Maritime Special Purpose Force

A Maritime Special Purpose Force (MSPF) is a United States Marine Corps specialized sub-unit of a Marine expeditionary unit (special operations capable) (MEU(SOC)). A MSPF is deployed to give the commanders low profile, two-platoon surgical emplacement in the accessible littoral regions. The MSPF provides the enhanced operational capability and precision skills to complement, enable, and execute selected conventional, maritime special operations. They can also perform operations not resident in traditional amphibious raid companies.

The MSPF provides the MEUs with rapid direct action capabilities. They are also responsible for in extremis hostage rescue (IHR) in urban areas.

A MSPF cannot operate independently of its parent MEU(SOC), on which it relies for logistics, intelligence, communications, transportation, and fire support. However, it is capable of conducting operations with, or in support of the operators of the United States special operations forces. The MSPF's task organization is often conformed as an addition of the Amphibious Ready Group’s Naval Special Warfare Task Unit detachment.^[1]

From 2013 to 2023, MEU(SOC)s were defunct including the integral MSPF.^[2]^[3]^[4] MEUs had a Maritime Raid Force (MRF) the successor of the MSPF.^[3]^[4] In July 2023, II Marine Expeditionary Force certified the first MEU(SOC) in over a decade including the integral MSPF.^[5]

^ Bedard, E. R. (25 September 2001). "Marine Corps Order (MCO) 3120.9B, Policy for Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable)" (PDF). Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Navy. pp. 13–15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 June 2011.
^ Marine Corps Supplement to the Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms (PDF). MCRP 5-12C. United States Marine Corps. 19 August 2013. Section I-24. PCN 144 000056 00. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 June 2022.
^ ^a ^b Carr, Maj. Bardford R. (13 March 2012). Force Reconnaissance: A Key Enabler in the Marine Air Ground Task Force & Beyond (PDF) (Master of Military Studies thesis). Marine Corps University. p. 17. OCLC 913586369. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
^ ^a ^b Davis, Maj. Daniel J. (8 April 2019). Integrating Expeditionary Ground Reconnaissance into an Optimized Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group (PDF) (Master of Military Studies thesis). Marine Corps University. p. 19. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
^ "II MEF Certifies First Special Operations-Capable MEU in a Decade". 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (SOC) (Press release). United States Marine Corps. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2024.

[MCO_3120.9B-1] Bedard, E. R. (25 September 2001). "Marine Corps Order (MCO) 3120.9B, Policy for Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable)" (PDF). Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Navy. pp. 13–15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 June 2011.

[2] Marine Corps Supplement to the Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms (PDF). MCRP 5-12C. United States Marine Corps. 19 August 2013. Section I-24. PCN 144 000056 00. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 June 2022.

[Carr-3] Carr, Maj. Bardford R. (13 March 2012). Force Reconnaissance: A Key Enabler in the Marine Air Ground Task Force & Beyond (PDF) (Master of Military Studies thesis). Marine Corps University. p. 17. OCLC 913586369. Retrieved 21 December 2023.

[Davis-4] Davis, Maj. Daniel J. (8 April 2019). Integrating Expeditionary Ground Reconnaissance into an Optimized Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group (PDF) (Master of Military Studies thesis). Marine Corps University. p. 19. Retrieved 21 December 2023.

[5] "II MEF Certifies First Special Operations-Capable MEU in a Decade". 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (SOC) (Press release). United States Marine Corps. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2024.

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