With an ever-increasing threat from the seas by criminality and international terrorism, the RDT were formed as a team of ship-boarding specialists, capable of high-risk or crises operations at sea in support of their parent unit’s patrol craft in the execution of their maritime law-enforcement duties.

The RDT have trained and are regularly on interoperability training with a varied number of foreign special forces and law-enforcement agencies like: the 9th Col Moschin Regt of the Italian Parachute Brigade, the US Navy SEALS, the US Marine Corps and their Force Recon elements, the US Coastguard, the US Drug Enforcement Administration and HM Customs from the UK. RDT training includes sabotage and anti-terrorism techniques, boat-handling skills, coastal and underwater reconnaissance techniques, combat survival swimming, close-quarter battle drills, fast-roping descent training, skill-at-arms, mission-planning and sniper-skills training. Overseas experiences include joint training and operations with the Italian Navy’s San Marco Battalion marines, especially for the annual bilateral Exercise Canale.

Weapons and Kit

• Heckler&Koch MP5 A3 sub-machine-gun, calibre 9mm

• Beretta 92 FS semiautomatic pistol, caliber 9mm

• Snaiperskaya Vintoka Dragunov sniper rifle

• PKM light machine gun, calibre 7,62mm

• Avon S10 respirator

• Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats and FB design fast-interceptor craft

Key operations in RDT history

• August 2000 – Arrest of Tunisian nationals during anti illegal-immigration operation

• 27 June 2001 – Dispute between Maltese fishermen and Italian tuna-pen operator; RDT intervenes to return hijacked tuna pen to rightful owners

• 11 September 2001 – Post-9/11 Twin Towers terrorist act, RDT employed on enhanced security with US Navy surface assets in Grand Harbour, Valletta

• 10 August 2003 – Major rummage operation with Maltese Customs agents on suspect Irish fishing vessel in Grand Harbour

• 13 March 2004 – Hi-speed chase of speedboat Little China with ensuing arrests of Maltese smugglers in Gnejna Bay, when protected bird species and other contraband was seized

• 6 June 2005 – Joint law-enforcement narcotics operation with Secret Service and Malta Police’s Drugs Squad leads to several arrests, and the seizure of seven kilograms of heroin and boats that were used to smuggle the narcotics