This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the United States Navy’s Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC), a critical yet often overlooked component of the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). It traces the complete evolutionary arc of this specialized force, from its conceptual and operational genesis in the riverine crucible of the Vietnam War to its current status as a globally deployable, technologically advanced, and professionally distinct community within Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC). The analysis details the historical lineage, current organizational structure, the rigorous selection and training of its personnel, and the tiered fleet of advanced combatant craft and weapon systems they employ.

The SWCC community’s development has been characterized by a reactive adaptation to the pressing demands of conflict, forging a culture of profound adaptability, tactical innovation, and operational self-sufficiency. This legacy is evident today in a force structure that has matured from a geographically-based model to one organized around specific capabilities—littoral and riverine warfare—enabling tailored training and platform optimization. The modern SWCC operator is the direct professional descendant of the Vietnam-era Patrol Boat, Riverine (PBR) boat captain, selected and trained for extreme autonomy, accountability, and the capacity for measured aggression under immense pressure.

The force’s technological evolution mirrors its doctrinal maturation, having moved from a reliance on single, multi-purpose platforms to a sophisticated, tiered “toolkit” of combatant craft. This fleet, comprising the Combatant Craft Assault (CCA), Combatant Craft Medium (CCM), Combatant Craft Heavy (CCH), and Special Operations Craft-Riverine (SOC-R), provides commanders with a range of tailored options for missions across the spectrum of conflict. This report concludes that the SWCC community represents a unique and indispensable strategic asset. Their mastery of the world’s contested littorals and inland waterways provides U.S. decision-makers with asymmetric options, a capability of increasing importance in an era defined by great power competition and the complex challenges of coastal and maritime security.

Section 1: Historical Lineage: The “Brown Water” Genesis

The modern identity of the Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewman is not the product of a single, linear development plan but rather the culmination of lessons learned from a series of disparate, mission-driven maritime units forged in the conflicts of the 20th century. The community’s ethos—characterized by speed, lethality, and the ability to operate small, heavily armed craft in denied areas—was born from operational necessity. Its evolution was fundamentally reactive, driven by the immediate, tangible demands of specific conflicts, which has cultivated a force that is exceptionally adaptable and has repeatedly proven its value in combat to justify its institutionalization.

1.1 Precursors to a Capability: From WWII PT Boats to Cold War Imperatives

The conceptual roots of modern SWCC can be traced to several specialized units of the Second World War that established the doctrine of using small, fast craft as platforms for special missions. The Patrol Torpedo (PT) Boat Squadrons, operating extensively in the South Pacific, conducted not only their primary anti-shipping strikes but also clandestine insertion and exfiltration of commandos and downed pilots, establishing a direct link to the core SWCC mission set.¹ Concurrently, units like the Amphibious Scouts and Raiders and the Beach Jumpers pioneered coastal reconnaissance, raiding, and deception, using small boats as essential enablers for their operations. These units established the foundational relationship between special operations forces and the specialized boat crews required to deliver them to the target.¹

Following the war, many of these specialized capabilities were demobilized. However, a renewed focus on counter-insurgency and unconventional warfare during the Eisenhower administration set the stage for their revival. This imperative led to the creation of Boat Support Units (BSUs) in the early 1960s, with BSU-1 formally established in February 1964 to operate fast patrol boats and provide dedicated support to the newly formed Navy SEAL (Sea, Air, and Land) teams.¹

1.2 The Crucible: Vietnam and the River Patrol Force (Task Force 116)

The operational birth of the modern SWCC identity occurred in the riverine environment of Vietnam. The Mekong Delta, with its 3,000 miles of interconnected waterways, served as a vital logistical and infiltration artery for Viet Cong (VC) forces, presenting a strategic challenge that conventional blue-water naval forces were ill-equipped to handle.⁹ To counter this threat, the U.S. Navy created the “Brown Water Navy,” a riverine force designed to operate in the shallow, muddy waters of the delta. In March 1966, this effort was formalized as Task Force 116, under the codename “Operation Game Warden,” with the mission to interdict enemy supplies, enforce curfews, and deny the VC freedom of movement.¹¹

The ubiquitous workhorse of this force was the Patrol Boat, Riverine (PBR). In a clear example of rapid, necessity-driven procurement, the PBR was based on a 31-foot commercial pleasure boat design from Hatteras Yachts.¹⁵ Its key features were a lightweight fiberglass hull and twin Jacuzzi Brothers water-jet drives, which gave it a top speed of over 28 knots and allowed it to operate in water as shallow as two feet, making it perfectly suited for the region’s canals and rivers.¹³

The PBR was typically manned by a four-man enlisted crew: a boat captain (often a First Class Petty Officer), a gunner’s mate, an engineman, and a seaman. Critically, each crewman was cross-trained in all other duties, ensuring operational continuity in the event of casualties—a practice that established the precedent for the small, highly proficient, and autonomous boat crews that are the hallmark of SWCC today.¹¹ The PBRs were heavily armed for their size, typically mounting twin.50 caliber M2HB machine guns in a forward gun tub, a single.50 caliber machine gun aft, and pintle-mounted M60 machine guns or a Mk 18 grenade launcher amidships.⁹ This emphasis on mobile, overwhelming firepower remains a core tenet of SWCC tactical doctrine.

Most importantly, the PBR crews forged the foundational operational relationship that defines the SWCC community. They served as the primary platform for inserting, extracting, and providing direct fire support for Navy SEAL platoons operating deep within VC-controlled territory.¹¹ This symbiotic relationship spurred the development of even more specialized craft, such as the Light and Medium SEAL Support Craft (LSSC and MSSC), which were operated by dedicated Mobile Support Teams from BSU-1.¹² The intense, close-quarters combat experienced by these boat crews—who suffered a casualty rate of one in three killed or wounded—cemented their reputation as a formidable fighting force and became the bedrock of the SWCC legacy.¹³

1.3 Institutionalizing the Skillset: The Rise of Special Boat Units (1970s-1990s)

The proven value of the “Brown Water Navy” ensured its survival, albeit in a reorganized form, after the Vietnam War. The Navy sought to retain the hard-won expertise of its riverine sailors, leading to a series of command changes that institutionalized the special boat capability. In 1971, the Boat Support Units were reorganized into Coastal River Squadrons (CRS), broadening their mission to include coastal patrol and interdiction.¹

A more significant step occurred in 1978 and 1979 when the CRSs were redesignated as Special Boat Squadrons (SBRONs). These new commands, SBRON-1 on the West Coast and SBRON-2 on the East Coast, were given administrative control over multiple operational Special Boat Units (SBUs).¹ This created a distinct community within the Navy focused exclusively on supporting Naval Special Warfare (NSW) operations. Throughout this period, the SBUs demonstrated their value in conflicts beyond the riverine context. They participated in the 1983 invasion of Grenada and conducted operations during the Lebanese Civil War.⁸ During Operations Earnest Will and Prime Chance in the Persian Gulf from 1987 to 1988, SBUs were a key component of the U.S. response to Iranian threats against international shipping, and during Operation Desert Storm, they conducted reconnaissance, combat search and rescue, and direct action against Iraqi oil infrastructure.⁷ These deployments solidified the role of the SBUs as a versatile and essential component of U.S. maritime special operations.

Section 2: The Modern Force: Organization and Structure

The contemporary command and control architecture of the SWCC community is the product of a deliberate, decades-long effort to professionalize the force and fully integrate it into the U.S. Special Operations enterprise. This structure reflects a sophisticated, capability-based approach to organization, allowing for specialized training, procurement, and deployment that optimizes the force for its distinct operational environments in the littoral and riverine domains.

2.1 The Goldwater-Nichols Effect: Establishment of USSOCOM and NSWC

The 1986 Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act was a watershed moment for all U.S. special operations forces. It mandated the creation of the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) as a unified combatant command with its own service-like authorities over budgeting and acquisition. In response to this, the U.S. Navy established the Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC, or WARCOM) on April 16, 1987, at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, California.⁴

NSWC was created to serve as the Navy’s component command to USSOCOM, providing a single, unified headquarters for all NSW forces, including the SEAL Teams and the Special Boat Units.¹⁶ This was a pivotal administrative change. It formally consolidated all NSW assets under a command focused exclusively on special operations, removing the SBUs from the direct control of the conventional Atlantic and Pacific Fleets and aligning their development, doctrine, and funding with the priorities of USSOCOM.⁸

2.2 Naval Special Warfare Group 4 (NSWG-4): The Home of the “Boat Guys”

As NSW continued to grow and restructure, a dedicated Echelon III Major Command was established to oversee the entire special boat community. In October 2002, Naval Special Warfare Group 4 (NSWG-4) was commissioned, with its headquarters at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Virginia.³ NSWG-4 exercises operational and administrative control over all active-duty Special Boat Teams. Its core function is to properly man, train, equip, and deploy SWCC forces worldwide to meet the requirements of geographic combatant commanders, theater special operations commands, and other SOF elements.¹⁷

2.3 The Special Boat Teams (SBTs): Structure and Areas of Responsibility

In October 2006, the Special Boat Units were officially redesignated as Special Boat Teams (SBTs), a change that mirrored the organizational structure of the SEAL Teams and signified the boat community’s co-equal status within NSW.⁸ Today, there are three active-duty SBTs, each commanded by a Navy Commander (O-5). While the force maintains its traditional East and West Coast presence, the structure is now organized by capability, with two teams focused on coastal/littoral operations and one dedicated to riverine warfare.³

• Special Boat Team 12 (SBT-12): Based in Coronado, California, SBT-12 is responsible for maritime and coastal special operations in the Pacific and Middle East theaters. It deploys operational detachments, known as SPECBOATDETs, to support Naval Special Warfare Unit ONE (NSWU-1) in Guam and Naval Special Warfare Unit THREE (NSWU-3) in Bahrain.³
• Special Boat Team 20 (SBT-20): Based in Little Creek, Virginia, SBT-20 is responsible for maritime and coastal special operations in the European, Mediterranean, and South American theaters. It deploys detachments to support Naval Special Warfare Unit TWO (NSWU-2) in Stuttgart, Germany.³
• Special Boat Team 22 (SBT-22): Based at the John C. Stennis Space Center, Mississippi, SBT-22 is NSW’s designated subject matter expert for riverine warfare. Its area of responsibility is worldwide, focusing on operations in inland waterways and deltas. Its location, separate from the primary coastal hubs of NSW, underscores its unique mission and provides proximity to ideal training environments like the Mississippi River delta.¹⁶

2.4 Professionalization of the Force: The Special Warfare Boat Operator (SB) Rating

A landmark development in the history of the community occurred on October 1, 2006, with the formal establishment of the Special Warfare Boat Operator (SB) enlisted rating.³ This was the culmination of a long effort to create a dedicated, professional career path for SWCC operators. It replaced the previous model where sailors from conventional Navy ratings (such as Boatswain’s Mate or Gunner’s Mate) would serve a single tour with an SBU before rotating back to the “big Navy” fleet.

The creation of the SB rating allows operators to remain within the NSW community for their entire careers, fostering an unprecedented level of expertise, corporate knowledge, and professional identity.⁸ This was complemented by the establishment of a Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) program for the SWCC community in 2002. This initiative provided the force with its own organic commissioned leaders—veteran operators with deep tactical and technical knowledge—to serve in key leadership and advisory roles, further cementing the community’s professional standing within NSW.⁸

Section 3: The Operator: Selection, Training, and Core Competencies

The effectiveness of the SWCC community is rooted in the quality of its individual operators. The process of creating a SWCC is one of the most demanding in the U.S. military, designed not merely to impart technical skills but to select for a specific psychological profile: an operator capable of functioning with extreme autonomy, accountability, and measured aggression under severe stress. This profile is a direct legacy of the Vietnam-era PBR boat captain, who bore immense command responsibility with minimal direct oversight in a high-threat environment. The modern training pipeline is the institutionalized mechanism for identifying and forging this same type of warrior.

3.1 Forging the Warrior: The SWCC Selection and Training Pipeline

The path to earning the SWCC insignia is a grueling, multi-phase ordeal conducted at the Naval Special Warfare Center in Coronado, California.²⁴

• Prerequisites and Screening: A candidate must first meet a stringent set of entry requirements. These include being a U.S. citizen under the age of 31, being eligible for a secret security clearance, and achieving specific qualifying scores on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).⁷ The most significant initial hurdle is the Physical Screening Test (PST), a rigorous assessment of a candidate’s physical preparedness. The PST consists of a 500-yard swim, maximum push-ups in two minutes, maximum sit-ups in two minutes, maximum pull-ups, and a 1.5-mile run.²⁴ While minimum scores exist, prospective candidates are advised that competitive scores are substantially higher, as the physical demands of the pipeline far exceed those of the initial test.²⁹
• Phase 1: Naval Special Warfare Orientation (7 weeks): Upon arrival in Coronado, candidates enter an orientation phase designed to acclimate them to the NSW environment and further develop their physical and psychological readiness for the intense selection that follows.²⁴
• Phase 2: Basic Crewman Selection (BCS) (7 weeks): This is the crucible of the pipeline, where the majority of attrition occurs. BCS is designed to test candidates to their absolute limits. The curriculum relentlessly assesses physical conditioning, water competency, and mental fortitude under conditions of extreme fatigue and stress. Teamwork is paramount, as instructors seek to identify individuals who can perform while contributing to the success of their boat crew. The phase culminates in a grueling 51-hour evolution known as “The Tour,” which tests all skills learned up to that point—including navigation, boat tactics, and swimming—under continuous pressure.¹
• Phase 3: Crewman Qualification Training (CQT) (21 weeks): Candidates who successfully complete BCS move on to CQT, where they learn the foundational skills of a SWCC operator. This comprehensive phase transforms a selected candidate into a basic operator. The curriculum is extensive and includes ²¹:

• Advanced Seamanship and Navigation: Long-range, over-the-horizon, coastal, and riverine navigation techniques.²¹
• Weapons and Marksmanship: Mastery of all personal and crew-served weapon systems, tactical shooting, and close-quarters combat (CQC).²¹
• Communications: Operation and maintenance of sophisticated tactical communications suites, including VHF, UHF, and SATCOM radios.²¹
• Engineering and Maintenance: Small boat and engine maintenance and repair.³⁵
• Medical: Advanced first aid and Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC).²¹
• Survival: The curriculum includes Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training.²¹
• Insertion Methods: Basic static-line parachuting is taught as a standard insertion skill.²⁵
• Post-CQT and Specialization: Upon graduation from CQT, sailors are awarded the SWCC warfare insignia and officially receive the Special Warfare Boat Operator (SB) rating.³² They then report to their first Special Boat Team for further on-the-job training and can eventually pursue advanced qualifications in areas such as ordnance, communications, intelligence, tactical ground mobility, military freefall parachuting, and Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC).²¹

3.2 Core Mission Profile: Insertion, Extraction, and Fire Support

The primary and defining mission of the SWCC community is the clandestine insertion and exfiltration of Navy SEALs and other special operations forces in maritime and riverine environments.⁵ This mission requires an exquisite blend of skills in high-speed navigation, low-visibility operations, and tactical boat handling. A critical component of this role is the ability to provide heavy, precise, and immediate direct-fire support for the SOF element during the vulnerable phases of insertion and extraction. This capability, honed in the vicious, close-range firefights on the rivers of Vietnam, remains a non-negotiable requirement for the force.¹³

3.3 Expanded Skillsets: A Multi-Mission Force

While SOF mobility is their cornerstone mission, SWCCs are trained and equipped to conduct a wide range of independent and supporting operations, making them a versatile tool for combatant commanders.

• Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) / Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS): SWCCs are experts in conducting MIO and VBSS against suspect vessels. This skill set is vital for counter-narcotics, counter-proliferation, and counter-piracy missions.³
• Special Reconnaissance: SWCCs conduct coastal patrol and reconnaissance missions, gathering vital intelligence on enemy military installations, shipping traffic, and hydrographic conditions.²¹
• Direct Action: SWCC units are capable of conducting direct action raids against enemy shipping, waterborne traffic, and critical infrastructure located in coastal or riverine areas.²¹
• Foreign Internal Defense (FID): SWCC operators frequently deploy to train and advise the maritime special operations forces of partner nations, building capacity and strengthening key alliances.⁷

Section 4: Platforms and Technology: The SWCC Fleet

The technological evolution of the SWCC fleet provides a clear illustration of the community’s doctrinal maturation. The force has transitioned from a reliance on single, general-purpose platforms—first the PBR in Vietnam, then the Mark V Special Operations Craft—to a modern, tiered fleet of specialized vessels. This “toolkit” approach allows Naval Special Warfare to tailor the platform to the specific threat, environment, and mission profile, moving beyond a “one size fits all” strategy to a more nuanced and effective application of maritime SOF capabilities.

4.1 The Workhorses: NSW Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIB) and Combat Rubber Raiding Craft (CRRC)

These two platforms form the backbone of short-range, clandestine maritime mobility for all of NSW.

• 11-meter NSW RHIB: This is a high-speed, high-buoyancy, extreme-weather craft used for short-to-medium range insertion and extraction, coastal patrol, and maritime interdiction. It is a staple platform for the coastal-focused SBT-12 and SBT-20.²¹ Its versatility is enhanced by its numerous deployment options: it can be launched from the well decks of amphibious ships, airlifted and inserted by helicopter via the Maritime External Air Transportation System (MEATS), or air-dropped by parachute from C-130 or C-17 aircraft using the Maritime Craft Aerial Deployment System (MCADS).³⁶
• Combat Rubber Raiding Craft (CRRC): The CRRC is a lightweight, inflatable boat powered by an outboard motor, designed for clandestine, over-the-horizon operations where stealth is paramount. It is employed by all three Special Boat Teams for missions requiring a minimal signature.²¹

4.2 The Riverine Predator: Special Operations Craft-Riverine (SOC-R)

The primary combatant craft of SBT-22, the 33-foot SOC-R is a purpose-built platform designed specifically for the unique demands of riverine warfare.²¹

• Design and Maneuverability: Built by United States Marine, Inc. (USMI), the SOC-R features a durable aluminum hull and is propelled by twin Hamilton waterjets. This configuration provides exceptional agility in the confined and shallow waterways of a riverine environment, allowing the craft to perform a 180-degree turn or come to a full stop from maximum speed in little more than its own length.⁴⁰
• Firepower: The SOC-R is a mobile gun platform, designed to bring overwhelming firepower to bear in a 360-degree arc. It can be armed with a formidable array of crew-served weapons, including GAU-17 7.62mm miniguns, M2.50 caliber heavy machine guns, M240 medium machine guns, and Mk 19 40mm automatic grenade launchers.²¹ This allows a SOC-R detachment to lay down a devastating wall of suppressive fire during a “hot” extraction of a SOF team from a hostile riverbank.

4.3 The Modern Littoral Fleet: A Tiered Approach

The retirement of the Mark V SOC in 2013 created an opportunity to field a new generation of combatant craft. Instead of a single replacement, NSW opted for a family of complementary platforms, each optimized for a different segment of the operational spectrum.

• Combatant Craft Assault (CCA): The smallest and most agile of the new fleet, the 41-foot CCA is operated by SBT-12 and SBT-20. Its primary roles include medium-range maritime interdiction and SOF insertion/extraction.²¹ The CCA’s defining strategic advantage is its transportability; it is light enough to be air-dropped by parachute from a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, enabling its rapid deployment into any maritime theater in the world.⁴¹
• Combatant Craft Medium (CCM) Mk 1: The 60-foot CCM is the multi-mission workhorse of the modern SWCC fleet and the spiritual successor to the Mark V SOC. It offers a balanced combination of speed (in excess of 50 knots), range (over 400 nautical miles), and payload (a crew of four plus up to 19 passengers).²¹ The CCM features a low-observable design, an enclosed cabin with shock-mitigating seats to reduce crew fatigue and injury, and a double aluminum hull resistant to small arms fire.⁴⁵ While it can be transported by a C-17, it cannot be air-dropped.⁴⁵ A CCM Mk 2 variant is currently in development, which will feature more powerful engines and an integrated launcher for loitering munitions, significantly enhancing the platform’s organic strike capabilities.⁴⁷
• Combatant Craft Heavy (CCH) “SEALION”: The largest and most specialized platform in the SWCC inventory is the approximately 80-foot CCH, known as the SEALION (Sea, Air, Land Insertion, Observation, and Neutralization). It is a low-profile, semi-submersible craft designed for long-range, clandestine insertion and extraction of SOF teams in medium-to-high threat environments where stealth is critical.²¹ The CCH features a climate-controlled interior, retractable sensor and communications masts, and a rear payload bay capable of launching and recovering smaller craft like CRRCs or personal watercraft.⁴⁹

4.4 Legacy Platforms: The Mark V Special Operations Craft (MK V SOC)

Introduced in 1995, the 82-foot MK V SOC was the primary long-range, high-speed insertion platform for NSW for nearly two decades.⁵² Capable of speeds over 50 knots, it could transport a 16-man SEAL element over 500 nautical miles. The MK V was heavily armed and a formidable presence. However, its aluminum monohull design, while fast, subjected its five-man SWCC crew and passengers to extreme physical punishment from wave-slamming forces in high seas. This led to a high rate of chronic back, neck, and joint injuries among operators and was a primary factor in the craft’s retirement in 2013, paving the way for the development of the modern tiered fleet with its improved shock-mitigation features.⁵²

Table 4-1: Comparative Specifications of Primary SWCC Combatant Craft

Specification	Special Operations Craft-Riverine (SOC-R)	Combatant Craft Assault (CCA)	Combatant Craft Medium (CCM) Mk 1	Combatant Craft Heavy (CCH) “SEALION”
Length	10 m (33 ft)	12.5 m (41 ft)	18.5 m (60.6 ft)	~24.4 m (80 ft)
Beam	2.7 m (9 ft)	TBC	4.01 m (13.2 ft)	4.4 m (14.5 ft)
Draft	0.6 m (2 ft)	TBC	1 m (3.3 ft)	TBC
Propulsion	Twin Diesel / Waterjets	Twin Diesel	Twin Diesel / Propellers	Twin Diesel / Waterjets
Max Speed	40+ knots	TBC	52+ knots	40+ knots
Range	TBC	TBC	600 nm @ 40 kts	TBC (>400 nm)
Crew/Pax Capacity	5 Crew / 8 Pax	TBC	4 Crew / 19 Pax	7 Crew / 12 Pax
Primary Role	Riverine Fire Support & Insertion	Medium-Range Interdiction & Insertion	Multi-Mission Littoral Insertion & Fire Support	Long-Range Clandestine Insertion
Transportability	Air Transportable (Trailer)	Air-droppable (C-17), C-17 Transport	C-17 Transport, Large Surface Craft	C-17 Transport, Well Deck Amphibious Vessel
	40

Section 5: Armament and Lethality

The tactical doctrine of SWCC units is built upon a foundation of mobile, overwhelming firepower. Their combatant craft are not merely transport vessels; they are heavily armed platforms designed to dominate their immediate environment, suppress threats, and provide decisive fire support for special operations forces. This lethality is delivered through a combination of personal defense weapons carried by the crew and a formidable array of craft-mounted, crew-served weapon systems.

5.1 Personal Defense Weapons: Standard Operator Loadout

In addition to being expert gunners on their craft-mounted weapons, every SWCC operator is highly proficient with a range of personal small arms for self-defense, VBSS operations, and missions that may require them to operate away from their boats.

• Primary Weapon: The standard primary weapon for a SWCC operator is the M4A1 Carbine, chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO. It is frequently employed in its Close Quarters Battle Receiver (CQBR) configuration, which features a shorter 10.3-inch barrel for improved handling in the confined spaces of a boat or during boarding operations.⁵⁴
• Secondary Weapon: The typical sidearm carried by a SWCC operator is a 9x19mm pistol, most commonly the SIG Sauer P228 (designated M11 in U.S. military service) or the larger SIG Sauer P226 (Mk 25).⁵⁴

5.2 Crew-Served Dominance: Craft-Mounted Weapon Systems

The defining combat characteristic of SWCC platforms is their heavy armament. Modern craft are designed with multiple, often modular, weapon stations that allow for a flexible and mission-tailored loadout.

• Heavy Machine Guns: The Browning M2HB.50 Caliber heavy machine gun is the most ubiquitous weapon in the SWCC inventory. Its use dates back to the PBRs of Vietnam and continues today on nearly every platform, from the SOC-R to the CCM. It provides long-range, high-impact firepower effective against personnel, light vehicles, and other small craft.¹⁰
• Medium Machine Guns: The 7.62x51mm NATO M240 is the standard medium machine gun, providing a high volume of accurate fire. It is commonly mounted on pintles at various positions on SWCC craft.³⁶ The older M60 machine gun was also used extensively on earlier platforms.¹³
• Miniguns: The M134 and GAU-17 are 7.62mm Gatling-style machine guns capable of firing at rates of 3,000 to 4,000 rounds per minute. This exceptionally high rate of fire makes them devastating suppressive fire weapons, ideal for covering SOF extractions from a hot landing zone. They are most prominently featured on the riverine SOC-R and were also used on the legacy Mark V SOC.³⁶
• Automatic Grenade Launchers: The Mk 19 40mm automatic grenade launcher provides SWCC crews with an area-denial capability, effective against entrenched personnel, groups of fighters, and light vehicles. It is a common armament option on most SWCC combatant craft.¹³

5.3 The Evolution of Firepower: From Pintle Mounts to Remote Weapon Stations

The method of employing these weapons has evolved alongside the platforms themselves. Early craft like the PBR relied on manually operated weapons in simple shielded gun tubs and on pintle mounts.¹⁰ While effective, this exposed the gunner to enemy fire. Modern platforms, such as the Combatant Craft Medium, incorporate advanced Remote Weapon Stations (RWS). An RWS allows an operator to aim and fire a bow-mounted.50 caliber machine gun from within the relative safety of the craft’s enclosed, armored cabin, using a display and joystick controls. This significantly enhances gunner survivability and firing accuracy.⁴³

The next leap in SWCC lethality is already in development. The planned CCM Mk 2 will feature a retractable, integrated launcher capable of firing loitering munitions, such as the ALTIUS-700. This will provide a SWCC detachment with an organic, standoff precision strike capability, allowing them to engage targets on land or at sea from ranges far beyond that of direct-fire weapons—a transformational shift for a small boat unit.⁴⁷

Table 5-1: SWCC Armament Inventory

Weapon System	Type	Caliber	Typical Platform / Application
M4A1 CQBR	Carbine	5.56x45mm NATO	Personal Defense Weapon (Primary)
SIG Sauer P226/P228	Pistol	9x19mm Parabellum	Personal Defense Weapon (Secondary)
M2HB	Heavy Machine Gun	.50 BMG (12.7x99mm)	Craft-Mounted (SOC-R, CCA, CCM, CCH)
M240	Medium Machine Gun	7.62x51mm NATO	Craft-Mounted (SOC-R, CCA, CCM)
GAU-17 / M134	Gatling Gun (Minigun)	7.62x51mm NATO	Craft-Mounted (SOC-R)
Mk 19	Automatic Grenade Launcher	40mm Grenade	Craft-Mounted (SOC-R, CCA, CCM)
	13

Section 6: Operational Employment and Strategic Impact

The operational history of the modern SWCC force, particularly in the post-9/11 era, highlights the community’s remarkable adaptability and its strategic value across a wide spectrum of conflict. From high-intensity conventional operations in the Persian Gulf to counter-insurgency in the Philippines and even unconventional land-based roles in Afghanistan, SWCCs have consistently demonstrated their ability to apply their unique skill set to diverse and evolving security challenges. This operational record also reveals a “capability paradox”: while their adaptability was a major asset during the land-centric Global War on Terror (GWOT), it may have risked the atrophy of their core high-end maritime skills. The current strategic pivot towards great power competition represents both a return to their foundational purpose and a significant challenge to re-hone competencies that were less emphasized for nearly two decades.

6.1 The Global War on Terror: Adapting to New Theaters

The conflicts following the September 11, 2001 attacks saw SWCC units deployed globally, often in roles that extended far beyond their traditional mission profile.

• Operation Iraqi Freedom: SWCCs played a direct and critical role in the opening hours of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Detachments from SBT-12 and SBT-20, employing MK V SOCs and RHIBs, were a key component of the Naval Task Group assigned to secure southern Iraq’s maritime infrastructure. They successfully assaulted and seized the Mina Al Bakr (MABOT) and Khor Al Amaya (KAAOT) offshore gas and oil platforms, preventing their potential destruction by Iraqi forces.²¹ Following this, they secured the Khor Al Abdullah and Khor Az Zubayar waterways, ensuring safe passage for coalition shipping into the vital port of Umm Qasr.²¹
• Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan): The deployment of SWCC operators to landlocked Afghanistan is perhaps the most striking example of their adaptability. Leveraging their deep expertise as expeditionary mechanics and masters of crew-served weapons, SWCCs were integrated into land-based mobility roles, driving armored vehicles and serving as mounted gunners in direct support of SEAL operations.⁷ While this demonstrated the high quality and flexible mindset of the individual operator, it was a significant deviation from their core maritime mission. The fact that some sources suggest the last dedicated SWCC maritime combat mission in Iraq occurred as early as 2005 points to a long period where the community’s primary function was not being practiced in a combat environment.⁶²
• Global Engagements: Throughout the GWOT, SWCC detachments were active in numerous other theaters:

• The Philippines: In the archipelagic environment of the southern Philippines, SWCCs have been heavily engaged in counter-terrorism operations against the Abu Sayyaf group. They have employed a wide range of platforms, from the high-tech Mark V SOC to locally procured dugout canoes, to conduct maritime interdiction, reconnaissance, and support for Philippine and U.S. SOF.¹
• Horn of Africa: Operating from bases such as Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, SWCCs have conducted missions targeting the al-Shabaab militant group in Somalia and have been an integral part of broader international counter-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden.⁸
• Counter-Narcotics: SWCCs regularly deploy in support of counter-drug operations, primarily within the U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility. Their expertise in maritime interdiction and VBSS is leveraged to support U.S. and partner nation law enforcement agencies in stemming the flow of illicit narcotics.⁷

6.2 Future Outlook: SWCC’s Role in an Era of Great Power Competition

As U.S. national security strategy shifts from counter-terrorism to a focus on great power competition with peer and near-peer adversaries, the SWCC community’s core capabilities are becoming more relevant than ever.

• Littoral Contestation: The strategic focus on the Indo-Pacific theater places a premium on the ability to operate effectively and clandestinely in contested littoral environments—the complex interface where land meets sea. The SWCC’s specialized skills and fleet of low-observable combatant craft are uniquely suited for this domain, which is characterized by island chains, shallow waters, and dense maritime traffic.
• Enabling Distributed Maritime Operations: The SWCC fleet is a key enabler for the U.S. Navy’s overarching concept of Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO). By providing small, fast, lethal, and relatively low-cost platforms, SWCCs can conduct reconnaissance, deception, and precision strike missions that complicate an adversary’s targeting calculus and create asymmetric advantages for the joint force. The planned integration of loitering munitions onto the CCM Mk 2 is a prime example of this evolving role, transforming a tactical mobility asset into a distributed lethality platform.⁴⁷
• Comparison with other SOF Maritime Units: The SWCC community occupies a unique niche within the broader special operations ecosystem. While units like U.S. Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance also conduct amphibious reconnaissance and limited-scale raids ⁶⁶, and the U.S. Coast Guard’s Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT) specializes in high-level counter-terrorism and VBSS ⁶⁸, the SWCC’s primary focus remains the operation of specialized combatant craft for SOF mobility and fire support. They are the Navy’s premier experts in this domain, a role distinct from the broader remit of peer units like the UK’s Special Boat Service (SBS), which includes underwater sabotage and other missions.⁷¹ The investment in advanced platforms like the CCH and the upgraded CCM indicates that USSOCOM recognizes the critical need for this specialized maritime capability and is actively working to re-sharpen its edge for the challenges of a new strategic era.

Section 7: Conclusion: The Quiet Professionals of Maritime Special Operations

The evolution of the U.S. Navy’s Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen is a testament to the enduring military principle that capability is often forged in the crucible of conflict. From the ad-hoc but essential “Brown Water Navy” that patrolled the rivers of Vietnam to the highly professionalized, technologically sophisticated force of today, the SWCC community has consistently proven its value as a critical enabler of U.S. national security objectives. Their journey reflects a deliberate and hard-won institutionalization of a unique skill set: the mastery of small, fast, and lethal craft in the world’s most dangerous maritime and riverine environments.

While often operating in the shadow of the Navy SEALs they so frequently support, the SWCC community is a distinct and indispensable component of Naval Special Warfare. The establishment of the dedicated Special Warfare Boat Operator (SB) rating and a supporting officer career path has solidified the community’s identity and ensured the retention of deep corporate knowledge. This professionalization is matched by a technological maturation, evidenced by the transition from single, general-purpose platforms to a tiered, modern fleet of combatant craft. This “toolkit” of specialized vessels provides combatant commanders with a flexible and potent range of options, tailored for missions from clandestine, high-threat insertion to open-ocean interdiction and riverine combat.

The SWCC operator remains the core of this capability—a quiet professional selected for autonomy, accountability, and the ability to deliver decisive action under pressure. In an era increasingly defined by strategic competition in the contested littorals of the Indo-Pacific and other key maritime chokepoints, the role of the SWCC community will only grow in importance. Their unique ability to project power, provide mobility, and achieve effects in these complex domains ensures that they will remain a vital and asymmetric asset for U.S. decision-makers across the full spectrum of conflict.

Image Source

Main image obtained from Wikipedia on October 11, 2025. FT. KNOX, Ky. (Aug. 25, 2007) – Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC) transit the Salt River in northern Kentucky during pre-deployment, live-fire training. SWCCs attached to Special Boat Team (SBT) 22 based in Stennis, Miss., employ the Special Operations Craft Riverine (SOC-R), which is specifically designed for the clandestine insertion and extraction of U.S. Navy SEALs and other special operations forces along shallow waterways and open water environments. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jayme Pastoric (RELEASED)

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