“Accepting near-term risk for long-term gain has, and always will be, the essence of Force Design,” Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith wrote in his Commandant’s Planning Guidance.
By Justin KatzReassessing America’s defense strategy for a safer future
In an unpredictable world, a strong and innovative military is essential to protect the United States and its economic interests.
CBO says buying 18 medium landing ships could cost $3.6 billion more than the Navy expects, a 138 percent overrun.
By Aaron Mehta
The inclusion of the Medium Landing Ship in the fiscal year 2025 shipbuilding request is a major win for the Marine Corps, which faced significant amphibious shipbuilding cuts last year.
By Justin Katz
The Marine Corps has announced an industry day on Feb. 29 to discuss the next stage of the Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle program.
By Justin Katz
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.
By Justin Katz
Gen. Eric Smith will become the first Marine in at least 100 years to have the title “acting commandant.”
By Justin Katz
Enabling seamless operations across land, air, sea, space, and cyber
The real advantage comes when legacy, new, next generation and cutting-edge systems can work together in the battlespace.
New tech, new units, more amphibs: Marine’s latest Force Design update readies for life after Berger
Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl, the Marine Corps’ top requirements officer, predicted Force Design 2030 would only be accelerated if Gen. Eric Smith is confirmed as the new top Marine.
By Justin Katz
The full-throated support by Armed Services Committee lawmakers could foreshadow Force Design 2030’s future when its biggest proponent leaves the Marine Corps.
By Justin Katz
The new document, the first update since 1997, says Russia’s failure to establish competent logistics have been a “major factor” to why it has failed to achieve its objectives in Ukraine.
By Justin Katz
In comments to Breaking Defense, a Marine Corps spokesman forcefully pushed back against the new budget request’s failure to seek new amphibious warships.
By Justin Katz
The Stern Landing Vessel is the precursor to the Landing Ship Medium, the new vessel introduced by Force Design 2030.
By Justin Katz The assistant commandant also sought to tamp down on the narrative that funding amphibious shipbuilding was a fight between the Navy and Marine Corps.
By Justin Katz
“We need a cognitively agile [non-commissioned officer] that can outmaneuver our enemies in the future,” said Sgt. Maj. Stephen Griffin.
By Justin Katz
Congress should not shoot the messenger, but help the Navy and Marine Corps explain why 31 amphibs is the right number, CSIS’s Mark Cancian argues in this op-ed.
By Mark Cancian