Marines: January 3, 2003

Archives

Navy special operations units are receiving 18 new, high speed boats for operations on rivers, swamps and inshore. The SOCR (Special Operations Craft Riverine) is 33 feet long, nine feet wide and only draws nine inches of water when moving fast. Top speed is 78 kilometers per hour. The aluminum boat can carry nine tons of troops and equipment. It can be carried by C-130s or heavy helicopters like the H-47 or H-53. The hull has some ballistic armor for protection from rifle bullets and shell fragments. The boat has mounts for five weapons (7.62mm and .50 caliber machine-gun or automatic grenade launchers). The boat is powered by twin 440 horsepower diesel engines. Five SOCRs were delivered in 2002, with the rest arriving this year. The boats will be used mainly to support SEALs and other commandos. Southern Iraq has an extensive system of rivers and swamps. 

 

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   Contribute   Close