Maritime Force Protection Unit

A Maritime Force Protection Unit (MFPU) is a U.S. Coast Guard special unit tasked with the protection of U.S. Navy ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) while surfaced and transiting U.S. territorial waters to and from their patrol stations.

A MFPU boat pictured in 2016.

Maritime Force Protection Units have approximately 150 personnel and are "single-mission" units, meaning they have no other responsibilities other than the defense of SSBNs.^[1][2][3]

As of 2017, there were two Maritime Force Protection units, both of which were activated in 2007.^[1] The first, Maritime Force Protection Unit Kings Bay, is based at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay; a second, Maritime Force Protection Unit Bangor, is based at Naval Submarine Base Bangor.^[1]