Maritime Expeditionary Security Force
A component of the U.S. Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC),[1] as part of littoral warfare initiatives, the Maritime Expeditionary Security Force has been formed to provide integrated at-sea and coastal security. They fill a niche that other military organizations have done as a secondary role.
For example, the United States Navy SEALs are quite capable of boarding and security, but they are an elite special operations unit expected to carry the fight to the enemy. U.S. Marines also have an offensive orientation, although generally in larger units than SEALs, and with fewer at-sea skills. United States Coast Guard units are a hybrid of law enforcement and military skills, although they may be the most skilled in seamanship.
One distinct mission is providing onboard for Military Sealift Command ships and ships contracted to it. A parallel can be drawn here with the Armed Guard of the Second World War, or naval personnel who manned the guns of armed merchant vessels, against a very different threat.[2]
References
- ↑ NECC: About Us, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command
- ↑ Katrin Albritton (1 March 2009), "Taking it to the seas. (Maritime Expeditionary Security Force)", All Hands