{"id":1466102,"date":"2022-05-06T08:14:42","date_gmt":"2022-05-06T12:14:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1466102"},"modified":"2022-05-06T08:17:14","modified_gmt":"2022-05-06T12:17:14","slug":"despite-criticism-marines-committed-to-new-force-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/despite-criticism-marines-committed-to-new-force-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Despite Criticism, Marines Committed to New Force Design"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdespite-criticism-marines-committed-to-new-force-design%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1466102&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div id=\"attachment_93144\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.usni.org\/2022\/03\/28\/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-march-28-2022\/kearsarge-operates-in-the-atlantic-ocean-2\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-93144\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93144\" data-attachment-id=\"93144\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/news.usni.org\/2022\/03\/28\/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-march-28-2022\/kearsarge-operates-in-the-atlantic-ocean-2\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/7103518-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"4061,2712\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{\" aperture \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-93144\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marines board the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) via landing craft, air cushion, March 21, 2022. US Navy Photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Marine Corps\u2019 top requirements officer on Wednesday defended the service\u2019s modernization overhaul against recent criticisms that the Marines are on the wrong path. <span id=\"more-94076\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl, the deputy commandant for combat development and integration, acknowledged that the Marine Corps has not successfully communicated its Force Design 2030 efforts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI clearly as the requirements officer of the Marine Corps did a poor job explaining this,\u201d Heckl said.<\/p>\n<p>Heckl, who also leads Marine Corps Combat Development Command, argued the need to counter China is what led to the overhaul of the force, pointing to the 2018 National Defense Strategy, which identified China as the main challenge for the U.S.<\/p>\n[embedded content]\u201cWe always, always build to the worst-case scenario, which in this case clearly is China, not just militarily,\u201d but also their ability to influence and project economic power,\u201d Heckl said speaking at a U.S. Naval Institute-CSIS Maritime Security Dialogue Wednesday.<br \/>\u201cThis is much worse than the 70-year Cold War with the Soviet Union.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The remarks come as Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger\u2019s modernization plan, an effort to reshape the service into a lighter, more mobile force for a potential future conflict against China, has received public criticism in recent months from retired officers.<\/p>\n<p>Heckl noted the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) is still part of the Marine Corps and that the goal is to provide commanders more resources to operate in the threat environment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut the MAGTF still exists. As I said earlier, the stand-in force is the III Marine Expeditionary Force. They\u2019re there, now. We are giving them tools \u2013 we\u2019re going to give the commanding general of the III Marine Expeditionary Force more tools to deal with the pacing threat that would have application across theaters,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>A key part of the Marine Corps\u2019 vision for operating in the Indo-Pacific is setting up ad-hoc bases on islands and shorelines throughout the region where they could then fire weapons like anti-ship missiles as a way to create chaos during a conflict.<\/p>\n<p>Heckl referenced a recent conversation he had with the chief of the Swedish Navy, who said there are thousands of islands and archipelagos off Norway, Sweden and Finland. \u201cShe wants us to come up and exercise,\u201d Heckl said of Rear Adm. Ewa Skoog Haslum.<\/p>\n<p>His remarks address one concern of retired officers, which is that the Marine Corps is too focused on the Indo-Pacific.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_92998\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.usni.org\/2022\/03\/21\/first-marine-platoon-of-operational-acvs-training-with-uss-anchorage-for-deployment-later-this-year\/attachment\/7007668\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-92998\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-92998\" data-attachment-id=\"92998\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/news.usni.org\/2022\/03\/21\/first-marine-platoon-of-operational-acvs-training-with-uss-anchorage-for-deployment-later-this-year\/attachment\/7007668\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/7007668.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1527,1040\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{\" aperture \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-92998\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marines with 1st Platoon, Charlie Company, 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) soldiers with 2nd Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment receive a safety brief prior to executing amphibious operations during Exercise Iron Fist 2022 at the Del Mar Boat Basin, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Jan. 11, 2022. US Marine Corps Photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cWe have three Marine Expeditionary Forces around the globe that we\u2019re going to make more capable through the modernization efforts of Force Design. It\u2019s just that simple,\u201d Heckl added.<\/p>\n<p>The Marine Corps general compared the current criticisms of Force Design to \u201cfalse allegations\u201d about the MV-22 Osprey during its early days when the Marines experienced several crashes.<\/p>\n<p>As for tanks, which the Marine Corps has already divested from its inventory, Heckl argued a conflict that would require tanks would be a joint fight, meaning the Army would participate. He acknowledged tanks could play a role in a conflict in Taiwan, but likely not in other parts of the Indo-Pacific.<\/p>\n<p>The Amphibious Combat Vehicle, Heckl said, \u201cis very survivable, very mobile,\u201d and the 30-mm cannon variant could, like tanks, blow holes through walls in an urban warfare environment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re also fielding \u2026 long-range precision fires, right, that we can use to strike and in an urban environment could change the calculus a little bit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_92666\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.usni.org\/2022\/03\/07\/marines-look-to-redefine-naval-warfighting-as-acv-testing-continues\/steel-knight-22-3-1-kilo-company-call-for-fire\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-92666\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-92666\" data-attachment-id=\"92666\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/news.usni.org\/2022\/03\/07\/marines-look-to-redefine-naval-warfighting-as-acv-testing-continues\/steel-knight-22-3-1-kilo-company-call-for-fire\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/6979813-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"6720,4480\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{\" aperture \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-92666\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Evan Blaskowski, an infantry officer with Kilo Company, 3d Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV), observes a target during Exercise Steel Knight 22 (SK-22) at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Dec. 8, 2021. US Marine Corps Photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>A key concern among retired officers critical of the modernization overhaul is combined arms, which Heckl argued has \u201cchanged fundamentally\u201d due to technology.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn this case, combined arms is much more than towed cannon artillery, tanks and aviation. I will tell you it starts in the information environment, which is often where we don\u2019t do so well, and then cyber, space,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs a MEF commander, people would be like, \u2018well we\u2019re going to be this number of days left of bang.\u2019 Stop saying bang. What is that? Again, old think. \u2018Well, it\u2019s Marines. It\u2019s when I shoot stuff and kill things.\u2019 No. Information environment. Cyberspace. Bang is happening now. So that is illustrative \u2026 of how dramatically it has changed. Combined arms \u2013 and now, with again, one of the primary drivers of force design was the proliferation of long-range precision weapons that can hold us at arms length.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Part of the Marine Corps\u2019 modernization efforts includes experimentation with the infantry battalions. When the service embarked on its Force Design work, Heckl said the average size of an infantry battalion was 896 Marines and the lowest number of Marines the service has assessed is 735.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe think it\u2019s probably going to be in there somewhere. We don\u2019t know. That\u2019s why the fleet right now \u2013 all three MEFS are involved in infantry battalion experimentation, right, IBX,\u201d he said. \u201cEach one has a dedicated battalion \u2013 that started when I was at 1 MEF \u2013 that is focusing on a specific aspect of force design. And then that\u2019s being fed back from the fleets into headquarters Marine Corps to make the appropriate, iterative adjustment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Over the court of the next year, the Marine Corps will do more experimentation with the infantry battalions on both the East and West coasts. The Marine Corps is taking the chance to perform Force Design experimentation during all of its exercises.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_92616\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.usni.org\/2022\/03\/04\/essex-arg-11th-marine-expeditionary-unit-back-from-7-month-pacific-middle-east-deployment\/uss-portland-lpd-27-conducts-amphibious-operations\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-92616\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-92616\" data-attachment-id=\"92616\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/news.usni.org\/2022\/03\/04\/essex-arg-11th-marine-expeditionary-unit-back-from-7-month-pacific-middle-east-deployment\/uss-portland-lpd-27-conducts-amphibious-operations\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/220302-N-VQ947-1205-scaled.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"2738,1825\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{\" aperture \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-92616\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marines assigned to the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) board a landing craft, utility in the well deck of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD-27) on March 2, 2022. US Navy Photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>As for manpower, which Berger has cut in order to save money within the Marine Corps budget for the modernization initiatives, Heckl said the service is assessing the potential for a force of 175,000 Marines. The Marine Corps\u2019 Fiscal Year 2023 budget request is seeking funds for 177,000 active-duty Marines. Heckl noted the service swelled to more than 202,000 Marines during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRight now we don\u2019t know the end state. Remember, 2030 is a waypoint, it\u2019s not a destination. But we\u2019re looking at probably about [175,000]-ish. We\u2019ll see,\u201d he said. \u201cBut the only lever the commandant had in the course of his move to, within our topline not ask for [more] sources, was manpower. And again, rightfully so, based on how much we had grown.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Size is another concern among those critical of Berger\u2019s strategy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think they have several concerns. One is that the Marine Corps\u2019s getting smaller and will be challenged to meet its global commitments. One is that the structure is too focused on the western Pacific and the Marine Corps will not be able to participate effectively in operations in other areas,\u201d Mark Cancian, a retired Marine Corps colonel who is a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, <a href=\"https:\/\/news.usni.org\/2022\/04\/03\/navy-and-marines-divided-over-the-amphibious-fleets-future-as-delays-and-cancellations-mount-in-fy-2023-budget-request\">previously told USNI News<\/a> of the officers\u2019 concerns.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Marines board the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) via landing craft, air cushion, March 21, 2022. US Navy Photo<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":489,"featured_media":1481834,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1466102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1466102","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/489"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1466102"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1466102\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1481834"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1466102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1466102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1466102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}