Soldiers,Sailors And Marines

On the Information Dissemination blog Bryan McGrath has written a piece on the closer integration of the United States Navy and Marine Corps.

His suggestions sound very much like current British arrangements.

There is a particular mention of the use of Marine Corps attack helicopters against "swarming" boats.

This is a threat which the Royal Navy's helicopters have dealt with successfully in the past.

It is also something which the new Westland Wildcat will be well equipped to deal with.

But this post is not about the Royal Navy.

It is about neither the United States' Navy nor the United States Marine Corps.

Bryan McGrath's post served as a reminder of something unusual and interesting but little known.

That is what this post is about.

War at sea is usually the business of navies.

Since the advent of the aircraft it has also become the business of air forces.

It is rarely regarded as the business of an army.

Though armies have some "history" in this area.

In the not too distant past the United States Army was in the business of using attack helicopters to destroy swarms of small boats at sea.

You can read more about that on this site.