist qualification held at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines that trains personnel from the British Army, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, and allied forces in Commando (United Kingdom) skills for integration with 3 Commando Brigade, 47 Commando (Raiding Group) operations and Special Boat Service liaison. Established to provide cross-service interoperability for amphibious operations, mountain warfare and raiding, the course connects doctrine taught at British Army Training Unit Kenya, Salisbury Plain Training Area, Dovey Range and Cold Weather Warfare School partnerships with NATO allies such as United States Marine Corps, Canadian Armed Forces, Australian Army and French Navy commandos.

History

The course traces lineage to Second World War-era commando training developed by figures like Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay, Winston Churchill, and Lord Mountbatten, building on operations such as the Dieppe Raid and Operation Claymore; postwar reorganisation created standing units including Commandos (United Kingdom), Royal Marines Commandos and the wartime legacy preserved through institutional reforms like the establishment of Commando Training Centre Royal Marines at Lympstone and doctrinal links with Amphibious Warfare School. Cold War demands and conflicts such as the Falklands War and Gulf War (1990–1991) expanded requirements, prompting the introduction of a cross-service qualification to ensure soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines could join formations such as 45 Commando, 40 Commando, 42 Commando and integrate with battlegroups operating alongside Royal Marines and United States Navy amphibious ready groups.

Purpose and Eligibility

Designed to certify personnel to serve in 3 Commando Brigade-aligned roles, the course allows members of the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Marines Reserve, Army Reserve (United Kingdom), and selected international militaries including contingents from the Canadian Forces, Australian Defence Force, New Zealand Defence Force, Norwegian Armed Forces and Polish Armed Forces to earn the green beret-rights for commando-qualified tasks. Eligibility criteria reference unit endorsements from formations such as 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment, Royal Regiment of Scotland, Household Cavalry Regiment, Royal Engineers, and specialist trades drawn from Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Logistic Corps, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and Intelligence Corps to provide whole-force capability for operations like Operation Herrick and Operation Shader.

Course Structure and Syllabus

The syllabus integrates endurance, amphibious assault, close-quarters battle, navigation and cold weather operations modules derived from standards used by Special Air Service, Special Boat Service, United States Navy SEALs and NATO doctrine. Core blocks include stamina tests analogous to Beating Retreat-era physical rigours, the nine-mile yomp across Dartmoor and obstacle confidence courses modelled on Jungle Warfare School and Norrland Dragoon exercises. Instructional content covers weapons handling with platforms such as the L85A2 rifle, small-unit tactics alongside formations like Royal Marines Commandos, communications procedures referencing the Joint Tactical Radio System environment, casualty care taught by Royal Army Medical Corps instructors and amphibious insertion training using craft like Landing Craft Utility and helicopters from Commando Helicopter Force. Mountain and cold weather training aligns with practices at Samerberg and the Norwegian Armed Forces Winter School.

Training Locations and Facilities

Primary delivery occurs at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines complex at Lympstone, with validation exercises on ranges at Barry Buddon, beach assault training at Woolacombe Bay and live-fire areas on Dartmoor and Salisbury Plain Training Area. Cold weather and mountain phases exploit bilateral arrangements with Norwegian Armed Forces in Trondheim and alpine training in Italy and Germany ranges used historically by units such as Brigade of Gurkhas and King's Royal Hussars. Ship-borne drills are conducted from vessels like HMS Ocean (R68), HMS Albion (L14), HMS Bulwark (L15) and allied amphibious ships including USS America (LHA-6) during joint exercises with Standing NATO Maritime Group formations.

Assessment and Qualification

Assessment consists of progressive field exercises, timed marches, amphibious assaults, endurance swims and an evaluated final exercise mirroring brigade-level operations with units such as 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery and 59 Commando Squadron Royal Engineers. Successful candidates receive the commando qualification endorsed by the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) and wear distinctive insignia used by Royal Marines-qualified personnel when attached to 3 Commando Brigade. Failure may result in re-assignment to unit roles or referral to trade-specific courses provided by institutions like the Defence Medical Services and Army Recruit Training Centre.

Notable Graduates and Units That Use the Qualification

Graduates include personnel who later served in high-profile units and appointments such as commanders associated with 3 Commando Brigade, officers who advanced to senior posts within the British Army and Royal Navy, and international alumni from United States Marine Corps, Canadian Forces and Australian Defence Force that contributed to operations like Operation Telic and Operation Herrick. Units that routinely require or value the qualification include 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, 59 Commando Squadron Royal Engineers, Commando Logistic Regiment, 40 Commando Royal Marines, 45 Commando and many infantry battalions from the Royal Regiment of Scotland, Parachute Regiment and Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment when tasked for amphibious deployment, expeditionary raids and coalition maritime operations.

Category:British military courses