Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team
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| Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team |
| Caption | FAST personnel aboard a warship |
| Dates | Established 1987–present |
| Country | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Type | Security force |
| Role | Maritime security, force protection |
| Garrison | Naval Station Rota, Naval Base San Diego |
| Motto | Ready, Relevant, Responsive |
| Notable commanders | Admiral James Watkins |
Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team is a United States Navy maritime force-protection element formed to provide expeditionary security, anti-terrorism protection, and crisis response for naval assets worldwide. FAST units operate as specialized security detachments that deploy aboard aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, avariety of surface combatants and to shore installations in support of United States Sixth Fleet, United States Fifth Fleet, United States Pacific Fleet, and other naval commands. FAST integrates with units from the United States Marine Corps, United States Army, United States Coast Guard, United States Special Operations Command, and allied forces such as Royal Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and Royal Australian Navy during multinational operations.
History
FAST was created in 1987 following lessons from incidents involving HMS Sheffield, USS Stark, and the Tanker War phase of the Iran–Iraq War, when naval force-protection requirements highlighted gaps in dedicated shipboard security. Early doctrine drew on experience from Navy SEALs, SEAL Team Six, and Fleet Marine Force practices, and incorporated tactics from Rangers and Special Air Service advisory exchanges. During the 1990s FAST detachments supported operations related to Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, and later Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, adapting to threats exemplified by Somali piracy and terrorist attacks such as USS Cole bombing. The 21st century saw FAST evolve with changes in maritime security strategy, interoperability with NATO partners, and contributions to multinational task groups like Combined Task Force 151.
Organization and Structure
FAST is organized into multiple battalion-sized elements subdivided into companies, platoons, and detachments aligned by fleet and theater: units assigned to Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Base San Diego, Naval Station Rota, and forward-deployed sites in Bahrain and Yokosuka. Command relationships involve United States Fleet Forces Command, Commander, Naval Surface Forces, and regional fleet commanders. Detachments are task-organized to support Carrier Strike Group commanders, Amphibious Ready Group commanders, and naval installation commanding officers. Integration with U.S. Transportation Command and Military Sealift Command enables strategic mobility. Administrative control remains within the Naval Criminal Investigative Service liaison frameworks and Security Forces policy channels.
Roles and Responsibilities
FAST provides close-in protection for high-value units such as aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, guided-missile cruisers, ballistic missile defense assets, and logistics ships. Missions include shipboard sentry operations, internal force protection, anti-terrorism site assessment, convoy security for Military Sealift Command vessels, and embassy/consulate augmentation in coordination with United States Department of State security elements and Bureau of Diplomatic Security. FAST supports non-combatant evacuation operations like those overseen by Joint Task Force commands, engages in maritime interdiction with Coalition partners, and assists Counterterrorism task forces during named operations.
Training and Selection
Candidates are recruited from United States Navy enlisted ratings and volunteer officers; selection emphasizes marksmanship, close-quarters battle, and physical fitness standards comparable to United States Marine Corps Reconnaissance and Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen. Training pipelines include marksmanship ranges similar to those used by Naval Special Warfare units, close-quarters battle instruction derived from Marine Corps Martial Arts Program, explosive familiarization coordinated with Explosive Ordnance Disposal units, small-unit tactics borrowed from Army Ranger doctrine, and anti-piracy procedures informed by International Maritime Organization guidance. Pre-deployment certification requires live-fire qualification, force-protection exercises with Carrier Strike Group staffs, and interagency coordination drills with Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Homeland Security components.
Equipment and Capabilities
FAST uses weapons and equipment common to special-purpose security elements: small arms such as M4 carbine, M249 SAW, M240 machine gun, and precision rifles for designated marksmen; less-lethal options including OC spray and baton systems for crowd-control; and breaching tools for close-quarters entry. Personal gear includes body armor compatible with Interim Crye Precision systems, night-vision devices interoperable with AN/PVS family optics, and communications suites integrating Harris Corporation radios and encrypted data links used by Navy-Marine Corps Intranet elements. Mobility is provided by RHIBs for ship-to-ship transfer, embarked MH-60 Seahawk support from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadrons, and coordination with Military Sealift Command for logistical movements.
Notable Operations and Deployments
FAST detachments have been deployed during high-profile events and crises: escort duties during Operation Earnest Will-era escort missions, protective detachments following the USS Cole bombing in Aden, security augmentation during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, counter-piracy patrols off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden as part of Combined Task Force elements, and defense of forward logistics in Bahrain and Guam. FAST elements supported multinational exercises such as Rim of the Pacific Exercise and Operation Sea Breeze, and were forward-deployed for contingency response during regional crises involving Iran, North Korea, and instability in the Horn of Africa.
Controversies and Incidents
FAST operations have occasionally been scrutinized in incidents involving use-of-force, rules of engagement interpretations, and coordination with host-nation authorities. Episodes tied to boarding incidents, disputed engagements in littoral environments, and allegations of excessive force prompted reviews by Department of Defense and inquiries involving Congressional Armed Services Committee oversight. Debates have also arisen regarding force posture, cost of forward deployments, and interoperability with partner law-enforcement elements like the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during joint maritime security missions.