The United States Marine Corps' Maritime Special Purpose Force, or MSPF, are a unique specialized sub-unit that are drawn from the Marine Expeditionary Units' (MEU) major subordinate elements. They are special operations capable forces 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.
The MSPF cannot operate independently of its parent MEU, on which it relies for logistics, intelligence, communications, transportation, and fire support. However, they are capable of conducting operations with, or in support of the operators of the United States special operations forces. The MSPF's task organization are often conformed as an addition of the Amphibious Ready Group’s Naval Special Warfare Task Unit detachment.
Read more about Maritime Special Purpose Force: Organization
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