via Defense Daily.
With plans to shrink in size, the Marine Corps will remain capable of acting in a major combat operation but there will be some limitations, and will potentially be unable to engage in routine theater security operations, a senior general recently said.Wow.
Maj. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie, who is heading up the service’s force posture review known as the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), said there will be “some risk” in a major war given the reduced size resulting from budget constraints.
“If we had to go in to a major combat operation, the Marine Corps would be all in,” McKenzie said at an event hosted by the Navy League last week. “Everybody goes. Nobody comes back till it’s over. There’d be no rotation.”
The military branches are currently developing their QDRs that are due out during the first part of next year. Marine Corps leaders have said they intend to trim the size of the Marine Corps to 182,000, a reduction of about 20,000.
McKenzie said the QDR will reflect a Marine Corps committed to the overall military strategy that calls for a greater focus on the Asia-Pacific region.
“We will protect our shift to the Pacific,” he said.
As far as weapons programs, McKenzie identified the Lockheed Martin [LMT] F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) as the two biggest priorities to shield from budget cuts. The Marine Corps is already acquiring the F-35B, its variant of the jet designed for short-take off and vertical-landing (STOVL).
The ACV is currently in the early stages of defining requirements, and was created after the cancellation of the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle in 2011 because of cost increases.
I hope everyone realizes exactly how powerful the statement that "everyone goes, no one comes back till its over" actually is. I need a clarification on what he considers a major war though. I wonder if that includes the initial invasion into Iraq?
Second, I'm really getting tired of the talk about the ACV being the second biggest priority for the Marine Corps.
That's pure bullshit.
I'm to the point where I'll take the Marine Personnel Carrier now and hope for the ACV later.
Under the leadership of this crowd, we'll probably get neither.
Solomon, Me thinks the Mission for the US Marines is as shock troops more in the world war two Guadalcanal and Betio fashion.
ReplyDeleteThere is a notion from the above of Defense only elements of the Fleet Marine Forces Similar to the 1st Marine Defense Bn of the same war an example would be Wake Island or a Corregidor.
Being "All in" means no retreat once engaged and possibly no rescue or reinforcement.
For The Aviation types "Being All In" could imply the mission will go from ground combat to shipboard and aviation assets aboard ship only with no Marine ground units at all.
I'm sure there are those who wish the Marines "being All In" become bellhops and orderlies, color guards, security guards and brig guards with no Aviation, ground units at all and be a non combat Corps to boot.
In the Corps beginnings there were only the Captain and Brig to guard and combat was the fighting Tops with just Rifle and Grenade.
The Mission may change but the Marine Corps remains.
The Corps will be there when the job is bigger than the SEALS mission, and smaller than the Army is able to do.
The Air Force needs the Marines to date their Females while they go dashing about in thier invisible F-35's.
The Corps will remain.
i hope you're right but i have my doubts. i've never experienced a commandant that i despise as much as i do Amos.
DeleteAfter Archie Henderson and Chesty there were none left to fill their combat boots.
DeleteMere mortals need not apply.
SAIC just put up an ad on youtube. Bad news, it means that they think the MPC program is a dead end and are looking for other buyers. They won't be selling it to others if they thought there was even a chance of the program carrying through to completion.
ReplyDeleteThat's actually not bad for the Marines that they can still fight a "small" war. At last Senate hearing, the other services pretty much said they couldn't stop Canada from invading USA.....it was really pathetic.
ReplyDeleteYes, Small wars was once a Marine specialty, Honduras, Cuba, Nicaragua and Panama.
DeleteIt's where the Marines differed most from the Army who simply must scale up every mission to literally Army size.