CTF-75 Receives New Riverine Command Boats

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Gabrielle Joyner, USS Frank Cable Public Affairs

SANTA RITA, Guam (NNS) -- Sailors assigned to Commander, Navy Expeditionary Forces Command Pacific (CTF-75), Coastal Riverine Squadron 3 and Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 aided in off-loading two Riverine Command Boats (RCBs) from USNS Soderman (T-AKR 317) and transported to Naval Base Guam, Nov 24.

The new boats will bring added versatility to CTF-75, increasing capabilities and readiness in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility.

"The addition of these two RCBs significantly enhances the Coastal Riverine Force (CRF) capability throughout the Western Pacific," said Cmdr. Eric Rasch, executive officer of Coastal Riverine Squadron 3, homeported in San Diego.

According to Rasch, the two 49-feet long by 12-feet wide RCBs will be used to conduct a vast array of missions and will ultimately be the key elements of any adaptive force packages that may be required to fulfill CTF-75 or Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet tasks.

The RCBs fill the role of a CRF unit, which acts as a liaison between the shallow water riverine units and standard deep-water naval vessels. The CRF conducts maritime security operations across all phases of military operations and defends high-value assets, critical maritime infrastructure, ports and harbors against adversaries and is capable of conducting 24-hour operations in all weather conditions and climates.

The RCBs can offer command and control for a variety of situations the CRF may have to handle or be the unit of action. The versatile command boat has the capability to perform port security, troop insertion or extraction, counter-insurgency inland, organic air and fire support, support organic unmanned aerial vehicles, maritime interdiction and a host of other functions and uses.