Visit, board, search, and seizure

VBSS teams are designed to capture enemy vessels, combat terrorism, piracy, and smuggling, and to conduct customs, safety and other inspections.

This aspect of the Navy plays a role in maintaining security and freedom of sea lanes worldwide.

The body armor is generally with kevlar ballistic plate inserts and a buoyant tactical vest that doubles as a life preserver.

Together these form the backbone of the MRF and are usually augmented by explosive ordnance disposal technicians, counter-intelligence/human intelligence, joint terminal attack controllers, military information support operators, United States Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachments, and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) specialists, among others as needed.

The backbone platoons and enablers are then married with the needed support assets for a particular mission, such as USN and USMC aircraft and small boats.