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Force Design 2030

A U.S. Marine with 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division uses an unmanned aircraft system during Marine Air-Ground Task Force Warfighting Exercise (MWX) 2-23 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 23, 2023. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan Kennelly)

Marine Corps Warfighting Lab experiments to ‘sense and make sense’ of littoral environments

Over the last 18 months, the lab has conducted a range of experiments with the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment and other "stand-in forces" to refine operational concepts…
A U.S. Marine Corps Hero-400 loitering munition drone is staged before flight on San Clemente Island, California, May 25, 2022. The Hero-400 is a loitering munition that the United States Marine Corps and other Department of Defense entities are beginning to incorporate into specific mission sets. This initial training flight develops the unmanned aerial systems pilots’ confidence and abilities to be able to operate the Hero-400 in any clime and place, and enabling 3rd MAW to remain a more lethal and ready force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Daniel Childs)

Marines to develop air-launched loitering munitions with swarm capability for Indo-Pacific operations

The project — called the Long-Range Attack Munition — was revealed Monday in the annual update to Force Design 2030.
U.S. Marine Corps Col. Timothy Brady, the commanding officer of 3d Marines, conducts command and control (C2) of an air assault utilizing the Network On-the-Move Airborne (NOTM-A) communications system during Large Scale Exercise 2021, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Aug. 12, 2021. The NOTM-A provides a C2 capability to mission commanders while airborne, enhancing battlefield management and awareness. LSE 2021 is a live, virtual, and constructive exercise employing integrated command and control, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and sensors across the joint force to expand battlefield awareness, share targeting data, and conduct long-range precision strikes in support of naval operations in a contested and distributed maritime environment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Josue Marquez)

Marine force design plans include overhauling C2, data capabilities to support ‘all-domain’ ops

The annual update to Force Design 2030 calls on the Marine Corps to revamp its command-and-control and information capabilities for all-domain operations.
U.S. Marine Gen. Eric M. Smith, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, speaks to Marines from Marine Corps Recruiting Station Montgomery and Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion 23rd Marines at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, Feb. 10, 2023. The purpose of this visit was to communicate with the Marines to address questions and concerns about improving the force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Shannon Doherty)

Biden nominates Marine Gen. Eric Smith, Force Design 2030 advocate, to be next commandant

Smith has pushed for transforming the Marine Corps through a variety of initiatives including Force Design 2030, Talent Management 2030, and the “stand-in forces” concept.
Camp Pendleton
U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Tristian Zimmerman, left, and Cpl. Jeremiah Egre-Contreras, both cryptologic linguists with Alpha Company, 1st Radio Battalion (RADBN), I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, operate a VMAX backpack system during a field exercise at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, May 28, 2020. (U.S. Marine Corps / Cpl. Dalton S. Swanbeck)

New Marine Corps information command seeks to better link theater forces to the joint force

The recently announced Marine Corps Information Command aims to help coordinate theater forces and capabilities with the joint force.
U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 3d Marines, train with a Switchblade 300 10C system as part of Service Level Training Exercise 1-22 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Sept. 24, 2021. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alexis Moradian)

Marine Corps commandant gung-ho about loitering munitions

The tactical unmanned aerial systems offer advantages over more traditional fires such as mortars and artillery, says the commandant of the Marine Corps.
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