SWCC

SWCC stands for Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen, a United States Navy special operations force. They provide mobility for Naval Special Warfare by operating small, fast watercraft in littoral and riverine environments. Their missions include clandestine insertion and extraction of SEAL teams, reconnaissance, maritime interdiction, and combat support against coastal and inland targets.

SWCC personnel are part of Naval Special Warfare and are organized into multiple Special Boat Teams under the Naval Special Warfare Command. They undergo a rigorous selection and training pipeline that emphasizes seamanship, hand-to-hand and weapons skills, navigation, mission planning, and survival. Crewmen operate a variety of high-speed boats and rigid-hull inflatable craft designed for covert and overt operations.

In addition to supporting SEALs, SWCC teams perform coastal security, riverine patrols, and logistics support in diverse environments across the globe. They work closely with special operations programs to enable rapid access, assessment, and maneuver in denied or contested areas.

History: SWCC has its roots in riverine and demolition units that supported amphibious operations in World War II and the subsequent evolution of U.S. Navy special warfare. The modern SWCC designation and force structure emerged in the mid-20th century to provide craft-specific mobility for Naval Special Warfare. Today, SWCC remains a core component of the Navy's special operations enterprise, operating in concert with SEAL teams.