Royal Marine Commandos are striking faster and further across the Arctic’s snow and ice thanks to the rapid procurement and delivery of 159 new snowmobiles for reconnaissance and raiding operations.

The Lynx Brutal Over Snow Reconnaissance Vehicles (OSRV) were delivered to Camp Viking – the UK Commando Force’s winter home in Northern Norway – during February and have already been put through their paces by the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron (SRS) from Plymouth-based 30 Commando Information Exploitation Group as part of Winter Deployment.

This impressive new equipment was secured under a £10m contract with a UK based contractor who procured the modified snowmobiles from a Finnish subsidiary of Canadian firm Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), delivering the full quantity of vehicles in less than 9 months from contract award.

The Platforms form part of a larger order for a range of cold weather equipment including sleds, Road Trailers, Specialist Tools and Test Equipment and initial spares packs, of which all orders will be completed during 2025 to achieve Full Operating Capability.

Steve Hayward, Head of Specialist Vehicles and Uncrewed Land Systems (SVULS) within the Land Environment said:

“Responding to the ever-changing needs of our mission partners in the Armed Forces is at the core of what we do in DE&S. The rapid procurement and delivery of these snowmobiles, enabled through agile approaches and a collaborative team of stakeholders, has provided a swift and effective enhancement to Royal Marines capability when operating within the Artic Circle.”

Brigadier Chris Haw, responsible for the Commando Force Transformation Programme, said:

“This is a very important investment in the Commando Force’s Special Operations capability in the High North, at a strategically significant time. This is yet another cutting-edge capability enhancement as part of a wider transformation programme providing a more sophisticated and specialist force to Defence.”

The contract includes in-service support and post-design services to ensure the equipment can be operated and the capability sustained throughout its service life.