Multi-ship amphib buy could net $900M in savings, say Navy, Marine Corps officials
Lawmakers gave the Navy authorities to ink a multi-ship amphib deal years ago, but the service has not utilized that power yet.
Lawmakers gave the Navy authorities to ink a multi-ship amphib deal years ago, but the service has not utilized that power yet.
Adm. Samuel Paparo emphasized the squadron's capabilities would be uniformed, rather than contractor owned and operated.
“How long can our magazines maintain this?” Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl said of using million-dollar missiles to knock down less expensive drones.
The most recent Force Design 2030 update directed service brass to establish the new recon battalions later this year.
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.
In comments to Breaking Defense, a Marine Corps spokesman forcefully pushed back against the new budget request’s failure to seek new amphibious warships.
A top Marine Corps officer said the service has provided about 1,000 Javelins and 1,000 Stinger missiles to Ukraine so far.
The Navy and Marine Corps will likely release the study's results in the coming weeks, according to Commandant Gen. David Berger.
“A big component to everything [we’re] talking about is time,” said Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl. That is “the one thing we can't control, and we know that the Chinese are moving out really quickly. So, doing this at speed is really important.”