The SWCC Boat scene from Act of Valor might be the best military insertion scene from a war movie ever. Special boat teams use the MEATS insertion and extraction delivery system. MEATS allows an Army CH-47D helicopter to hover over a Special Operations Craft – Riverine (SOC-R) craft used by SWCC to be rigged to the underbelly of the helicopters with slings. The combatant-craft crewman will then ascend a ladder dropped down from the helicopter into the craft. Once all the SWCC are on board, the CH47D will extract the craft from the water.
Special Operations Craft – Riverine (SOC-R) craft perform short-range insertion and extraction of special operations forces in river and near-shore environments.
Each craft is manned by a crew of four Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC) and can carry eight personnel. Members of Special Boat Team 22 (SBT-22), based in Stennis, MS, who make up a tiny fraction of the total SWCCs, are the only ones who operate the SOC-R. These river crews conduct mainly clandestine combat missions, often operating at night with little or no air support.
The SOC-R speed and tight turn radius are facilitated by the hull design. The slope of the SOC-R’s V-shape belly essentially allows the boat to skate along the surface, with relatively little drag on the hull. Thanks to the waterjet propulsion, there is no hanging rudder or propeller blades to snag on submerged roots and rocks.
The SOC-R’s five weapon mounts provide a 360-degree field of fire. The aft-mounted .50 cal covers the boat crew as they leave the shore after an extraction.
The Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC or”Swick”) is a United States Naval Special Warfare Command team that operates and maintains an inventory of small craft used to conduct special operations missions, particularly those of the U.S. Navy SEALs. Individually, SEALs and SWCC go through separate specialized training programs that emphasize special operations in the maritime environment. SWCC are trained extensively in craft and weapons tactics, techniques, and procedures. Focusing on clandestine infiltration and exfiltration of SEALs and other special operations forces, SWCC provide dedicated, rapid mobility in shallow water areas where large ships cannot operate.
Act of Valor is a 2012 American action film produced and directed by Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh, and written by Kurt Johnstad. It stars Alex Veadov, Roselyn Sánchez, Nestor Serrano and Emilio Rivera, as well as active duty U.S. Navy SEALs and U.S. Navy Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen. The film was released by Relativity Media on February 24, 2012.
The film grossed $81 million worldwide and was nominated at the 70th Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Song.
