- For US Marines, when the path forward is blocked by obstacles, combat engineers are sometimes called in to execute a breach using explosive charges.
- During a recent visit to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Insider observed the US Marine Corps 1st Combat Engineer Battalion and members of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force conduct urban breaching training.
- One Marine said that while the blast from the small charges feel like someone pushed you, the big ones feel like getting hit by a linebacker.
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CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.-Sometimes in urban combat, Marines run up against obstacles that can really only be cleared with a bit of explosive power.
In those moments, troops turn to combat engineers trained to blast their way through doors, walls, windows, and even roofs.
(A JGSDF-led breach)
Insider recently had the chance to observe Marines and members of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force engage in urban breaching training at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
(A USMC-led breach)
During the training, troops practiced blowing the doors off a training structure with various explosives. The videos above and the photos below show what it is like and what exactly goes into explosive breaching operations.