in a Rigid Raider assault watercraft]]
(from the English adjective "marine", meaning "of the sea", from Latin Language ''mare'', meaning sea, via French adjective ''marin(e)'', "of the sea") are, in principle, seaborne land soldiers that are part of a Navy . However in some countries Marines are no longer part of the navy (notably the United States Marine Corps which has become an independent armed force falling only administratively under the navy).
The exact term "marine" does not exist in many other languages. Typically, foreign equivalents are called "naval infantry" (e.g. as in . The word ''marine'' means Navy in many European languages such as French, German, Dutch and Norwegian.
Historically, Marines served on board Warship s, assisted the crew in battles, boarded enemy ships, conducted small coastal raids, protected the officers from Mutiny by the crew, protected ports and naval bases, and served as a Landing Force .
As a result of their mixed land and naval role, Marine forces are mainly specialised in Amphibious Assaults using infantry, armour, aircraft, and watercraft.
Today, Marines are primarily a naval amphibious force. Operating from ships, they are trained to land on and capture a section of coast-line. However, they are also used in other roles.
Marine units primarily deploy from warships, in a variety of ways. This includes landing by hovercraft, landing craft, boat and amphibious vehicle units on amphibious-support ships and by aircraft units from aircraft carriers or amphibious-support ships.
Embarked Marines parties serve on warships to assist with bridge watch-keeping, fire-fighting, ship security and the provision of boarding parties to board other vessels.
They are also used for coastal or riverine boat patrols and security of naval bases.
In modern warfare, most Marines usually form an Elite , of highly-mobile troops, usually tasked with short rapid deployment and intervention missions; however some forces are capable also of sustained warfighting missions.
For example the United States Marine Corps , is a part of the United States Department of the Navy and the largest Marine force in the world, is often used in situations that do not involve naval elements, such as general land warfare. It has the capability to be used as a spearhead for major military offensives or as a stop-gap when a military requirement arises, performing military operations until more permanent forces arrive.
- The Naval Infantry of the Armada of the Argentine Republic (''Infantería de Marina de la Armada de la República Argentina'', 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 and several Security Battalions and Companies.
- The Corps Of Naval Fusiliers (''Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais''), 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 division-sized Divisão Anfíbia (Amphibious Division).
- The 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, organised along the Chilean Territory. Each one with their own anti-aircraft guns, artillery and landing craft.
- Finnish Uusimaa Brigade () in Ekenäs is part of the Finnish Navy and trains the Finnish costal jaegers. The detachment is the only Swedish-speaking unit in the Finnish Defence Forces.
Four branches of the French armed forces could possibly be translated as "marines":
''Main article: Troupes De Marine ''
The ''Troupes de marine'' ("naval troops", often roughly translated as "marine troops") are despite the name, now an arm of the French Army. The arm is dedicated to service overseas, in practice particularly in Africa. The ''troupes de marine'' include infantry (''Infanterie de Marine''), artillery (''Artillerie de Marine''), and tanks (''Chars de Marine'').
The modern troupes de marine have a special mixed heritage as descendants of a merger between the older troupes de marine (once part of the navy) and the former French Colonial Forces.
The troupes de marine were founded in 1622 (officially titled compagnies ordinaires de la mer) as land forces under the control of the navy, notably for operations in French Canada. Many of the current regiments of the troupes de marine are in fact descendants of the Troupes Coloniales (Colonial Troops), which merged into the ''troupes de marine'' in the 1960s.
''Main article: Fusiliers Marins ''
The French Navy (''Marine Nationale'') includes the '' Fusiliers Marins '', (FUSMAR) who protect naval bases and serve on capital ships. Currently the Naval Fusiliers consists of 14 Companies of Fusiliers and a small Commando Battalion (''Fusiliers/commandos'', FUSCO). They are under the common command of the FORFUSCO .
''Fusiliers marins'' translates literally as "sea Fusiliers ".
The '' Commandos De Marine '' (literally "Naval Commandos", sometimes loosely translated as "Marine commandos") are an elite special operations unit of the French navy which is closely linked to the Fusiliers Marins . Commando Battalion
32nd Brigade Of Marines "Moravas" (32η Ταξιαρχία Πεζοναυτών Mοράβας) is a unit of naval infantry maintained by the Hellenic Army . The unit is based at Volos in Thessaly ; landing craft and other nautical gear are furnished by the Hellenic Navy .
The North Korean Peoples Army Navy has a number of Special Forces brigades
- The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) has a strength of about 9,000 men divided into three (3) brigades. The Marine units include three (3) infantry manoeuvre brigades, each composed of three (3) tactical infantry battalions with one (1) infantry battaliion in reserve and one (1) heavy weapons battalion (composed of the 105 mm Howitzer, 106 mm recoilless gun, along with amphibious vehicles (LVT) and various armoured units). Two (2) of the Marine battalions have specialised roles: the Force Reconnaissance (Recon) battalion is used for rapid airlift to troubled areas. This Recon Battalion is also trained in shipboarding attacks. The Marine Guard battalion is deployed in urban warfare and in defence of installations. The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) is also considered the shock force of the Armed Forces and is the first unit to be involved in any amphibious or seaborne clashes.
- Since 1621 the Portuguese Navy maintains a naval infantry corps, presently named Corpo De Fuzileiros . The Portuguese Marine Corps includes many men, including two naval infantry battalions, a naval police unit, a special operations unit and several support units (logistical, fire support, landing craft, etc.).
- The Spanish Marine Infantry (''Infantería de Marina''), the oldest Marine force in the world, was established on February 27 , 1537 by Charles V when he permanently assigned the ''Compañías Viejas del Mar de Nápoles'' (Naples Old Sea Companies) to the ''Escuadras de Galeras del Mediterráneo'' (Mediterranean Galley Squadrons).
- The Turkish Navy maintains a Marine Brigade and several commando detachments.
- The Royal Marines (RM) of the United Kingdom were formed in 1664 and are a part of the Royal Navy . Also known as the "Royal Marines Commandos", it consists of a commando brigade ( 3 Commando Brigade RM); The Fleet Protecion Group RM (a naval security unit responsible for guarding Britain's naval nuclear weapons, and other security duties); a commando training centre, for providing basic training to new personnel, specialist trade courses and command training ; a landing craft and boat-training group which is also a parent unit for three landing craft units deployed on amphibious-support ships; a naval Special Forces unit (the Special Boat Service ) and a naval band service.
- The British Army also has units of Commandos which serve with the Royal Marines. Although not part of the Royal Marines, these army commandos serve in Combat Engineer , Field Artillery , electrical and mechanical engineer and Logistics units attached to 3 Commando Brigade. 1st battalion the Rifles is due to join the Brigade on 1 April 2008 .http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200607/ldhansrd/text/70129-wms0001.htm Hansard 29 Jan 2007
- Because the USMC has developed into its own service, yet still a part of the Department of the Navy, an infantry force called the Naval Expeditionary Combat Command was created in 2005 to support the US Army and Marine Corps in operations more traditionally identified with Marines or Soldiers. The US Air Force also provides combat support via Individual Augmentees.
- The USMC shares many traditions, emblems and uniforms with the United Kingdom's Royal Marines .
- The Infantería de Marina of Venezuela is a sub-division of the National Navy form the National Armed Forces of the BRV .
- During the Imperial German era, the German Seebatallione provided shipboard troops to the German Navy. These forces also served in the German colonies as regular infantry.
'' at Ganghwa Island , Korea, in the 1875 Ganghwa Island Incident .]]
- The Royal Navy has since its begining formed naval landing parties of seamen for action ashore, this being later formalised into the Naval Brigade s. These brigades would often dismount guns from their parent vessels for use ashore, these guns often being the only artillery available. The most famous example of this being the guns accompanying the forces Relieving Ladysmith .
- The Corps Of Colonial Marines was a British Marine Corps formed during the mid 1840s to serve in the remaining British America colonies (mainly the West Indies ). The Colonial Marines were controlled by the Royal Marines as an auxiliary force. Initially recruited from freed or escaped slaves from the United States and later from local inhabitants, these units were either disbanded or absorbed by the West India Regiment .
- In the First World War , the shortage of ground forces for the Western Front in 1914 led to the creation of the Royal Naval Division , composed of two brigades of sailors and the brigade formed by the Royal Marines. The Division was part of the Royal Navy but for command purposes was integrated into the army's command structure. The sailors were initially disappointing as infantry, but eventually developed into one of the better divisions. The division participated in the defence of the Belgian city of Antwerp in late 1914, and then served with heavy casualties at the Battle Of Gallipoli . At different times the Division included various army units. The division ceased to exist after the end of the First World War.
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