Special Boat Teams

Special Boat Teams
United States Navy · Public domain · source
Unit name	Special Boat Teams
Country	United States
Branch	United States Navy
Type	Special operations forces
Role	Maritime special operations
Garrison	Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek; Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story
Nickname	SBT

Special Boat Teams are naval special operations units focused on maritime mobility, reconnaissance, direct action, and insertion/extraction using small craft and diving platforms. Originating from legacy Underwater Demolition Team and Navy SEAL maritime traditions, these units operate alongside United States Special Operations Command, United States Central Command, United States Indo-Pacific Command, and other regional combatant commands. They deploy in littoral, riverine, and blue-water environments to support Joint Special Operations Command objectives and allied maritime operations such as those conducted with Royal Navy, Special Boat Service, and Marine Expeditionary Unit detachments.

Overview

Special Boat Teams trace doctrinal lineage to World War II amphibious reconnaissance, Operation Overlord, and Pacific War underwater demolition efforts. Their contemporary missions reflect lessons from Vietnam War riverine warfare, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom (2001–2021), and Operation Iraqi Freedom, integrating small-boat tactics developed during Cold War naval special operations. They operate from bases including Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, deploy aboard Navy Expeditionary Combat Command assets, and coordinate with units such as Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams, Air Force Special Operations Command, and Special Forces detachments.

Organization and Structure

Teams are organized under the Naval Special Warfare Command and subordinate to elements of United States Special Operations Command when deployed. Typical structure includes platoon-level boat crews, small-unit leaders, combatant-craft operators, maritime interdiction specialists, and support personnel such as communications enablers and intelligence analysts from Naval Intelligence. Administrative linkage may involve Naval Special Warfare Group Two, Naval Special Warfare Group Four, and liaison billets to Carrier Strike Group staff, Amphibious Ready Group commanders, and multinational task forces like Combined Maritime Forces.

Roles and Missions

Primary tasks encompass maritime mobility, littoral reconnaissance, direct action boarding, personnel recovery, and special reconnaissance in coastal and inland waterways. They conduct visit, board, search, and seizure operations in coordination with United States Coast Guard detachments, maritime interdiction operations supporting United Nations sanctions enforcement, and amphibious assault support for Marine Corps elements. Secondary tasks include support to intelligence community collection missions, counter-piracy patrols in coordination with NATO maritime forces, and force protection for diplomatic convoys and strategic sea lines of communication.

Training and Selection

Selection pathways often begin with pipeline training at Naval Special Warfare Center and involve screening similar to BUD/S physical standards, though emphasizing maritime aptitude and small-craft handling. Advanced training includes combatant-craft crewman courses, tactical boat operations, closed-circuit and open-circuit diving certifications aligned with Navy Diving and Salvage Community standards, and interoperability exercises with SEAL Delivery Vehicle}} operators, Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians, and Naval Aviators. Joint exercises such as Exercise Seaman Guard, RIMPAC, and bilateral training with Royal Australian Navy and Republic of Korea Navy forces sharpen skills in night navigation, maritime interdiction, and heliborne insertions.

Equipment and Craft

Operators employ high-speed craft including Combatant Craft Medium, Combatant Craft Riverine, rigid-hulled inflatable boats, and specialized insertion platforms capable of over-the-horizon approach from amphibious transport dock vessels. Weaponry suites range from personal arms like the Mk 18 Mod 0 carbine and M240 machine gun to crew-served systems integrated into craft mounts, communication suites compatible with Blue Force Tracker networks, and sensors such as electro-optical/infrared systems procured under Naval Surface Warfare initiatives. Support platforms include mother ships, Littoral Combat Ship task units, and forward staging bases used in Operation Atalanta and multinational counter-piracy efforts.

Notable Operations and Deployments

Special Boat Teams have supported riverine operations during Vietnam War legacy missions, littoral campaigns during Operation Iraqi Freedom in the Shatt al-Arab and Tigris–Euphrates waterways, and maritime security operations during Operation Enduring Freedom off the coast of Horn of Africa. They provided force protection and fast-boat insertion during Operation Unified Protector-era evacuations, contributed to counter-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden during Operation Atalanta, and executed interdiction missions in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb in cooperation with Combined Maritime Forces task groups.

International Equivalents and Cooperation

Comparable units include the United Kingdom’s Special Boat Service, Australia’s Special Air Service Regiment maritime elements and Royal Australian Navy's clearance diving teams, France’s Commando Hubert, and Italy’s Operational Raider Group maritime detachments. Cooperation occurs through multinational exercises such as RIMPAC, NATO maritime exercises, and bilateral engagements with navies from Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Republic of Korea Navy, Royal Netherlands Navy, and Indian Navy to enhance interoperability, tactics development, and shared doctrines for littoral special operations.

Category:United States Navy special operations