This new boat is stirring up the Naval Blogging Community.
People are fired up over the "mixing" of Riverine and Maritime Security Communities.
Everyone thinks this is a good idea.
STOP.
THINK.
LOOK AT IT OBJECTIVELY.
The Riverine mission as the "old" Riverine Force conducted it is now dead. The Maritime Expeditionary Security mission will become paramount.
Just take a look at this high profile acquisition in the form of the Mark VI Patrol Boat. That is designed for Harbor Security. Escort of vehicles out at sea and to bring them back in. Maybe it can also be used to visit and board ships.
It ain't designed to go down rivers. It isn't setup in the classic riverine fashion.
With the CRF, the riverine mission is dead. Force protection is the way of the future.
I find it interesting that Special Boat's claims a riverine mission set as its own and now the Navy has pushed the one conventional unit that was doing it out of the way and moved them to force protection. I personally have no opinion one way or the other about it.
But I do know that this unit WILL NOT have an offensive capability.
