The U.S. Coast Guard is standing up a new Special Missions Command to consolidate its elite maritime response forces under a singular structure as the service said demand for specialized capabilities continues to grow.
The command, expected to be formally established in October 2026, will oversee units involved in high-risk operations like counterterrorism missions, drug interdictions and port security, the Coast Guard announced on Wednesday.
The service said the move is intended to better coordinate the service’s special response forces, which include teams that board ships, respond to national disasters and deploy alongside military and law enforcement partners.
It will include maritime security response teams, tactical law enforcement teams, maritime safety and security teams, port security teams, regional dive lockers and the national strike force, which helps the joint force and other agencies prepare for and respond to complicated crises.
The command, which will be headquartered in Kearneysville, West Virginia, may incorporate other units in the future.
“The geo-political landscape is evolving and the demand for Coast Guard Deployable Specialized Forces is at an all-time high,” said Capt. Robert Berry, the lead officer for the Special Missions Command transition.
“These forces are instrumental to the Coast Guard’s readiness and its role as a global leader in maritime contingency response,” he said. “The service has always turned to its specialized forces to respond to national threats and disasters, and establishing this command is the natural next step to enabling our forces to lead the way at the tip of the spear.”
Eve Sampson is a reporter and former Army officer. She has covered conflict across the world, writing for The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Associated Press.