Maritime Special Operations
The Marine Corps does not deploy traditional Special Operations Forces (SOF). Forward-operating MEU(SOC)s receive enhanced training and are specially equipped and organized to provide selected maritime special purpose capabilities complementary and in support of special operations. In addition to the conventional capabilities noted above, MEU(SOC)s will, upon deployment, possess the following skills and capabilities:
- Close Quarters Battle (CQB): conduct direct action missions, employing close quarter battle combat and dynamic assault tactics and techniques.
- Direct Action: conduct raid, ambush, or direct assault tactics; conduct standoff attacks by fire from air, ground, or maritime platforms; and provide terminal guidance for precision-guided munitions.
- Clandestine Recovery Operations: ability to recovery downed aviation pilots or sensitive materials behind enemy lines; conduct clandestine extraction of personnel or sensitive items from enemy controlled areas.
- Tactical Recovery of Aircraft, Equipment and Personnel (TRAP): conduct overland recovery of downed aircraft and personnel, aircraft sanitization, and provide advanced trauma-life support in a benign or hostile environment.
- Specialized Demolition Operations: conduct specialized breaching; to employ specialized demolitions in support of other special operations. This includes an explosive entry capability to support close quarters battle/combat.
- In-Extremis Hostage Rescue (IHR): conduct recovery operations during an in-extremis situation by means of an emergency extraction of hostages and/or sensitive items from a non-permissive environment and expeditiously transport them to a designated safe haven. The IHR capability will only be employed when directed by appropriate authority and when dedicated national assets are unavailable. Emphasis is placed on isolation, containment, employment of reconnaissance assets, and preparation for turnover of the crisis site when/if national assets arrive
- Airfield/Ports/Other Key Facilities Seizure: secure an airfield, port, or other key facilities in order to support MAGTF missions or to receive follow-on forces.
- Gas and Oil Platforms Operations (GOPLAT): conduct seizure and/or destruction of offshore gas and oil platforms.
- Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO): conduct MIO in support of visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) operations during day or night on a cooperative, uncooperative, or hostile contact of interest.
- Reconnaissance and Surveillance (R&S): conduct clandestine reconnaissance and surveillance through entry into an objective area by air, surface, or subsurface means in order to perform information collection, target acquisition, and other intelligence collection tasks.
Read more about this topic: Special Operations Capable, Special Operations Capable (SOC)
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