Mark V Special Operations Craft

The development of the Mark V SOC was very fast-paced, taking only 18 months from the initiation of the program to the actual delivery of the first boat on 4 September 1995. The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Contracting Directorate and a dedicated Program Management team executed this effort in record time, specifically because USSOCOM was given Agency level contracting authority. The contract was fulfilled when the full operational capability was met in 1999. In all, 20 Mk V SOC units were delivered to USSOCOM at a unit cost of $3.7 million.

The Mark V SOC deployment was less smooth. Problems included instances of the windshield and entire pilothouse assembly collapsing upon wave impact. However, these issues have been resolved, and the Mark V SOC has markedly improved maritime special operations capabilities.

The original Mk V SOC was designed to address the lack of any specifically conceived SEAL insertion craft. Prior to the Mk V SOC, SEALs traveled on any form of surface transport available, often resorting to taping lawn furniture to the available craft's deck. The original Mk V competition included three different designs, one Kevlar composite monohull, one aluminum monohull, and one aluminum catamaran hull; the aluminum monohull won. The Mk V SOC specifically incorporated a modular shock mitigation seating design to minimize injury.

Experience gained during training and operational usage showed the aluminum monohull transmitted the impact with the water to the craft's occupants more readily than a composite hull. Even after modifications such as the addition of shock-absorbing seats, the boats are capable of generating up to 20 Gs of force while slamming across waves. This led to many cases of bruises, sprained ankles, chipped teeth, and back, neck, and joint injuries. These injuries necessitated a replacement.

On 11 January 2008 the U.S. Navy unveiled an experimental version of the Mark V Special Operations Craft, designated the Mk V.1, designed to reduce the number of injuries sustained by sailors and SEALs during the operation of the aluminum version of the vessel. Nicknamed the MAKO, the vessel was developed by a subsidiary of Hodgdon Shipbuilding, in collaboration with the University of Maine's Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Center. It features a hull made of layers of carbon fiber, a foam core, and an outer layer of Kevlar for additional strength. It was constructed and launched at the Hodgdon Yachts East Boothbay facility. The MAKO is lighter than the current Mk V.[4] The Office of Naval Research funded the prototype "to compare the properties of composite construction with aluminum"[5] versions of the same craft.[3]

A Mark V SOC launching a ScanEagle UAV

The Mark V has the capacity to carry sixteen fully equipped SEALs to missions 500 miles (800 km) away from where they are based. They ride on seats that are designed for maximum comfort and shock mitigation in high seas or heavy maneuvering, and allows occupants to either stand or sit. With a beam of 17½ feet, the craft has enough room to carry four Combat Rubber Raiding Crafts with six outboard motors (2 spares) and fuel, to deploy forces from a clandestine distance. The ramp on the stern allows SEAL teams to ride their CRRCs right up the stern of the boat, for fast extraction and insertion.

To support the SOF missions in a medium to low threat environment, the Mk Vs are outfitted with five gun mounts for small caliber weapons supporting any combination of: M-2 .50 cal heavy machine guns, M240 or the M60 7.62 mm machine guns or Mk19 40 mm automatic grenade launchers. Together these provide 360 degrees of firing coverage. To defend against aircraft, the craft has a station for firing the Stinger Man-portable Air Defense System (MANPADS). Later improvements include mounting stations for GAU-17 Miniguns, MK 95 Twin .50 cal machine gun, MK 38 chain gun and Mk48 25 mm guns. Personal small arms of the crew and passengers can also be used to defend the craft.

The Mark V has many special features, besides its weapons, that make it more survivable while delivering sailors to their missions. Its angular design and low silhouette reduces its radar signature making it harder to spot and detect. Its V-hull design gives it good handling qualities in rough water as well as speed and shallow draft (four feet when cruising on-step). Its twin MTU 12-cylinder TE94 Diesel engines give it power and reliability and, coupled with the two K50S water jets, provides fast acceleration for operations near shore or in shallow waters as well as cutting down on the rooster tail effect that can make fast boats easier to see and track.

Transportable by C-5, 2011

The Mark V SOC will normally operate in a two craft detachment with a Mobile Support Team. The operational detachment—the basic Mark V SOC operating system—consists of:

• two Mark V special operations craft, each with a crew of five special warfare combatant-craft crewmen (also known as SWCCs);
• two Mark V SOC transporters, each with an M916A1E1 prime mover
• four M1097 HMMWVs with S250 shelters,
• two M1083 5-ton trucks for the 90-day containerized deployment support package (spare part, repair parts, consumables, etc.)
• one five-ton forklift;
• an eight-man maintenance support team, that provides technical assistance and maintenance support during mission turnaround.

A Mark V SOC detachment is deployable on two USAF C-5 Galaxy aircraft to a theater of operations within 48 hours of notification and is prepared to commence operations within 24 hours after arriving at a forward staging location. The detachment can also be delivered in-theater by well or flight deck equipped surface ships with appropriate crane and deck space capabilities, and, if appropriate, under their own power. A detachment is also transportable by road.

MK V during a helicopter insertion

The Mark V SOC is operated by Naval Special Warfare Group THREE (formerly known as Special Boat Squadron ONE) and Naval Special Warfare Group FOUR (formerly known as Special Boat Squadron TWO) on the east and west coasts. Twelve Mark Vs are assigned to NSWG-3, Coronado, California, and eight to NSWG-4, Little Creek, Virginia.