Royal Marines and Paras may face merger in controversial military shake-up

The ‘nuclear’ option of creating a new expeditionary brigade is being considered as military chiefs try to make budget cuts of up to 20 per cent.

Merging two such fiercely independent, illustrious and highly decorated fighting units is likely to cause resentment.

Working together: The Royal Marines could be merged with the Paras to form a new expeditionary brigade under a controversial military shake-up

Other plans could see the Marines placed under the control of the Army for the first time in over 250 years.

The Ministry of Defence is considering wrenching operational command of the green-beret commando corps from the Royal Navy – a move previously panned as ‘unthinkable’.

Senior defence sources said the Army had ‘made a grab’ for operational responsibility of the Marines, while leaving the Navy in formal control and footing the bill.

One senior defence source said: ‘Are the plans a touch mad? Possibly. Are they being discussed? Absolutely.’

Mike Codner, director of military science at the Royal United Services Institute defence think-tank, warned that the shake-up in command could weaken the Marines, making them lose their ‘focus and ethos and levels of achievement’.

Some 1,000 Marines are currently serving in Sangin, Afghanistan. Since deploying in April, 14 have been killed.