You’ve probably already seen the dramatic video footage of the moment when the US Coast Guard caught up with a suspected drug-smuggling vessel off the Pacific coast of California this week. If you haven’t, or if you want to just enjoy it one more time, check it out below:
The dramatic video footage by the US Coast Guard shows crewmen of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro boarding and capturing what appears to be a self-propelled semi-submersible drug smuggling vessel (SPSS) somewhere off the Californian coast on June 18, 2019.
Many mainstream news outlets have incorrectly described the suspicious vessel as a “submarine”, but it is clearly not capable of operating fully submerged. In fact the vessel appears to be more along the lines of a Low-Profile Vessel than a semi-submersible vessel. The difference between the two is that a low-profile vessel is intended to operate as a fast moving, water-proof, vessel than operates as close to the surface as possible and with minimal superstructure visible above the waterline. See the illustrations and photos below for greater clarity.
![](https://strikehold.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/nacro2015.jpg)
Here is a Coast Guard video from from 2015 that shows one of these vessels in greater clarity:
If you want to take a deeper dive into the extraordinary realm of these specialized drug-smuggling craft (some of which have actually been proper submarines), then here are two recommendable websites of open-source intel on the subject: Covert Shores Naval Warfare Blog and H I Sutton.com.
And the hardcore Coastie in the first video? His name has not been released (for obvious PERSEC reasons), nor has his unit been identified. However, in all likelihood he is a member of the US Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team.
![](https://strikehold.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/USCG-MRST-1024x682.jpg)
The MSRT is the Coast Guard’s full-time interdiction and assault force for maritime law enforcement. The MSRT is the Coast Guard’s deployable special operations forces for:
- responding to potential terrorist threats
- denying preemptive terrorist actions
- executing security actions against armed hostiles and/or non-compliant threats
- executing tactical facility entry
- participating in port level counter-terrorism exercises, and
- educating other forces on Coast Guard counter-terrorism procedures.
Although the MSRT’s focus is primarily on the safety and security of homeland defense, it is capable of rapidly deploying worldwide in response to incidents.
![](https://strikehold.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2000x1335_q95-1024x684.jpg)
To learn more about the US Coast Guard’s full range of tasks and responsibilities visit: GoCoastGuard.com