Brown water boats; several navies around the world have spent the past five years looking hard at their capabilities to perform riverine operations. Despite having arguably languished in importance during the intervening years following the Cold War's cessation and the 9/11 attacks on the united states, riverine combat operations are experiencing a renaissance.

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Naval: riverine

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Brown water boats; several navies around the world have spent the past five years looking hard at their capabilities to perform riverine operations. Despite having arguably languished in importance during the intervening years following the Cold War's cessation and the 9/11 attacks on the united states, riverine combat operations are experiencing a renaissance.

The commencement of military action in Iraq in 2003, coupled with anti-terrorist operations in the Philippines and the continuing conflicts in Latin America where governments are combating guerrillas and narcotics traffickers, have all fuelled the growth of riverine operations. Armies and navies must have the ability to travel up river to intercept insurgents who may be operating in isolated areas, impenetrable to ground vehicles and covered by thick tree canopy which can make helicopter assaults hazardous. To reach such locations, soldiers may have little choice but to reach their objectives by boat.

At the same time, rivers offer challenging operational environments, with steep banks and vegeta...

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