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Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF) 海軍特別陸戦隊 Kaigun Tokubetsu Rikusentai | |
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![]() The ensign of the Special Naval Landing Force | |
Active | 1932–1945 |
Country | ![]() |
Allegiance | Emperor of Japan |
Branch | ![]() |
Type | Marines |
Role | Amphibious warfare Anti-aircraft warfare Armoured warfare Close-quarters combat Cold-weather warfare Combined arms Counter-battery fire Demolition Fire support Maneuver warfare Raiding Jungle warfare Reconnaissance Urban warfare |
Size | Division |
Engagements | Second Sino-Japanese War World War II |
The Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF; Japanese: 海軍特別陸戦隊, romanized: Kaigun Tokubetsu Rikusentai) were the marines of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and were a part of the IJN land forces. They saw extensive service in the Second Sino-Japanese War and in the Pacific theatre of World War II. The SNLF should not be confused with the Naval Landing Forces, which were primarily ad-hoc units of naval personnel formed into naval infantry and paratrooper units whom rarely performed proper amphibious operations and were primarily utilized in a defensive role ashore.