Stunning undersea photos from recent training exercises captured Force Reconnaissance Marines diving in the blue waters of the Mediterranean alongside the crew of the Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Georgia.
The larger training, which involved the Georgia, Marines from the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, and special operations forces, wrapped last week, US Naval Forces Europe-Africa/Sixth Fleet and the 2nd Marine Division said in a joint statement.
The goal of the training was to develop and improve joint tactics and operations, ultimately making it easier to connect some of the amphibious and special warfare capabilities and existing submarine missions.
US Marine Corps/US Navy courtesy photo
“Early in the series, Marines from the 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company launched and recovered small craft aboard USS Georgia in order to develop capabilities to execute combined arms attacks, advanced personnel recovery, and expeditionary theater undersea warfare deployments,” the Navy and Marines said.
Major W. Connor Smithson, the commander of the 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company, shared that the joint operational planning between some of the Marines and USS Georgia’s sailors was “at a level not executed before between the US Marine Corps and the submarine force,” though details were limited.
The Force Reconnaissance Marines involved in the exercises are assets used for deep reconnaissance missions, accessing target areas and withdrawing from them in sometimes atypical ways.
US Marine Corps/US Navy courtesy photo
In the photos shared online, the Marines could be seen operating out of the Georgia’s modular, detachable dry deck shelter for divers. They could also be seen swimming around the sub in the open ocean, which isn’t something seen every day.
Later in the recent training series, US Naval Special Warfare Operators completed Submarine-Special Operations Forces training with the Georgia, including participation from the the UK, Norway, and Italy. Last month, Navy SEALs on the US West Coast trained with the submarine USS Greeneville for similar purposes, linking conventional forces up with special capabilities.
US Marine Corps photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Almagissel Schuring
“The scale and importance of the accomplishments made by the teams onboard USS Georgia cannot be over-stated.” said Capt. Benjamin Selph, the Task Force 69 commander, of the latest training. “Integration with joint and allied SOF enhances our undersea forces’ ability to respond to any threat with increased speed and lethality.”
Just days after the completion the joint training, the Georgia submarine was ordered by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin to deploy to the Middle East amid rising concerns over the possibility of a retaliatory attack on Israel from Iran could spark broader regional conflict that could put US forces and their partners at risk.
US Marine Corps/US Navy courtesy photo
On Tuesday, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon’s press secretary, said the Georgia hadn’t arrived in the Central Command area of responsibility yet and was still on its journey from the Mediterranean Sea. The public announcements about its movement are unusual and are seen as sending a message to Iran and its proxies.
The Georgia, which is home-ported in Kings Bay, Georgia, is assigned to Task Force 69, which is responsible for submarine operations within the 6th Fleet area. It can carry over 150 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, as well as Mk-48 torpedoes.
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