In a world of unconventional warfare, elite and highly-trained military, like Navy SEALS or army rangers, are trying to gain the upper hand in the fight against terrorism around the world.
Sailors from Little Creek Amphibious Base this week practiced something in the Atlantic Ocean that could just be a new tool in that fight.
The Special Warfare Boat Operators (SB) of Naval Special Warfare Group FOUR performed the 100th Maritime Craft Aerial Delivery System (MCADS) drop off the coast of North Carolina Wednesday.
The MCADS is an airdrop insertion capability for Naval Special Warfare Rigid-hull Inflatable Boats and Special Operation Forces personnel via United States Air Force aircraft.
Translation: the sailors of Special Boat Team 20 jumped out of an Air Force C-130 at 3500 feet above the ocean. Right behind them, pushed out of the plane, was there boat attached to three parachutes.
It is an amazing maneuver that was performed successfully. While it has not been used in combat yet, the Navy is confident it can be used as a option if needed.
The system provides the ability to deploy a RIB or rigid-inflatable-boat outside the range of detection systems such as radar, infrared and thermal enhancement, acoustical sensors, human intelligence, signal intelligence, and active patrols.
The MCADS is rigged on a 21-foot buoyant platform that separates from the boat during deployment and descends under its own recovery parachute. Removable buoyancy is provided allowing the platform to sink if the mission profile requires.
The practice jump Wednesday was off North Carolina and kicks off an exercise with the Marines.
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Special
Boat Operators Reach Milestone MCADS Drop
Story Number: NNS070402-25
Release Date: 4/2/2007 5:44:00 PM
By Naval Special Warfare East Public Affairs |
ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Special Warfare Boat
Operators (SB) from Special Boat Team 20 (SBT-20) reached a
milestone on March 28 when they successfully completed the 100th and
101st insertion of the Maritime Craft Aerial Deployment System (MCADS)
off the coast of North Carolina.
Serving as a true force multiplier, the MCADS capability enables
Naval Special Warfare Sailors to rapidly deploy anywhere in the
world in a maritime environment.
The system deploys an 11-meter RIB (rigid inflatable boat) rigged
with four large parachutes from the back of a C-130 or C-17 at
approximately 3,500-feet.
Approximately four Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC)
immediately follow the boat out of the plane and parachute to the
immediate proximity of where the boat lands. Within 20 minutes the
SWCCs have the boat unpacked and rigged to get underway to deliver
an element of SOF (special operation force) operators to any
potential target of interest, or to conduct their own mission.
SBT-20 Command Master Chief Richard Evans pointed out that this
capability didn�t just miraculously evolve.
�This capability is a direct result of countless hours of hard work
and commitment from several Sailors in the command�s Air Operations
department over the past decade," Evans said. "In particular, the
Air Department head, (Chief Parachute Rigger) Steve Perry, the MCADS
Program Manager for SBT-20, Shane Hollar, and all the members of the
Air Department, have been the backbone for the success of the
program for the past several years.�
Although the MCADS capability hasn�t been operationally required
yet, ensuring the proficiency of the SBs and reliability of the
equipment is essential for regional combatant commanders to know
it�s ready when needed.
Following the MCADS drops, Marines from near-by units practiced
their water insertion techniques from a Marine CH-46. The SBT-20
boats immediately recovered the Marines and continued on with
scheduled joint exercises in the area.
As U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) celebrates its 20th
anniversary, this capability demonstrates how the various service
component special operations force elements continue to evolve in
their interoperability.
SBT-20�s Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Kent Paro, cites this as a great
example of the qualities essential to Naval Special Warfare Sailors
being successful.
�The experience of conducting an evolution as dynamic as an MCADS
drop and having the mental agility to put that behind you, refocus,
link-up with sister-service operators and conduct a SOF mission is
invaluable," said Paro. "Time and again it�s the professionalism,
focused dedication, and intellect that enables our NSW Sailors to
succeed every day on the battlefield and while conducting operations
around the world.�
For more information, visit
www.sealchallenge.navy.mil/swcc/ .
For more news from around the fleet, visit
www.navy.mil.
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