By Commander Paul G. Gregory, USNR (Ret.); localized by Leslie Spaulding
Portions reprinted with permission of the Marine Corps Gazette; copyright retained by the Marine Corps Gazette
NORFOLK—Originally envisioned as a replacement for the Rigid Raiding Craft (RRC) for use as a riverine platform, testing of the Small Unit Riverine Craft (SURC) has exceeded operational expectations to make it a viable littoral/riverine craft.
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. The SURC provides significant tactical capabilities in a water-dominated environment. When fully fielded in 2005, it will be capable of lifting the assault echelon of an infantry battalion and providing a sustaining presence in a riverine/littoral area of operation.
The secondary missions of the SURC include command and control, reconnaissance, logistic/resupply, medevac, counter-drug operations, humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping, and noncombatant evacuation operations. The craft has twin inboard diesel engines with marine transmission and waterjet propulsion systems. It incorporates a global positioning system capability, has a depth sounder and surface radar, an intercom system, and integrates current and future Combat Net Radio systems. The craft also has three weapons mounts that are interoperable with current and future universal weapon mounts and pintle adapters for tactical vehicles.
Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) awarded the prime contract for the SURC to Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in May 2002 and SafeBoats International, Port Orchard, WA, is the builder of the craft. As the life cycle engineering agent for the SURC, the Combatant Craft Division (Code 23) has provided support to MCSC since 1998. Support included providing the initial life cycle cost estimate and performing numerous technology investigations. Code 23 employees have also provided maintenance and supply support planning and analysis, as well as served on and chaired technical committees for source selection and contract systems engineering.
As lead developmental testing coordinator, Code 23 personnel worked with NAVSEA Warfare Center Crane Division, NAVSEA Warfare Center Dahlgren
Division’s Combat Systems Station, NAVAIR, U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command NATICK Soldier Center, Naval Research Laboratory, and numerous other agencies to conduct developmental testing on three prototype SURCs. Code 23 personnel examined the craft’s principal characteristics; its performance in calm waters looking at speed, trim, fuel consumption, and horsepower; its performance in rough water looking at speed and fuel consumption; and its maneuvering and acceleration.
Transportability was a major concern for the SURC. Working with many of the agencies identified above, Code 23 coordinated transportability integration certifications. Developmental testing showed that the SURC design can be carried internally with strategic aircraft (C-130, C-17, C-141, and C-5) and externally with the CH-53E. The SURC can also be transported to the theater of operation by sealift. It is compatible with amphibious shipping, roll-on/roll-off shipping, and can be craned on and off sealift ships. The SURC also demonstrated the capability to be launched and recovered from a Landing Craft, Air Cushioned (LCAC) and a Landing Craft, Utility (LCU).
Another important area of testing involved survivability. Code 23 conducted and coordinated survivability tests on the SURC, looking at ballistic protection, camouflage development, smoke obscurants, night vision imaging system (NVIS) compatibility, acoustic detectability, electro-optical/visual, and weapons. Said project engineer Jason Marshall (23), “The Combatant Craft Division is directly responsible for the SURC being the first military craft with smoke obscurants, NVIS compatible lighting, reduced acoustic signature, ballistic protection, and camouflage integrated into the prototype craft during production. This provides more value to the warfighter, cheaper acquisition cost by integrating the capabilities up front, and technology insertion from research and development into production.”
Acquisition support continues as the first two production SURCs are undergoing acceptance trials in April 2004. The current plan is for 17 craft to be fielded over the next year to Small Craft Company located in Camp Lejeune, NC.
The SURC is bringing significant capabilities to the Navy/Marine Corps team in littoral/riverine warfare. It radically improves the ability to transport and sustain forces in a littoral/riverine environment by several orders of magnitude over the current capability with the rigid raiding craft. The SURC will provide outstanding service well into the 21st century. Although it is single-sited at Camp Lejeune, the SURC is truly capable of being a worldwide reachback asset to the Navy/Marine Corps team. It is critical to future Navy/Marine Corps littoral/riverine operations for commanders to understand and employ its capabilities.
Posted by yw at May 17, 2004 03:23 PM