It hasn't happened yet but it will.
Whether its an Afghan recruit that is a sleeper walking up to his trainers and blowing himself up...which sadly has happened several times but is under reported...
Or having a 'refugee' board a helicopter to be transported from a flood zone and detonating himself once the plane is in the air...a big fear of mine during the operation to help Pakistan during the floods....
Or even the threat that boat borne explosive devices will be used against our ships in Bahrain...
Force Protection is a growth industry for the Marine Corps and one that we should be into in a huge way. Whether deploying as ships company or patrolling the waters around fleet ships in port, this is a mission that the Marine Corps should taking up from the Coast Guard right now.
Equipment is necessary and fortunately the Navy is already procuring just the type of boats the Marines need. The Metal Shark...
The issue isn't that the Coast Guard or the Navy aren't capable...its that they're designed more for a law enforcement type action...not to act as an anti-terrorist force.
When dealing with someone willing to die for their cause then its a war time situation on friendly or allied soil. Master-at-arms aren't what you want.
A Marine Rifle Man is what you need.
While we're preparing to add boat spaces to Marine Special Operations perhaps we should do the same with our FAST Companies and add a few more so that they can expand their mission.
Come on now, it is one thing for Marines to provide FP for its own troops and bases, but buying boats for ship FP which the USN already peforms is MAJOR mission creep. I suggest you goto NECC and Naval Installations Command to see what has ALREADY been bought for AT/FP. BTW that is organizational split. NECC does AT/FP overseas and NIC does it in CONUS.
ReplyDeleteBTW the Metal Shark boat is from a new boat builder and is being bought for bases/ship protection. The 27 Defiant is a nice harbor patrol type, evidently meant as alternative to the usual boats from Sea Ark? The 24 Relentless (SPC-SW) is a USCG light multi-mission boat meant for shallow waters. There are a couple of others. Evidently they are all o/b boats? NOT something I would put Marines in offshore.
Perhaps you got the USCG law enforcement mission mixed up with the USN base & ship protection mission which is NOT law enforcemnt?
There is a reason why the Marine generals decided to close down the Small Craft Company and its because the Navy should be driving boats and has the sailors to do that!