MSST - 91101

2 operatos with a United States Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST) secure a 'prisoner' with plastic ties during a training mission aboard a Canadian naval vessel.

During the exercise, MSST operators boarded the Kingston-class coastal defense vessel Yellowknife, which was acting as a Russian fishing vessel that had been taken over by a mutinous crew.

The MSST operators, who are from MSST 91101, out of Seattle WA, boarded the Yellowknife via a 26-foot Cutter Boat - Over the Horizon IV RIB launched from a Coast Guard cutter.

Once aboard, the MSST boarding team swept through the entire ship, searching every space, looking for potential hostiles.

The training op was part of Trident Fury, a multinational maritime security operation that took place off the western coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

The MSST operators are kitted out in typical tactical gear, which includes MICH helmets, ear-defenders/radio headsets, eye protection, maritime chemical biological (CB) dry suits, soft IIIA body armor with MARCIRAS plate carrier and various pouches for ammo, first aid kits etc.

MSST operators carry the a MK18 CQBR carbine, the one visible here is fitted with a SU-231A/PEQ holographic sight and a AN/PEQ-15 Advanced Target Pointer Illuminator Aiming Lasers (ATPIAL) and has been modified to fire simuniton training ammo.

They are carrying M9 9mm pistols as backups.