Maritime Security Response Team
| Maritime Security Response Team | |
|---|---|
MSRT patch | |
| Active | 2004 (de facto) Officially formed in 2006 (MSRT West, 2013)[1] |
| Country | United States of America |
| Agency | United States Coast Guard |
| Type | Police tactical unit |
| Role | Counterterrorism Counter narcotics operations Counterproliferation Counter piracy |
| Part of | Deployable Specialized Forces |
| Motto | "Nox Noctis est Nostri" The Night is Ours |
| Structure | |
| Operators | 307 (2020)[2] |
| Subunits |
|
| Notables | |
| Significant operation(s) | Global War on Terrorism |
The Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT) is a specialized tactical unit of the United States Coast Guard and forms part of the Deployable Specialized Forces. It is a globally deployable unit specializing in high-risk boarding, direct action variability (ranging from close-quarters combat to precision marksmanship), helicopter insertion, advanced maritime interdiction, and response to CBRNE threats (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosive).[3]
History
In 2004, a unit named the Security Response Team One (SRT-1) was founded as a Coast Guard unit for specialized maritime drug interdictions, boardings, and operations. The SRT-1 eventually evolved into the Enhanced-Maritime Safety and Security Team (Enhanced-MSST), and the present Maritime Security Response Team in 2006.
Organization
Most MSRT members come from the TACLET and MSST Teams. They train with the Navy SEALS, SWCC, 75th Ranger Regiment, and other Special Operations forces, including some foreign units.[6][7]
Capabilities
- Maritime hostage rescue
- Counter-terrorism
- Direct Action
- CBRNE
- Maritime law enforcement
- VBSS
- Counter-proliferation
- Explosive detection
- Airborne use-of-force
- Personnel security
Operations
Between fiscal years 2015 and 2019, the MSRT deployed 183 times.[2]
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Coast Guard.
- ^ https://nationalcoastguardmuseum.org/articles/mssts-and-msrts/
- ^ a b Federal Tactical Teams: Characteristics, Training, Deployments, and Inventory (PDF) (Report). GAO-20-710. United States Government Accountability Office. September 10, 2020. p. 27. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-07-08. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ^ a b c "MSRT (Maritime Security Response Team)". Go Coast Guard - the official Facebook page for the Coast Guard Recruiting Command. 12 December 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2026 – via Facebook.
- ^ https://maritime-executive.com/article/report-u-s-coast-guard-awaits-specialized-team-to-board-third-tanker
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20260103233947/https://taskandpurpose.com/news/venezuela-maduro-delta-force-absolute-resolve/
- ^ https://www.dvidshub.net/image/8625395/5th-sfga-trains-with-us-coast-guard-msrt-direct-action-section
- ^ https://x.com/USCG/status/1926261947147727254
Further reading
- Coast Guard: Assessing Deployable Specialized Forces' Workforce Needs Could Improve Efficiency and Reduce Potential Overlap or Gaps in Capabilities (PDF) (Report). GAO-20-33. United States Government Accountability Office. November 21, 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
External links
- Media related to Maritime Security Response Team at Wikimedia Commons