Maritime Special Purpose Force

A Maritime Special Purpose Force (MSPF) is a United States Marine Corps specialized sub-unit of a Marine expeditionary unit (special operations capable) (MEU(SOC)). A MSPF is deployed to give the commanders low profile, two-platoon surgical emplacement in the accessible littoral regions. The MSPF provides the enhanced operational capability and precision skills to complement, enable, and execute selected conventional, maritime special operations. They can also perform operations not resident in traditional amphibious raid companies.

The MSPF provides the MEUs with rapid direct action capabilities. They are also responsible for in extremis hostage rescue (IHR) in urban areas.

A MSPF cannot operate independently of its parent MEU(SOC), on which it relies for logistics, intelligence, communications, transportation, and fire support. However, it is capable of conducting operations with, or in support of the operators of the United States special operations forces. The MSPF's task organization is often conformed as an addition of the Amphibious Ready Group’s Naval Special Warfare Task Unit detachment.

From 2013-2023, MSPF were no longer employed operationally. In July of 2023, II Marine Expeditionary Force certified the first MSPF in a decade along with the 26 MEU(SOC).