"Dirt Navy" concept

[Cloud Cover]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=93850&ran=185104

The USN is considering forming a 600-800 man unit of sailors dubbed the "Dirt Navy" to perform tasks which apparently might include "close quarters assault" in some sort of "expeditionary combat force" for use in "close contact with hostile coastlines" - whatever all that means. :      The unit should not be confused with Marines or the SEALS- totally different style of operations.

Interestingly, the USN has hired a private contractor to undertake some of the training required. [using USMC Quantico facilities] .

Seems to me the Canadian Navy is already performing some of the tasks listed in the article. [most of which have nothing to do with 'expeditionary combat forces" etc.]    

You gotta admit, this article is comical when one considers how it is described vis what it will actually do.

 

[chrisf]

I don't understand... it sounds to me like they're just training sailors to do the job marines don't do now.

 

[Infanteer]

Among the proposals:
- A "riverine" component that will take over operations of a now-disbanded Marine company.

- A force trained to overcome opposition on tricky ship boardings - currently the role of the over-tasked SEALs.

- Teams who accompany the boarding force to quickly gather intelligence about crew and cargo.

- Detachments with officers specially trained in foreign cultures and regions.

Sounds like they're trying to do "Navy SEAL lite".

Hmm...regarding the first task - there was a good article on Small Craft Company in the Marine Corps Gazette earlier this year; I guess they just disbanded it.

The organization seems like a robust "shore party" - something that has been the purview of the Marines; but since the Marines have moved onto full-scale, expeditionary Warfare, the Navy needs to fill the gap.   Still seems odd to have "Naval Infantry" AND "Marines" - but when you're the US, you can have it all.

 

[chrisf]

Now I'm just more confused. The marines don't do the job that marines are traditionally supposed to do, so the navy has to create more marines to do said job, but can't call them marines or even suggest that they're marines, because the marines wouldn't like that?

 

[Infanteer]

Sound's about right. 

 

[chrisf]

I've always wanted to do interpretative dance, do you think Canada could implement a similar program where people's job titles have absolutely nothing to do with their jobs?

 

[ghazise]

Among the proposals:
- A "riverine" component that will take over operations of a now-disbanded Marine company.

- A force trained to overcome opposition on tricky ship boardings - currently the role of the over-tasked SEALs.

- Teams who accompany the boarding force to quickly gather intelligence about crew and cargo.

- Detachments with officers specially trained in foreign cultures and regions

The Riverine Boat Company was a concept, the the Marine Corps was exploring, the unit would be have been similar to US Navy Swift boats of Vietnam,  From what I have seen the alot US Ships train their own boarding parties and it would be a great improvement if they formalized the capability into an NEC rating,  within recent history the proposed missions for these sailors, Marines haven't done,

The US Navy is adapting from a very high tech blue water fleet with 12 Carrier Groups, 12 Amphibious groups, subs and all that good stuff, your traditional Naval Warfare concepts and to decide how much of those capabilities the US needs to maintain and also adapt to Missile Defense and Terrorists threats of where terrorist do not have destroyers and cruisers, but the US will need a portion of their fleet to able to operate in the shallow waters (littoral) where you do not want to expose a Destroyer, but you will need to patrol;