Royal Marines based on the HMS Monmouth, a Type 23 Frigate of the Royal Navy, have been training hard for ship-boarding and close quarters combat as they prepare for potential encounters with pirates and smugglers. They have been training at a U.S. Coast Guard Facility in Bahrain according to Gov.uk website. We learned about this courtesy of Lawrence Holsworth of the Strike-Hold! blog.

The facility used in training is called a "Ship-in-a-Box" which shows a section of a ship that has been setup to hold the drills such as room clearance. The Royal Marines use airsoft guns and the photos show U.S.-spec M4 CQB-R airsoft guns given the orange tips to distinguish these as airsoft guns. As to what type of airsoft guns (whether they're AEGs or GBBs), it was not mentioned.  According to the story, they also use claymore, pistols, and shotguns that are used in airsoft skirmishes for their training. It would be nice to have a this "Ship-in-a-Box" to be rented out for airsoft games or civilian firearms and tactical training.

Marine Ryan Billington goes low while Marine Jack Brent goes high during the walkthrough before the firing exercise [Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2013]

The HMS Monmouth is still conducting maritime security patrols in the area where there is a high activity of sea pirates, such as the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and the Northern Indian Ocean. Whilst it is not unusual for British forces to train with airsoft, this is the first report that Royal Marines have been training with airsoft for a very specific purpose, rather than just general tactical skills training.

You can read the full report at Gov.uk.

(Teaser photo above: Captain Will Hall RM during the walkthrough before the firing exercise [Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2013])