By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization
Amphibious, island-hopping warfare, ground-fired anti-ship missiles and air defenses, small ground, air and surface launched drones and highly-lethal, yet easily transportable anti-armor weapons … all supported by manned and unmanned surface vessels … are central to the US Marine Corps’ vision for future warfar.
Returning more fully to its Maritime roots, the US Marine Corps is fast-tracking a push to become more “expeditionary” at sea and acquire a new generation of weapons to support its evolving strategy, requirements and concepts of operation.
Months ago, the US Marine Corps published a defining strategy document called “Marine Corps Force Design 2030,” an interesting and transformational text detailing the service’s fast-changing approach to warfare tactics and strategies in a fast-changing threat environment. While the Corps does still believe it needs some heavy armor for mechanized formations when required, the “Force Design” text primarily called for a lighter, faster, more expeditionary and mobile attack force. Naturally, the text was in large measure inspired by a Marine Corp need to migrate beyond its 15-years of primarily ground-based counter-insurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan and “pivot” back to its expeditionary and Maritime focus.
The concept of Force Design 2030 is to reduce some of the “hard to deploy” heavy armor in favor of lighter-weight, more transportable yet extremely lethal anti-armor weapons able to transit with forces quickly and with few impediments. The effective use of dismounted anti-armor weapons in Ukraine, for example, was cited in the text as evidence of a changing warfare threat landscape and the decreased effectiveness of heavy armor in some circumstances.
This and other critical concepts have inspired the Corps to seek more unmanned systems, lighter-weight faster vehicles and transportable, yet highly lethal tank and armor-destroying weapons. Faster, lighter more expeditionary forces, some of which are referred to in the Corps text as “stand-in” forces, need additional protections through the use of high-speed ISR (intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance) as well as ground-based air defenses. As part of this, for example, the Corps has been successfully experimenting with a ground-based variant of its ship-fired Naval Strike Missile. The adaptation of the weapon is intended to support multi-domain land-sea operational circumstances such as island hopping or coastal defense and attack. The intent is to deploy a highly-networked, multi-domain force supported by highly lethal, yet light deployable weapons, surveillance, air defenses, precision weaponry and a growing complement of unmanned systems.
In support of its Marine Corps Force Design 2030, the Corps has just released a companion “acquisition” and weapons development text detailing its priorities moving forward. Not surprisingly, in support of its initial “Force Design 2030” text, the technology and weapons acquisition document calls for “expeditionary” warfare and a more complete return to its “naval” and “maritime” core purpose. The papers is called “Force Design 2030: Acquisition for the Future Battlefield.”
“A significant aspect of this transformation is the realignment and reduction in ground and aviation forces, signaling a transition from traditional ground combat and emphasizing naval expeditionary warfare and its distinct demands,” the text of the document says.
Also in alignment with the “Force Design 2030” text, the Corps’ approach is to favor the testing, maturation and procurement of unnamed systems.
“The strategy underlines the deployment of cutting-edge technologies like unmanned aerial and ground systems, advanced air defenses, and anti-ship missiles to enhance the Corps’ ability to sense, strike, and counter targets,” the text writes.
Yet another indispensable element of the Corps’ acquisition strategy paper emphasizes the importance of connecting new technologies and weapons to the operational needs of individual Marines. This approach is intended to prepare Marines for integrated, networked, precision and multi-domain warfare in a way that supports the unique combat demands placed upon individual Marines.
“Our requirements are well-defined, but there’s been an intriguing rediscovery process within the acquisition community,” shared Program Executive Officer Land Systems Stephen Bowdren. “We’ve come to understand that, as important as our requirements are, the unique needs and experiences of each Marine are just as critical. We’re not merely fulfilling a requirement; we’re also taking into account the user experience and focusing on ensuring the success of our warfighters.”
Kris Osborn is President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
