US lacks the ability to conduct successful amphibious assaults?!

via Washington Times (READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE)

“We have had a good return of our Marines back to the Asia-Pacific, particularly as the activities in the Middle East wind down in Afghanistan. … But the reality is, is that to get Marines around effectively, they require all types of lift. They require the big amphibious ships, but they also require connectors (meaning landing craft and other amphibious vehicles). The lift is the enabler that makes that happen, so we wouldn’t be able to [successfully carry out a contested amphibious assault without additional resources],” Adm. Locklear said, Stars and Stripes reported.
The admiral’s comments come only weeks after Capt. James Fannell, the chief of intelligence of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, said that he believes China is training for war with Japan.
“[We] concluded that the PLA has been given the new task to be able to conduct a short sharp war to destroy Japanese forces in the East China Sea following with what can only be expected a seizure of the Senkakus or even a southern Ryukyu [islands] — as some of their academics say,” the captain said in February after witnessing “massive” Chinese military exercises in the Pacific.

I'm not at all surprised.

Amos has ignored his core responsibility to ensure that the USMC is capable of conducting its most important mission.

Amphibious Assault.

Additionally while he's pushed MARSOC, the Maritime Raid Force, Recon, SPMAGTF-Crisis Response and Marine Aviation he has ignored the needs of the Ground Combat Element.

A replacement of the AAV with a ACV and/or MPC?  Ignored....postponed...shit canned.

In its most basic form the AAV/ACV/MPC are more than personnel carriers.  The AAV/ACV also serve as SHIP TO SHORE CONNECTORS!

Amos has weakened the Marine Corps with his focus on the F-35, and Aviation at the expense of the GCE and his love affair with "Elite Units" inside the Elite Marine Corps.