New enhanced Naval Boarding Party now expanded

RAdm Bill Truelove gives opening remarks at the Enhanced Naval Boarding Party briefing .

RAdm Bill Truelove, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC), visited CFB Halifax on Jan. 16 to brief his Atlantic Fleet counterparts on the Enhanced Naval Boarding Party, and to attract potential trainees.

“With today’s naval operations increasingly concerned with providing maritime security in the littoral 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,” he said during his briefing.

The Enhanced Naval Boarding Party capability was recently implemented as a MARPAC force generation project.

There is now an effort to establish a second team on the East Coast to support Atlantic Fleet operations.

Though traditional naval boarding parties are capable of conducting basic obstructed boardings, the dynamic and evolving nature of RCN missions now calls for a new approach.

These operations require a highly trained team such as the Enhanced Naval Boarding Party.

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 identification, and close quarters battle, as well as tactical shooting and tactical questioning.

The installation of an Enhanced Naval Boarding Party team will not remove the need for established boarding parties.

“All ships will continue their existing capability,” said LCdr Wil Lund, Enhanced Naval Boarding Party capability officer in charge.

“When an enhanced team is deployed, then your alpha wave will become the bravo wave.”

“It’s a career opportunity,” continued LCdr Lund. “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.”

He also wanted to ensure these new teams be viewed as a positive addition to the RCN, and not an imposition on existing operational teams.

“This is not an elite team. This is a needed capability. Threat environments now and threat environments in the future tell us there will be an ongoing need.”

Training for Enhanced Naval Boarding Party will remain a West Coast based capability for the immediate future, due to funding and resource restrictions.

Applications for the Enhanced Naval Boarding Party should be submitted through a member’s chain of command, and will be vetted by the Personnel Coordination Centre based on fleet manning pressures. If approved, a member must contact the Base Personnel Selection Office for a referral form. All files must be ready for review by April 1, 2015.

Successful applicants will also have CF Army Fitness Manual Level 2 as a minimum requirement, a current pass on FORCE and CF swim tests, and be able to endure physical and environmental adversity.

They must be mature, free of phobias, thrive in a group environment, be capable of independent work, and learn quickly. 

Beth Brown
Trident Staff