General David H. Berger’s
Commandant’s Planning Guidance (CPG) says “The Marine Corps will be trained and equipped as a naval expeditionary force-in-readiness and prepared to operate inside actively contested maritime spaces in support of fleet operations.” The CPG also highlights force design and the need to divest the Corps of legacy equipment and programs that do not meet future requirements. And it repositions the Marine Corps’ Fleet Marine Forces under the operational control of the Fleet Commander.
As the naval service reflects on potential operations inside an adversary’s antiaccess/area-denial (A2/AD) weapons engagement zone, it needs to consider what systems and platforms will be required. The amphibious fleet and littoral maneuver craft must be more agile and more lethal, present reduced signatures, be more specialized and affordable/maintainable, and some may be optionally manned.