42 Commando Royal Marines Fast Rope Merlin Wildcat July 2026 Photo Print

Royal Marines of 42 Commando and troops of the Republic of Korea armed forces trained together in the south west of England in July 2026, during Exercise Pacific Sentil. In this photo a Royal Navy Merlin Mk4 of 845 Naval Air Squadron hovers against a clear blue sky, seen from below with her starboard side to the camera. A crewman watches from the cabin door as a fully kitted figure slides down the fast rope, and a Wildcat helicopter holds position in the background. The exercise worked through maritime, urban and amphibious training to help the two forces operate side by side. 42 Commando was formed in 1943 and fought in Burma, and in 1956 it made the seaborne landing at Port Said during the Suez operation. In 1982 it took Mount Harriet in the Falklands, and it later served in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan. The unit is based at Bickleigh Barracks near Plymouth. Its work now centres on maritime operations, so boarding and fast roping from helicopters are everyday skills for its Royal Marines. This print is ideal for Royal Marines veterans, Commando Helicopter Force aircrew and engineers, and anyone with a connection to 42 Commando or 845 Naval Air Squadron. Product Details Image Taken: 15th July 2026 Photographer: POPhot Lee Blease © Crown copyright 2026 - UK MOD Licensed under the Open Government Licence (OGV3)