The Joint Expeditionary Force (Maritime) (or JEF(M)) (formerly the Response Force Task Group (RFTG), and prior to that the Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF)), is the Royal Navy's contribution to the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) maintained at very high-readiness and available at short notice to respond to unexpected global events.The Response Force Task Group (RFTG) – The UK's Very High Readiness Maritime Force, Royal Navy (PDF), Retrieved 3 June 2014 In addition to the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines, the JEF(M) also includes elements of the British Army and the Royal Air Force. While it is primarily poised to conduct war-fighting or strike operations, the JEF(M) is capable of undertaking a diverse range of activities such as evacuation operations, disaster relief or humanitarian aid.Royal Navy ready for unforeseen global events, gov.uk, 9 May 2011
Under the name of RFTG, this high-readiness Maritime Task Group was established under the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, and was initially focused on periodic deployments centered around amphibious shipping, initially termed Cougar deployments,HMS Bulwark prepares for major deployment, gov.uk, 15 September 2016 but now named according to the focus of the main activity; although not mandated as an annual activity, these deployments tend to alternate between operating in North West Europe and the Mediterranean Sea, and deploying East of Suez to the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. On these deployments, the Task Group regularly conducts exercises with allies and partners. As a Task Group, the RFTG was activated on operations during the 2011 Libyan Civil War, provided humanitarian aid during Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, and elements were activated to deploy to the Caribbean in 2020 under an augmented Atlantic Patrol Task (North) deployment.
As of late 2024, the U.K.'s capacity to make major contributions to JEF(M) was brought into question with the decision by the newly-elected Labour government to retire both of the Royal Navy's vessels by March 2025. Simultaneously, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary was suffering severe crewing problems, as well as a labour force disruption, meaning the manning of its three vessels was facing serious challenges. This brought into question the entire concept of the navy's ability to conduct even medium-sized amphibious operations.
Command structure The JEF(M) is usually commanded at sea by an officer the rank of Commodore, who can be either the Commander of the UK Littoral Strike Group (COMLSG, formerly named COMATG) or Commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group (COMCSG), depending on the focus of the deployment; the Command Platform will be either an Albion-class LPD or a Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier. For a major deployment of the JEF(M) (acting as a Task Force, consisting of more than one Task Group), the formation will be commanded by Commander United Kingdom Strike Forces (COMUKSTRKFOR) who is responsible for directing "UK, Allied or Coalition maritime forces anywhere in the world".Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces (archive), nationalarchives.gov.uk, Retrieved 3 June 2014
In the RFTG era, Command of the Task Group was usuallyRoyal Navy sails for annual ‘Cougar’ deployment, royalnavy.mod.uk, 9 August 2013 (but not exclusively) exercised by the Commander of the Amphibious Task Group (COMATG), renamed as Commander UK Task Group (COMUKTG) from 2011 to 2015.Royal Navy Task Force departs on Cougar 14, royalnavy.mod.uk, 1 September 2014 Since 2015, periodic deployments have continued this pattern, with all recent iterations being commanded by COMATG (now termed COMLSG), but since the introduction into Royal Navy service of the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier, it is likely that future deployments of the JEF(M) will be under the afloat Command of COMCSG.
Composition The "scaleable nature" of the Joint Expeditionary Force (Maritime) means the Royal Navy has assigned a wide range of assets to the force, with its composition changing depending on the scenario and the range of ships available.
Operational history
Cougar 11 deployment
In April 2011, the Response Force Task Group deployed for the first time since its announced establishment in October 2010. The deployment was "designed to demonstrate the versatile capabilities and high readiness" of the Response Force Task Group and engage with foreign allies in the Mediterranean Sea and East of Suez.Royal Navy Cougar 11 Force begins exercises off Cyprus, gov.uk, 13 May 2011 On 9 May (en route to Cyprus), seven senior NCOs and the Officer Commanding the Support Troop from 6 Assault Squadron Royal Marines held a service of remembrance at the Souda Bay Commonwealth Grave site in Crete to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the bitter battle for the island.Task Group Link Up For Exercise In Cyprus, navynews.co.uk Cougar 11 saw, for the first time, British Army AgustaWestland Apache attack helicopters operating from the decks of a Royal Navy warship, HMS Ocean.Army's Apache fires first Hellfire missiles at sea, mod.uk, 13 May 2011
During the deployment the RFTG was involved in several multinational exercises: The first was 'Cypriot Lion' which included Royal Marines from 40 Commando, elements of 3 Commando Brigade HQ and a detachment from the Netherlands Marine Corps. The second major exercise was code-named 'Albanian Lion', a joint UK-Albanian military exercise and the first joint operation between the UK and the Albanian Armed Forces since Albania joined NATO in 2009.Precise Media Planner, Joint UK-Albanian military exercise 'Albanian Lion' begins, Precise Media Planner, May 26, 2011 The third major exercise was code-named 'Operation Red Alligator', described as a "major maritime security and anti-piracy exercise", it took place in the Persian Gulf with the Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia.Cougar task group sharpens its teeth in Saudi Arabia, navynews.co.uk
With the ongoing Civil War in Libya, on the 3 June 2011, five ships of the Response Force Task Group were temporarily detached and deployed off the Libyan coast as part of Operation Ellamy.Task Force Sent To Libya To Ratchet Up The Pressure On Gaddafi, navynews.co.uk Ocean launched repeated Apache gunships strikes from her flight deck and worked alongside the French amphibious assault ship , which deployed her own Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopters. (a nuclear-powered fleet submarine) fired her Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles at Libyan air defence and command and control centres. Analysts believe that in total more than 15 cruise missiles were fired by the submarine during the operations.
Cougar 11 composition:Global Operations COUGAR, royal-navy.mod.uk Ships UK Air Elements UK Land Elements Foreign Units (Flagship) 815 Naval Air Squadron (Lynx HMA.8) 3 Commando Brigade HQ — 845 Naval Air Squadron (Sea King HC4) 40 Commando — 847 Naval Air Squadron (Lynx AH.7) Royal Marines Armoured Support Group — 857 Naval Air Squadron (Sea King ASaC.7) 539 Assault Squadron RM — No. 656 Squadron AAC (Apache AH.1) — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Cougar 12 deployment
Cougar 12 saw Response Force Task Group deploy six ships and more than 3,000 marines and sailors to the Mediterranean in early October 2012. One of the principle purposes of the deployment was to conduct large-scale amphibious exercises with participating allies. Key exercises included: 'Corsican Lion' with France; 'Albanian Lion' with Albania; a visit to Malta and exercises with the United States Navy and the Algerian Armed Forces.Naval force gears up for Cougar 12, gov.uk, 27 September 2012
Commander UK Task Group, Commodore Paddy McAlpine said: "Cougar 12 provides us with a superb opportunity to rekindle our amphibious capability after a prolonged period when our focus has been on operations elsewhere." Exercise 'Corsican Lion' was the main focus of Cougar 12 and was designed to towards developing the maritime and amphibious components of the Anglo-French Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF). The exercise involved the Response Force Task Group working directly alongside the French Navy's Task Force 473 and the .Royal Marines face French counterparts in Exercise Corsican Lion, gov.uk, 23 October 2012
Head of the RFTG's amphibious operations, Brigadier Martin Smith of 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines, was quoted saying: "It is an incredibly versatile force and our burgeoning interoperability with the French further proves this. The quality of Royal Marines Commandos and French Marines delivers a highly effective first response capability which is optimised for early entry operations."
Cougar 12 composition: Task Force Ships UK Air Elements UK Land Elements Foreign Units (Flagship) 814 Naval Air Squadron (Merlin HM.1) 3 Commando Brigade HQ — 815 Naval Air Squadron (Lynx HMA.8) 45 Commando — 829 Naval Air Squadron (Merlin HM.1) 30 Commando Information Exploitation Group — 845 Naval Air Squadron (Sea King HC4) 539 Assault Squadron RM — 846 Naval Air Squadron (Sea King HC4) 17 Port and Maritime Regiment RLC — MV Hartland Point 854 Naval Air Squadron (Sea King ASaC.7) — — — No. 656 Squadron AAC (Apache AH.1) — — — No. 659 Squadron AAC (Lynx AH.7/9A) — —
Cougar 13 deployment
Cougar 13 deployed during the early autumn of 2013. In the Mediterranean, Response Force Task Group held exercises with the Portuguese Marine Corps and once again conducted exercise 'Albanian Lion' with the Albanian Armed Forces.HMS Bulwark Portuguese Marines, royalnavy.mod.uk Anti-surface exercises were also held with the Hellenic Navy and anti-submarine drills with the Italian Navy.Warship practises hunter-killer scenario with Greek navy, royalnavy.mod.uk, 29 August 2013HMS Westminster practises submarine hunting skills, royalnavy.mod.uk, 3 September 2013
During mid September 2013, Response Force Task Group deployed East of Suez for the second phase of the Cougar 13 deployment where it linked up with the Royal Saudi Navy for exercise 'Red Alligator'.Cougar wrestles with Alligator as task group exercises with Saudis, navynews.co.uk, 18 September 2013 While East of Suez, a Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey from landed on Illustrious in a joint exercise with the United States Navy. Likewise, Illustriouss Army Air Corps Westland Lynx and Westland Sea Kings dropped in on Kearsarge, carrying a few passengers to get a brief insight into the American LHD.‘A little bit special’ – unique US aircraft lands on Illustrious, navynews.co.uk, 19 September 2013 In the Gulf of Oman, Response Force Task Group conducted anti-submarine drills against .HMS Westminster in hunt for USS Dallas, royalnavy.mod.uk, 3 October 2013 briefly met up with the RFTG for exercise 'Sea Khanjar'.HMS Quorn guides task group safely through troubled waters, royalnavy.mod.uk, 10 October 2013 Exercise 'Sea Khanjar' was observed by Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Philip Jones, Commandant General Royal Marines Major General Ed Davis, Lieutenant General Mike Hindmarsh and Commander United Arab Emirates Presidential Guard Marines, Colonel A Al-Tenaji.The RFTG completes Exercise Sea Khanjar in UAE, royalnavy.mod.uk, 15 October 2013
When Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines in November 2013, HMS Illustrious was ordered to detach from the Response Force Task Group and assist in the disaster relief efforts.British carrier HMS Illustrious to aid typhoon victims, bbc.com, 14 November 2013 The mission was known as Operation Patwin, was already in the Far East when the tragedy struck and was swiftly able to provide humanitarian aid.Operation Patwin, royalnavy.mod.uk, Retrieved 2014
Cougar 13 composition:Royal Navy sails for annual ‘Cougar’ deployment, royalnavy.mod.uk, 09/08/2013Royal Navy set for Cougar 13, gov.uk, 8 August 2013Supply meets demand on Cougar 13, royalnavy.mod.uk, 30 August 2013