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Peruvian Naval Infantry conducting exercises on the Amazon River.

Spanish and U.S. Marines, marched together in a change of command ceremony at Naval Station Rota, Spain (July 2002)

A marine is a member of an infantry force that specializes in naval operations such as amphibious assault. In some countries, a marine force is often part of a navy, but can also be under army or independent command.

Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included providing protection from war while at sea, reflecting the pressed nature of the ships' company and the risk of mutiny. Other tasks would include boarding of vessels during combat or capture of prize ships and providing manpower for raiding ashore in support of the naval objectives. Marine elements would also contribute to the campaign ashore, in support of the military objective.

With the industrialization of warfare in the 20th century the scale of landing operations increased; thus 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.

History[link]

Ancient Greek trireme

In the earliest days of naval warfare, there was little distinction between sailors and soldiers on a warship, as 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 Navy's two legions, I Adiutrix and II Adiutrix, were among the first distinct naval infantry units.^[4][5]

The first organized corps of marines was created when Charles V first 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.^[6][7]

Etymology[link]

The word marine is from the English adjective marine, meaning of the sea, via French marin(e), of the sea from Latin marinus ("maritime").

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 navy 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 Spanish, Dutch, French, Italian, German, Swedish and Norwegian.

Roles[link]

U.S. Marines conducting a live fire training exercise aboard an amphibious assault ship.

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.^{[citation needed]}

Marine units primarily deploy from warships using helicopters, landing craft, hovercraft or amphibious vehicles.

In addition to their primary role, marine troops are also used in a variety of other naval roles such as boarding operations, ship clean up, naval port security riverine, mess duty, and field day operations.

By country[link]

Argentina[link]

• 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 defence, communications, logistics, engineer and vehicle units), a Southern Marine Force (2 marine battalions), a river operations battalion, a special forces unit (the Amphibious Commandos Group) and several security battalions and companies. The 5th Battalion of the Infanteria de Marina fought in the Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur).

Australia[link]

• Several of the Colonial navies of Australia raised volunteer naval infantry and naval militia brigades in the second half of 19th century. The Victorian Naval Brigade was formed in 1859, the Sydney Naval Brigade in 1864 (later supplemented by the Naval Artillery Volunteers in 1897) and the Queensland Naval Brigade in 1873. Following the Federation of Australia they were combined into the Commonwealth Naval Militia. With the formation of the Royal Australian Navy in 1911 they were renamed the Royal Australian Naval Brigade. At its peak in 1915 it numbered 2,817 officers and men. The Naval Brigade was disbanded in 1920 and volunteers were absorbed into the Royal Australian Naval Reserve.
• The 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment of the Australian Army will be retrained as marines by 2014.^[8]

Bolivia[link]

• The Bolivian Naval Force includes about 2,000 naval infantry personnel and marines.

Brazil[link]

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[link]

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

Chile[link]

Chilean Navy special forces seen here using the MP5N

• The Chilean Corps of Naval Infantry (Cuerpo de Infanteria de Marina) is a branch of the Chilean Navy. They specialise in performing amphibious assaults and belong to the Chilean Special Forces Unit, along with the Combat Divers. The Corps is composed of four units, organized along the Chilean territory. Each unit has its own anti-aircraft guns, artillery and landing craft.

China, People's Republic of[link]

• People's Liberation Army Marine Corps

China, Republic of[link]

• Republic of China Marine Corps

Colombia[link]

• 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.

Croatia[link]

• The Croatian Navy maintains a 200-man naval infantry corps headquartered in Split. The group consists of three companies divided between Pula, Šibenik and Ploče and the 4th Guards Brigade (based at Split), which was transferred to the Croatian Navy as a naval infantry unit in January 2002.^[9]

Cuba[link]

• The Cuban Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria or MGR) maintains a small marine battalion called the Desembarco de Granma.

Ecuador[link]

• 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[link]

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

El Salvador[link]

• 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.

Finland[link]

Finnish coastal jaegers in a landfall exercise

• The Finnish Uusimaa Brigade (Swedish: Nylands Brigad) in Ekenäs is part of the Finnish Navy and trains the Finnish coastal jaegers. The detachment is the only Swedish-speaking unit in the Finnish Defence Forces.

France[link]

Group of naval fusiliers of Toulon

• The Fusiliers Marins (Sailor-Rifflemen) are Navy sailors. They provide protection for the ships and installations, as well as military training. Out of their ranks come the navy special forces Commandos Marine (Naval Commandos.)

French Troupes de marine with Task Force Korrigan in Afghanistan, 2009.

• Troupes de marine ("Marine Troops", sometimes loosely translated as "Navy Troops"), they are a branch of the French Army renamed from the Troupes Coloniales. Troupes de Marine and the Foreign Legion are the only^{[citation needed]} units of the French army to have units permanently based in Africa, 1 regiment in Djibouti, 1 battalion in Senegal, 1 battalion in Ivory Coast (until 2009, now forming the core of Operation Unicorn), 1 battalion in Gabon, in addition they man bases in the French Overseas territories. The Troupes de Marine include infantry (Infanterie de Marine), including paratroopers and light cavalry, and artillery (Artillerie de Marine). They provide the ground combat elements of French amphibious task forces and are specifically trained for that purpose^[10]. The 9th Marine Brigade (9e Brigade Légère Blindée de Marine (9 BLBMa)) is twinned with the 3 Commando Brigade of the Royal Marines^[11], getting exchange officiers and sharing trainings and exercises.

Germany[link]

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) is a special operations formation of the German Navy. The battalion includes the Kampfschwimmerkompanie (German commando frogmen), the Minentaucher kompanie and a boarding-company. The unit is based at Eckernförde.
• The Marineschutzkräfte (Naval Protection Force), which is responsible for the protection of naval bases and facilities. The battalion is based in Eckernförde and is organized into five units: one staff & support company, three infantry companies and a military intelligence platoon.

Greece[link]