Penn's Landing Shows Off 2 of the Navy's Top War Boats

by KYW's Ian Bush

Two of the Navy's elite fighting boats is on display for the next couple days at Penn's Landing. And it's your chance to get a behind the scenes tour. 

(Ron Carpenter): "You're looking at a gigantic jet-ski."

At just over 80 feet long, the Mark V zips to nearly 60 miles an hour before you, or the enemy, can blink an eye, swooping in to drop off and pick up Navy SEALs on hostile shores.

Troop commander Ron Carpenter (right) calls it the Cadillac of warfare boats, keeping sure-footed as she absorbs the blows from violent seas:

"At high speed, I can call a crash-back. The buckets will dig into the water back aft, below the stern, and it'll stop us one boat length, which is 82 feet."

The 16 crew members are backed up by some impressive weapons, including a gyroscope-absorbing dual machine gun and 40mm grenade launcher.

You can step aboard at the Independence Seaport Museum from 11am to 5pm through Wednesday.

(Photos by KYW's Ian Bush)