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Ship's Boarding Party [Merged]

Can someone explain to me what one must do in order to be a member of reg force Navy ship boarding party? I have heard that it is a volunteer position on the boat, I have heard some crew members are hand selected and I have heard that they are now making full-time ship boarding teams that perform exclusively to that roll. Can anyone clarify this issue for me?

I am currently a Cpl in the reserve infantry. I missed my shot at Afghanistan and like my other posts suggest, I am fearful of never seeing a combat deployment for the next few years at least. I can not wait around. I am extremely interested in being a member of a ship boarding party. The Navy is constantly deployed and it looks like something I would excel at.  I would love to CT to the Navy if I knew I had a solid chance at becoming part of one of these teams, if anyone have any advice or insight to offer, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you.
 
I know this has been covered before, so do a search and you'll find stuff like....

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/106738/post-1157994.html#msg1157994
 
NBP training has come along way from when I was responsible for it. Although I like to think that me and my staff got the ball rolling when we pitched the idea of Simunition based force on force training to a very sceptical (and sometimes dismissive) RCN HQ.

(apologies to anyone from the HQ at the time!  ;D)

From the Lookout (Esquimalt Base newspaper)

http://lookoutnewspaper.com/rcn-enhances-naval-boarding-capability/


The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is taking important steps toward tailoring its operations to confront and deter smaller, asymmetric threats with the standing up of a single dedicated unit that will provide an Advanced Naval Boarding Party (ANBP) capability.

“We are excited about the development, the stand-up of this new unit, and the unique and challenging opportunity it presents to all RCN personnel,” said LCdr Wil Lund, the ANBP Capability Officer in Charge. “It represents an important milestone that will enable the RCN to combine over a decade of highly successful operational experience with the ingenuity and abilities of our own officers and sailors.”

Right now, naval boarding parties are comprised of regular members from a ship’s company who perform these duties in addition to their primary duty on board. Once fully operational, the new unit will deploy specialized teams on any RCN platform operating in a high-risk environment.

Though traditional NBPs are capable of conducting basic obstructed boardings, the dynamic and evolving nature of RCN missions now calls for a new approach. The ANBP capability will allow for deployed vessels to meet the new level of risk and to provide other direct support when necessary.

With today’s naval operations increasingly concerned with providing maritime security in the littoral (near-shore) environment, the need for an advanced, versatile force that can respond rapidly to threats such as pirates, drug smugglers or small, nimble fast attack craft is as salient as ever.

These operations require a highly trained team such as the ANBP. Through extensive specialized training and careful selection, the Maritime Tactical Operators from this unit will eventually employ a spectrum of advanced tactics, such as hand-to-hand combat, improvised explosive device (IED) identification, close quarters battle, as well as tactical shooting and tactical questioning.

The implementation of this capability will be gradually phased in over several months, starting with the instructor training that commenced earlier this month to force generate the instructors required to train the first team. These instructors will develop an initial Enhanced Naval Boarding Party (ENBP) capability in the form of the first team of Maritime Tactical Operators. Once trained, this team will be ready to deploy, if needed, in 2015.

Utilizing the experience and lessons learned from this initial team, the unit will later develop a full ANBP capability and will be comprised of approximately 70-100 members from across the RCN, including both Regular and Reserve Force. Non-commissioned members and officers wishing to join will be put through a rigorous selection process before being invited to challenge the Maritime Tactical Operator’s course.

Selection for the Maritime Tactical Operator’s course is scheduled to run from Sept. 29 until Oct. 3.

“What we’ll be looking for most in candidates is that they’re mature, physically fit, willing to learn and capable of making logical split-second decisions within a high-stress environment,” said LCdr Lund.

On-going and highly successful operations, such as Operation Caribbe and Operation Artemis, are a testament to the evolving nature of the RCN’s missions and the important work it does to support maritime security in the littoral arena.

LCdr Lund said the standing up of this unit marks an important milestone in the RCN and will be a vital asset to its future endeavours.

“The end product of the ‘One Navy’ concept will provide an advanced and highly flexible capability at sea that will continue to adapt to the uncertainty and risk of both present and future RCN missions.”


 
About time they got the finger out and created this.  BZ.
 
This sounds like an interesting plan.

Will this also be a secondary duty/specialization like the current NBPs or will it become the primary occupation of those who make it through? Will experience on existing NBPs be a requirement of this new occupation or will sailors be able to apply directly to the selection process?

 
As I read it, this will be your primary duty while you are posted to the unit. Previous experience will be an asset but fitness and ability to pass the selection process is the key.
 
This will be good if they get the right candidates, and stop pulling off the ship's company.  Really hurts to have to put out a crit manning for a cert 3 when they get pulled off for NBP.  Also if they are serious, they should have an additional fitness standard, so they don't need to ask a ship being boarded to lower a billy pugh for then to go a board.... >:D
 
This is a great initiative by the RCN, here's hoping we develop this further  :salute:
 
What do you guys think a deployment would look like? Assuming they train 70-100 personnel, would a platoon sized detachment be sent out on a frigate while the rest stay back and perform support?

 
FSTO said:
As I read it, this will be your primary duty while you are posted to the unit. Previous experience will be an asset but fitness and ability to pass the selection process is the key.

I wonder if this will be a "one-off" posting, or will the Maritime Tactical Operator/Officer eventually become a separate specialty/trade?  It seems like some very specialized training just for a few years; I'd think they would want experience and continuity.

Also, would this be limited to Naval (element) members or any trade? 
 
Dimsum said:
I wonder if this will be a "one-off" posting, or will the Maritime Tactical Operator/Officer eventually become a separate specialty/trade?  It seems like some very specialized training just for a few years; I'd think they would want experience and continuity.

Also, would this be limited to Naval (element) members or any trade?

They'll probably keep it Navy only, which makes sense if it's supposed to be a higher trained version of the NBP. I'm not quite sure what you mean by a "one-off" posting, though.
 
Jonsey said:
I'm not quite sure what you mean by a "one-off" posting, though.

Someone getting posted to that unit as an MTO, then afterwards returning to a posting in his/her original trade and not expected to continue as an MTO later.
 
^^ No such thing.

Even CANSOF operators can find themselves back at a Bn after a few tours.
 
Even CANSOF operators can find themselves back at a Bn after a few tours.

Isn't CANSOF operators a trade with their own CM? I thought I was more like an OT process now..
 
I hope this does better than the Canadian Marine Project we had a few years back.  Where the areas of responsiblity were so spread out most of us "trail subject" drunked out. Keeping in mind most trail subjects were Army sup-techs, cooks and Clerks on ships with a few disgrunted ExInfantry turned navy that were voluntold. Still its all in the realm of a seaborn force.
 
and you could call them RCM's  ;)

The biggest issue is what does these mouths do when they are not boarding? I could see them providing security on port visits, but at sea and not in the target area? 
 
So... why not just call them marines? It's would be a far easier sell...
 
TB said:
Isn't CANSOF operators a trade with their own CM? I thought I was more like an OT process now..
There are unique CANSOF occupations for NCMs in CSOR and CJIRU.  Not all CANSOF is unique occupations.
 
Colin P said:
The biggest issue is.....
No one's asking the critical question.  Based on the overwhelming attention higher HQs are paying to such matters, the biggest issue is....



.....will they be getting special uniforms, badges, titles?  :pop:
 
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