Elite forces are investing in small boats as SOUTHCOM missions take main stage

From Naval Special Warfare to new Marine reconnaissance units, one key piece of gear is topping military shopping lists: small and highly maneuverable tactical boats. Small boats carrying elite operators have long been a special operations mainstay. While they are also useful in the Pacific littorals where the Marine Corps has been establishing coastal units, the demand additionally comes as more military deployments focus on the waters around South America and the task of interdicting drug smugglers there.

A late October social media post from U.S. Southern Command that shows footage of Marines onboard a rigid-hulled inflatable boat conducting machine-gun target practice in the Caribbean underscores the demand for small-boat ops in the region. Until recently, the U.S. Coast Guard conducted the lion’s share of military drug interdictions around SOUTHCOM.

“U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the SOUTHCOM mission, @deptofwar-directed operations, and @potus‘ priorities to disrupt illicit drug trafficking and protect the homeland,” the post’s caption read.

In an update to the Marine Corps’ evolving Force Design 2030 strategy that was released at the end of October, the Corps confirmed plans to develop a new kind of unit: a “Maritime Reconnaissance Company,” or MRC, that will take shape as part of well-established service plans to convert its light armored reconnaissance battalions into littoral’s focused mobile reconnaissance battalions.

“The MRC will operate a new tactical boat, the [multi-mission reconnaissance craft], which can partner with unmanned surface vessels to maneuver sensors and personnel in support of Marine forces operating in the littorals,” the design update document states.

A Multi-Mission Reconnaissance Craft (MMRC) sails out of the Del Mar Boat Basin in order to test its capabilities as part of Project Convergence Capstone Four, Feb. 23, 2024 at Camp Pendleton, CA. The MMRC was designed to insert, and extract dismounted teams and conduct Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition on the water to fill gaps in sensor coverage created by the complex terrain of the littoral operating area and extend sensor web reach. PC-C4 is an Army-hosted, all-Service and multinational experiment. During PC-C4, the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory tested new technologies and capabilities and emerging concepts, including the multi-domain corridor. Marine Corps participation in PC-C4 supported Force Design initiatives, integrated Joint force and coalition capabilities into experimentation, and demonstrated the Marine Corps’ commitment to the Joint Warfighting Concept. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Kevin Ray J. Salvador)

The MMRC has been in the hands of Marine testers for more than a year, participating in exercises and experiments. But the design update cements the Corps’ commitment to investing in the platform. Officials have said they want as many as 18 of the highly capable open-water boats, which are based on an Australian company’s design that boasts “the world’s most advanced powerboat hull” and “exceptional mobility and maneuverability.”

The Marine Corps has yet to publish any contract solicitations for the MMRC, so the timing of the boats’ delivery to the active forces remains unclear. Yet, while the branch pursues that capability, U.S. Special Operations Command is also planning investments in what’s set to be the first Naval Special Warfare small boat upgrade in a decade.

According to Seapower Magazine, SOCOM has awarded an Other Transaction Authority agreement to boatmaker ReconCraft LLC for an “engineering development model” of the Combatant Craft Medium Mark 2, which would replace the Mark 1, also made by ReconCraft. The upgrade, the outlet reported, will give Naval Special Warfare “enhanced capability to conduct long-range, multi-mission operations in maritime environments.”

According to an announcement from an industry day held earlier this year, the Mk2 will incorporate “advanced materials and technologies” and have a slightly larger hull and capacity than the Mk1. A fresh design, with a built-in prototyping process, will also allow decision-makers more opportunities to consider current operational needs and capabilities.

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U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and U.S. Sailors with Naval Special Warfare Special Boat Team 12, test expeditionary refueling capabilities with a combatant craft medium boat during a refueling operation on the pier of U.S. Naval Base Guam, Feb. 21, 2021. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Brienna Tuck)

SOCOM also wants to upgrade its fleet’s optical systems. The Command is collaborating with special ops innovation hub SOFWERX on identifying “Next Generation Maritime Optical Systems” to replace the legacy Combatant Craft Forward Looking Infrared sensor system.

A 2026 industry day will focus on desired capabilities including a greater sensor operational range, improved data security, image fusion from multiple sensors, all-weather visibility, greater stealthiness, and a smaller size, weight, and power footprint.

“These upgrades are crucial for equipping the Navy’s Legacy and Future Combatant Crafts, ultimately enhancing both crew and craft survivability and effectiveness in challenging operational environments,” a SOFWERX announcement states.

With new and better boats in the offing, the Pentagon shows every intention of continuing to intensify counter-drug ops in the Caribbean. At the end of November, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, visited the USS Gerald R. Ford supercarrier deployed off Latin America. According to current estimates, roughly 15,000 U.S. troops are now deployed to the region.

Feature Image: VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia. (April 2, 2024) Special Warfare Combat Crewman (SWCC) aboard Combatant Craft Assault boats break formation during training April 2. SWCC regularly conduct specialized training to enhance fleet integration and support to joint commanders. Naval Special Warfare is the nation’s elite maritime special operations force, uniquely positioned to extend the Fleet’s reach and gain and maintain access for the Joint Force in competition and conflict. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Dustin Kelling/Released)

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