The Riverine Squadrons of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

are elements of the

Navy Expeditionary Combat Command Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) serves as the single functional command to centrally manage current and future readiness, resources, manning, training and equipping of the United States Navy's 21,000 expeditionary warfare, expeditionary ...

(NECC). According to the Navy: “The Navy’s Riverine force focuses on conducting Maritime Security Operations and Theater Security Cooperation in a riverine area of operations or other suitable area. The force is capable of combating enemy riverine forces by direct fire, or by coordinating supporting fire. It will share battle space with the other Services in an effort to close the seams in Doctrine, Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures, and Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance.”U.S. Navy Expeditionary Combat Command: “Riverine: About Us”
/ref> As of 2008, three riverine squadrons were active in the Navy, all under the command of Riverine Group 1, located in

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...

. Riverine Squadron 1 (RIVRON 1) deployed to Iraq in April 2007 and was relieved by Riverine Squadron 2 (RIVRON 2) in October 2007. Riverine Squadron 3 (RIVRON 3) was established in July 2007 and relieved RIVRON 2 in Iraq when their deployment completed in April 2008.

History

RIVGRU and RIVRON 1

Riverine Group (RIVGRU 1) and Riverine Squadron 1 were both formally established May 25, 2006, under Navy Expeditionary Combat Command. It was modeled after the Marines Small Craft Company. The establishment brought together sailors from diverse backgrounds to begin a transformation from blue water to brown water sailors.Navy NewsStand: “Riverine Force Marks One-Year Anniversary”, Story Number: NNS070607-17, date 2007-06-07
/ref> Following several months of training in combat skills, SURC operations, and cultural and language skills, RIVRON 1 Advance Party deployed to Iraq on February 13, 2007, followed by RIVRON 1 Main Body deployed March 8. RIVRON 1 conducted integrated maritime combat operations with Marines, Soldiers, Coalition Forces, Iraqi Army, and Iraqi Police.Navy NewsStand: “Navy’s First Riverine Squadron Deploys”, Story Number: NNS070308-24, 2007-03-08
/ref> RIVRON 1 assumed patrol duties around Haditha Dam from the Marine Corps, who had previously been performing this task.
/ref> On 1 August 2012, RIVRON 1 was decommissioned. It was replaced by Coastal Riverine Squadron (CORIVRON) 4, which combined RIVRON 1 with Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron (MSRON) 4.Navy News Story ''Coastal Riverine Force Establishes Squadron'' Story Number: NNS120802-32, 2 August 2012
(retrieved Dec 17, 2012) This reorganization combined navy small boat units to provide both offensive and defensive force protection.

RIVRON 2

RIVRON 2 was established on February 2, 2007 and began unit-level training with the Marine Corps at

Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune () is a United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Its of beaches make the base a major area for amphibious assault training, and its location between two deep-water ports ( Wilming ...

, North Carolina. RIVRON 2 deployed to Iraq in October 2007, relieving RIVRON 1.

RIVRON 3

RIVRON 3 was established on July 6, 2007 at Naval Weapons Station

Yorktown, Virginia Yorktown is a census-designated place (CDP) in York County, Virginia. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1682. Yorktown's population was 195 as of the 2010 census, while York Cou ...

. The unit deployed to Iraq in April 2008 relieving RIVRON 2.

Units

*Riverine Group ONE (RIVGRU 1),

Little Creek, Virginia Little is a synonym for small size and may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Little'' (album), 1990 debut album of Vic Chesnutt * ''Little'' (film), 2019 American comedy film *The Littles, a series of children's novels by American author John P ...

**Riverine Squadron ONE (RIVRON 1), Little Creek, Virginia **Riverine Squadron TWO (RIVRON 2),

**Riverine Squadron THREE (RIVRON 3),

Notes

rivron 4

References and external links

{{commons category, United States Navy Riverine Squadrons
GlobalSecurity.org: “Navy getting back into the riverboat patrol business in Iraq”
(from Associated Press)
''Stars and Stripes'': “Navy’s revived riverine squadron to patrol dam”, 2007-03-24
* ttp://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/03/ntrivron070308/ ''Navy Times'': “First riverine unit deploys to Iraq”, 2007-03-09br>United States Central Command: “Navy’s riverine force plans first homecoming since Vietnam”, 2007-09-22U.S. Marine Corps News: “Riverines combat guerrilla tactics, enforce new curfew”, 2007-10-03Photos
*https://web.archive.org/web/20130301233842/http://www.public.navy.mil/necc/hq/PublishingImages/NECC%20fact%20sheets/NECC_CRF_FactSheet2012.pdf Ship squadrons of the United States Navy Riverine warfare Military units and formations of the United States Navy