Royal Marines fire mortars in Arctic Norway training

Royal Marines fire mortars in Arctic Norway training

Royal Marines have carried out live mortar firing drills in northern Norway as part of preparations for a major NATO exercise and an expanded UK role in Arctic security, the Royal Navy stated. The mortar training took place near the village of Moen, more than 200 miles inside the Arctic Circle, as around 1,500 UK Commandos continue intensive mission rehearsals in sub-zero conditions. The activity forms part of NATO’s wider efforts to strengthen …

Royal Marines Commandos conduct Arctic mortar training before NATO Cold Response and Lion Protector drills

The Commandos’ 81mm mortars are capable of firing up to 15 shells a minute, with rounds travelling at about 500mph and striking targets up to three and a half miles away. Troops operated from Viking and BV206 all-terrain vehicles, practising combat skills in temperatures close to minus 20 degrees Celsius as part of preparations for Exercise Cold Response 26, NATO’s largest Arctic drill this year, which will involve about 25,000 personnel from 14…