Visit, board, search, and seizure

Visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) is the term used by military and law enforcement agencies for maritime boarding actions and tactics, designed to capture enemy vessels, to combat terrorism, piracy and smuggling, and to conduct customs, safety and other inspections, as employed by modern navies, marine and maritime services, military and police forces.

United States Navy training

Training begins with SRF-B (Security Reaction Force Basic), and continues with SRF-A (Security Reaction Force Advanced),which includes the trainee's endurance of OC spray (Oleoresin Capsicum, pepper spray). After both SRF-B and SRF-A are successfully completed, a candidate qualifies for VBSS school.

The initial training continuum includes three courses lasting a total of eight weeks (SRF-A, SRF-B, VBSS), with some team members receiving additional follow-on training. Skills taught in VBSS training revolve around Close Quarters Battle (CQB). Training consists of proficiency in tactical movements and shooting, hand to hand offensive and defensive combat tactics, rappelling, searching, non-compliant combatant detention, and multitudes of other combat kinetic team and personal skills. Some units, known as Helicopter Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (HVBSS) teams have been trained to fast rope aboard vessels from helicopters.