Small unit riverine craft
{{Short description|Patrol boat in the US Navy}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=Riverine Squadron 2 Iraq 2007.jpg |Ship caption=U.S. Navy Riverine Squadron 2 patrols the waters above Haditha Dam, Anbar Province, Iraq, in a Small Unit Riverine Craft. }} {{Infobox ship class overview |Name=Small unit riverine craft (SURC) |Builders= |Operators=*{{flagicon|US}} United States Navy
|Class before= |Class after= |Subclasses= |Cost= |Built range= |In service range= |In commission range= |Total ships building= |Total ships planned= |Total ships completed= |Total ships cancelled= |Total ships active= |Total ships laid up= |Total ships lost= |Total ships retired= |Total ships preserved= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship type=Riverine patrol boat |Ship displacement={{convert|22000|lb|abbr=on}} combat load |Ship length={{convert|38|ft|m|abbr=on}} (w/ transom platform) |Ship beam={{convert|10|ft|2|in|m|abbr=on}} (collars removable for C-130 transport) |Ship height= |Ship draft={{convert|24|in|m|abbr=on}} static |Ship depth= |Ship decks= |Ship deck clearance= |Ship ramps= |Ship ice class= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=*Twin Yanmar 6LY2A-STP diesel engines, {{convert|440|bhp|kW|abbr=on}} at 3300 RPM;
|Ship speed={{convert|35|kn|km/h}} cruise, {{convert|39|kn|km/h}} sprint |Ship range=>250 nm |Ship boats= |Ship complement=16 troops |Ship crew=2 |Ship time to activate= |Ship sensors=*Ritchie magnetic compass
|Ship EW= |Ship armament=*3 mounts for heavy machine guns such as Browning M2HB machine guns (include rear area)
|Ship aircraft= |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes=Fuel: JP-5, JP-8, and marine diesel }} |
Image:3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines - Haditha Dam.jpg in 2006.]]
Image:US Marines launch SURC 2007.jpg
The small unit riverine craft (SURC) is a rigid-hull, armed and armored patrol boat used by the U.S. Marines and U.S. Navy to maintain control of rivers and inland waterways. They are similar in size and purpose to the much older Patrol Boat, River vessels used during the Vietnam War.
The boats are built by Raytheon Naval & Maritime Integrated Systems, with a contract to build up to 100 boats. Raytheon's contract partners are SAFE Boats International of Bremerton, Washington and Boat Master of Fort Myers, Florida.
History
The boats were first deployed to Iraq and were used there by the now deactivated U.S. Marine Corps' Small Craft Company, being later turned over to the United States Navy Riverine Squadrons – units of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) that used the boats to patrol strategic areas of Iraq.
On September 25, 2013, the United States transferred six SURCs to the Philippine Marine Corps to provide a platform for command and control, reconnaissance, logistic/resupply, medical evacuation, counter-drug operations, humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping and non-combatant evacuation operations & will be deployed to augment sea-based forces addressing terrorism and lawlessness.{{cite web|last1=LaGrone|first1=Sam|title=U.S. Gives Philippine Marines Six Riverine Boats for Counter Terrorism Missions|url=https://news.usni.org/2013/09/26/u-s-gives-philippine-marines-six-riverine-boats-counter-terrorism-missions|website=USNI News|accessdate=5 September 2016|date=26 September 2013}}
Design
According to the Navy, “The primary mission of the SURC is to provide tactical mobility and a limited weapons platform for the ground combat element of a Marine Air Ground Task Force in littoral and riverine environments.”[http://www.dt.navy.mil/wavelengths/archives/000070.html Wavelengths Online. “Small Unit Riverine Craft”, May 17, 2004] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080406135748/http://www.dt.navy.mil/wavelengths/archives/000070.html |date=April 6, 2008 }} The boat's secondary mission includes “command and control, reconnaissance, logistic/resupply, medevac, counter-drug operations, humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping, and noncombatant evacuation operations.”
The boat is transportable by C-130 Hercules aircraft and can be launched from its trailer at lakeside. It also has the capability to turn 180 degrees in less than three boat lengths and accelerate to {{convert|25|kn|km/h}} in less than 15 seconds.
Occasionally, the boats would have been equipped with an overhead covering to provide shade for the troops on board.
Other characteristics
| Hull: | Aluminum with full length beaching plates |
| Collars: | High strength solid cell foam collar provides stability, redundant buoyancy, and small-arms ballistic protection |
| Weight: | {{convert|17500|lb|abbr=on}} craft and trailer |
See also
- Combat Boat 90 – known as 'Riverine Command Boat' in US Navy service.
- Fast Patrol Craft
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080406135838/http://usmc.boats.dt.navy.mil/surc.asp U.S. Navy: “USMC Family of Small Craft”]
- [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/surc.htm GlobalSecurity.org: “Small Unit Riverine Craft (SURC)”]
Category:United States Marine Corps equipment
Category:Equipment of the United States Navy