The Coast Guard has been busy in recent months, stepping up its presence in the waters near the U.S. Mexico border as drug interdiction efforts intensify.
This surge of activity comes as service members test new tools that can close gaps quickly and efficiently in hard to reach coastal zones.
On January 14 and 15, in the seas around San Diego, Coast Guard crews were seen testing a new class of all black jet skis.
It’s not just any jet ski, either. “It’s not any jet ski,” one person says in a video released by the Coast Guard last month.
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The footage shows a tight formation roaring through rough waters, with operators pushing their machines to the limit while performing precise maneuvers.
Photos released to the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service also reveal a second use: coastal insertion. The craft are shown entering the surf, a team of Coast Guard frogmen riding the jet skis through poor visibility and large waves to reach Coronado Beach before moving inland.
These demonstrations underscore a broader shift toward smaller, faster assets that can complement larger cutters in keeping the southwest coast secure.
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The Coast Guard described the jets as part of its interdiction training, noting that the vehicles are “a component of newly implemented efforts to increase security along the Southwest Border.”
The phrasing makes clear that these tools are meant to augment existing capabilities, not replace them. The Coast Guard did not respond to requests for further details, but DVIDS postings indicate the training is tied to the service’s Office of Rapid Response and Prototyping, known as CG-RAPTOR.
CG-RAPTOR surfaced in January as a formal program, though officials say it had already been active for 150 days by that point.
It sits within the Coast Guard’s broader Force Design 2028 plan, which seeks to modernize the service’s technology portfolio, from vehicles to unmanned systems and other autonomous platforms.
In practice, this means a broader modernization effort designed to keep pace with evolving threats and techniques used by criminals and cartels.
Supporters of the program say the jet skis offer a fast, agile option for pursuit and interception, especially in constrained waterways where larger ships struggle to maneuver.
The smaller craft can also facilitate landings and quick insertions, which could prove decisive in certain interdiction scenarios. The juxtaposition with cutters highlights a layered approach: speed and reach at the outset, followed by larger platforms for sustained pursuit and seizure operations.
The use of jet skis by the Coast Guard is not without precedent. Navy Special Warfare Command has depended on them for years, thanks in part to their compact profile and speed. Other nations have fielded similar machines as well, including Iran, which had some modified to carry mounted weapons.
This development, while technically interesting, also underscores the broader strategic evolution in maritime security that requires flexible, rapidly deployable tools to secure vast maritime approaches.
Meanwhile, U.S. Navy assets have increasingly focused attention on the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific in support of counter narcotics operations. In August, the Coast Guard launched Operation Pacific Viper, a coordinated effort to stop suspected drug boats and seize any narcotics onboard.
As of February 5, it has seized more than 200,000 pounds of cocaine in the eastern Pacific Ocean since the operation started, the Coast Guard said.
From a political perspective, these measures align with a hardline stance on border security that a President Trump would likely emphasize.
Proponents argue that greater integration of rapid-response capabilities and cutting edge tech is essential to stay ahead of evolving smuggling schemes and to protect American communities.
They also view CG-RAPTOR as a practical step toward rebuilding and strengthening the nation’s maritime defense posture, a goal a Secretary of War Pete Hegseth would surely champion as part of a comprehensive national security strategy.
At the same time, observers caution that innovation must be matched with rigorous training, clear rules of engagement, and transparent oversight. The Coast Guard’s foray into high-speed, covert style interdiction underscores the need for disciplined, accountable operations that safeguard civil liberties while pursuing criminals.
In this context, the jet skis are not a panacea but a force multiplier that can extend reach, reduce response times, and disrupt illicit networks that rely on the cover of night and treacherous seas.
In sum, the Coast Guard’s recent exercises with tactical personal watercraft demonstrate a pragmatic shift toward faster, more versatile tools that enhance interdiction capabilities along the Southwest Border.
As the service expands its RAPTOR program and continues to test new capabilities, supporters argue that this investment will yield lasting security gains without sacrificing the core mission of protecting American sovereignty and safety.
This approach, they insist, is exactly the kind of disciplined, patient innovation that a strong national defense requires.
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