Tag Archives: 2030 Force Design

Ingalls Eyeing LPD Cost Reductions, Capability Increases As Future Fleet Design Evolves

Ingalls Eyeing LPD Cost Reductions, Capability Increases As Future Fleet Design Evolves

USS Arlington (LPD-24) transits the Mediterranean Sea on Feb. 1, 2019. US Navy Photo

As the Navy looks to smaller and cheaper manned and unmanned ships to fill out its future fleet, a larger amphibious warship program is positioning itself to remain in shipbuilding plans by highlighting the ability to continue bringing costs down – including through a potential first-ever multi-ship buy – and adding capability. Read More

Marines' Force Design 2030 May Allow MEUs Tailored for Different Geographies, Adversaries

Marines’ Force Design 2030 May Allow MEUs Tailored for Different Geographies, Adversaries

31st Marine Expeditionary Unit Marines embarked aboard San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay (LPD-20) operate assault amphibious vehicles during a rehearsal exercise with Royal Thai military in support of Cobra Gold 2020 on Feb. 27, 2020. US Marine Corps Photo

The Marine Corps’ new force design may allow East Coast expeditionary units to look much different than West Coast or Japan-based units, a nod to the complex but different environments they’ll operate in and threats they’ll face in the future. Read More

Marines Won't Cut Planned F-35 Buy Totals for Now, But External Review Could Change That

Marines Won’t Cut Planned F-35 Buy Totals for Now, But External Review Could Change That

An F-35B Lightning II assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 265 (Reinforced) takes off from the flight deck of amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6) on March 23, 2020. US Navy Photo

A Marine Corps decision to reduce the number of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters per squadron from 16 to 10 won’t lead to a cut in the total number of planes the service wants to buy just yet – but the commandant warned industry that external factors could lead to programmatic changes down the line. Read More

Marine Corps Training Continues - With Some Modifications - to Keep High Readiness Despite Pandemic

Marine Corps Training Continues – With Some Modifications – to Keep High Readiness Despite Pandemic

U.S. Marines with 1st Marine Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, participate in urban operations training during exercise Native Fury 20 in the United Arab Emirates on March 22, 2020. US Marine Corps Photo

THE PENTAGON – The Marine Corps is dedicated to remaining a “fight tonight” force for the United States despite the coronavirus pandemic and will continue training to mission-essential tasks as determined by local commanders, the commandant said today. Read More

Document: Marine Corps Force Design 2030

Document: Marine Corps Force Design 2030

BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT

This report describes the progress of the Marine Corps on my watch in preparing for the sweeping changes needed to meet the principal challenges facing the institution: effectively playing our role as the nation’s naval expeditionary force-in-readiness, while simultaneously modernizing the force in accordance with the National Defense Strategy (NDS) – and doing both within the fiscal resources we are provided. A certain degree of institutional change is inevitable when confronting modernization on this scale, and that type of change is hard. As such, I want to be clear up front: our force design effort is a work in progress. Thanks to the dedication and effort of a great many Marines, Sailors, and civilians over the last six months, we have come to a clearer understanding of some force design changes we can confidently make today, while identifying other areas that require additional analysis. This reports explains, at length and in some detail, my argument for change, our force design methodology and organization, my personal assessment of the work to date, and the steps we are taking to move the force design effort into the next phase. Read More

New Marine Corps Cuts Will Slash All Tanks, Many Heavy Weapons As Focus Shifts to Lighter, Littoral Forces

New Marine Corps Cuts Will Slash All Tanks, Many Heavy Weapons As Focus Shifts to Lighter, Littoral Forces

An M1 Abrams Tank with mine plow attachment conducts fire and maneuver training operations with 2d Tank Battalion, 2d Marine Division at Fort Stewart, Ga., in 2018. US Marine Corps Photo

The Marine Corps will soon lay out its path to achieve a 2030 force optimized for conflict with China in the littorals – a force that will completely divest of its tanks and slash most of its artillery cannon battalions, instead focusing on developing light mobility options to get around island chains with the assistance of unmanned systems and mobile anti-ship missiles. Read More