WASHINGTON — The Marine Corps is poised to redesignate its Japan-based 12th Marine Regiment to a Marine Littoral Regiment next month, taking an anticipated but symbolically important step in progressing Force Design 2030.
“The redesignation will mark the next historic chapter in the Marine Corps’ commitment to designing a force that is prepared to effectively respond to the challenges of the contemporary global security environment and serves as a testament to the regiment’s role in the Marine Corps’ global employment,” the service said in a statement today.
The name change, which will take place Nov. 15, follows an agreement signed in January between the US and Japan under which Tokyo formally agreed to allow the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment to be stationed in Okinawa by 2025. The agreement with Washington was another way of checking Chinese influence and came not long after the Japanese government announced a raft of other initiatives aimed at bolstering its defense spending and capabilities.
The establishment of the Marine Littoral Regiments is a significant change to the service that stems from Force Design 2030, the overarching effort to transform numerous aspects of the Marine Corps initiated by now retired commandant Gen. David Berger.
Traditional regiments split up roughly 2,000 Marines into three 900-man battalions, while the new MLRs will take smaller groups — 75 to 100 personnel — and deploy them strategically depending on the task at hand. The new MLRs are also due to use some of the service’s most cutting-edge technology, including the MQ-9A Reaper, the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System and the Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar.
The re-naming is also symbolic because it is a signal that the Marine Corps’ newly confirmed leader, Gen. Eric Smith, will carry on his predecessor’s keystone project, Force Design 2030, despite the public criticism Berger often drew during his tenure. In addition to the 3rd and 12th MLRs, the Marine Corps also plans to redesignate the 4th Marine Regiment into the 4th Marine Littoral Regiment, although it has not yet announced a timeline to do so.
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The 12th Marine Regiment, which will soon be known as the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment, is currently participating in Resolute Dragon, an exercise taking place through the second half of October and in various locations through Japan.
“During Resolute Dragon, 12th Marines will distribute in a similar manner to what is designed for the MLR: They will deploy to Japan’s Southwest Islands, Kyushu, and Hokkaido, provide sensing capabilities in a simulated battlespace, and integrate joint force firepower with our Japanese ally’s capabilities,” according to the Marine Corps’ statement today.