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The
small unit riverine craft (SURC) is rigid-hull, armed and armored patrol boat used by the
U.S. MarinesThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
and
U.S. NavyThe United States Navy is the sea branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. As of 31 December 2008, the U.S. Navy had about 331,682 personnel on active duty and 124,000 in the Navy Reserve. It operates 283 ships in active service and more than...
to maintain control of rivers and inland waterways.
According to the Navy, “The primary mission of the SURC is to provide tactical mobility and a limited weapons platform for the ground combat element of a Marine Air Ground Task Force in littoral and riverine environments.” The boat’s secondary mission includes “command and control, reconnaissance, logistic/resupply, medevac, counter-drug operations, humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping, and noncombatant evacuation operations.”
The boat is transportable by
C-130 HerculesThe Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft built by Lockheed. Capable of takeoffs and landings from unprepared runways, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport aircraft...
aircraft and can be launched from its trailer at lakeside.
The boats were first deployed to
IraqThe Iraq War, also known as the Occupation of Iraq or Operation Iraqi Freedom, is an ongoing military campaign which began on March 20, 2003 with the invasion of Iraq by a multinational force led by troops from the United States and the United Kingdom.Prior to the war, the governments of the United...
and are currently in use there by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. The
United States Navy Riverine SquadronThe Riverine Squadrons of the United States Navy are elements of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command . According to the Navy: “The Navy’s Riverine force focuses on conducting Maritime Security Operations and Theater Security Cooperation in a riverine area of operations or other suitable area...
s, units of the
Navy Expeditionary Combat CommandThe U.S. Navy established the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command in January 2006 to serve as a single functional command to centrally manage current and future readiness, resources, manning, training and equipping of the Navy’s 40,000 expeditionary forces who are currently serving in every theater...
(NECC) are using the boats to patrol strategic areas of Iraq.
The boats are built by
RaytheonRaytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in defense systems and defense and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
Naval & Maritime Integrated Systems, with a contract to build up to 100 boats. Raytheon’s contract partners are Safe Boats International of
Port Orchard, WashingtonPort Orchard is a city in and the county seat of Kitsap County, Washington, United States. It is located 13 miles due west of West Seattle and connected to Seattle and Vashon Island via the Washington State Ferries run to Southworth...
and Boat Master of
Fort Myers, FloridaFort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 48,208 in the 2000 census. According to 2008 estimates, the population is 68,689....
.
General characteristics
| Hull Type: |
Aluminum with full length beaching plates |
| Collars: |
High strength solid cell foam collar provides stability, redundant buoyancy, and small-arms ballistic protection |
| Length: |
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| Beam: |
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| Draft: |
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| Displacement: |
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| Weight: |
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| Propulsion: |
Yanmaris a John Deere owned company Japanese company involved in the manufacture of John deere's small diesel engines for their Compact Utility Tractors and sales of engines, agricultural machinery and light ships. Yanmar's headquarters are at 1-32 Chayamachi in the Kita ward of the Japanese city of...
6LY2A-STP diesel engines, at 3300 RPM;
Twin Hamilton waterjets HJ292
Fuel: JP-5JP-5, or JP5 is a jet fuel that weighs 6.8 pounds per gallon and has a high flash point . It was developed in 1952 for use in aircraft stationed aboard aircraft carriers where the risk from fire is particularly great. JP-5 remains the primary jet fuel for most navies. Its NATO code is F-44...
, JP-8JP-8, or JP8 is a jet fuel, specified in 1990 by the U.S. government. It is kerosene-based. It is a replacement for the JP-4 fuel; the U.S. Air Force replaced JP-4 with JP-8 completely by the fall of 1996, to use a less flammable, less hazardous fuel for better safety and combat survivability....
, and marine diesel |
| Speed: |
|
| Acceleration: |
Accelerate to 25 knots (46 km/h) in less than 15 seconds |
| Turning: |
Turn 180 degrees in less than three boat lengths |
| Range: |
Greater than 250 nm |
| Crew: |
2 |
| Capacity: |
16 troops |
| Weapons: |
3 mounts for heavy machine gun and smoke launchers |
| Ballistic protection: |
Propulsion system armored against mobility kill A mobility kill in armoured warfare refers to a weapon or vehicle that is immobilized, or the act of immobilizing such a target. Typically this term is used to refer to tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles that have their engines, tracks, or running gear damaged...
|
| Navigation: |
Ritchie magnetic compass
Integrated AN/PSN-11 GPS (PLGR)
Raymarine SL72 LCD radar
ST 60 depth sounder |
| Communications: |
Raymarine RAY53 VHF marine band radio
SINCGARSSINCGARS is a Combat Net Radio currently used by U.S. and allied military forces. The radios, which handle voice and data communications, are designed to be reliable, secure and easily maintained...
(VHF tactical) radio
and AN/VIC-3 internal stations |
See also
- Combat Boat 90
Combat Boat 90 is a class of fast military assault craft originally developed for the Royal Swedish Navy by Dockstavarvet. In addition to the many variants in service with the Swedish Navy under the Strb 90 H designation, the CB 90 has been adopted by the navies of several countries, including...
- Fast Patrol Craft
Patrol Craft Fast , also known as Swift Boats, were all-aluminum, long, shallow-draft vessels operated by the US Navy's Brown Water Navy for counterinsurgency operations during the Vietnam War.-Conception:...
- United States Navy SEALS
The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land Forces, commonly known as the Navy SEALs, are the Special Operations Forces of the United States Navy, employed in direct action and special reconnaissance operations...
- Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen
The U.S. Navy's Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen are Special Operations Forces who operate and maintain an inventory of state-of-the-art, high-performance boats used to support special operations missions, particularly those of the U.S. Navy SEALs...
External links