This is still a big exercise and still worth watching even if all the units assigned didn't make it because of disaster relief duties.
I'm personally happy to see the French bringing their AMX-10RC. It should serve to inform the Marine Corps on whether or not to pursue a Mobile Gun System type solution with the ACV.
The only other comment I have has to do with "interoperability" as the USMC is pursuing it.
I think the incident in Africa is instructive.
I don't believe that SOCOM is the all knowing masters of combat but from my chair it appears that they're not hot and bothered about being able to operate off foreign aircraft (although they will if its necessary) or ships. They're more concerned with making sure that they have proper comms with foreign forces in their areas of operation and have developed "mutual aid" pacts with them.
Instead of stationing USMC aircraft and personnel on foreign ships (which will lead to tons of issues if they're actually needed in an emergency situation) we should be focusing on better meshing headquarters elements so that we can push quick reaction forces, assist with logistics if necessary and even ensure that casualties are taken to the facility best able to handle their issue.
I'm thinking that in the case of the Africa incident the French aircraft would have been cleared to drop bombs and do demonstrations of force. French Legionnaires would have been able to act as a QRF for our Special Forces and vice versa. And of course they would take our wounded to their field hospital instead of us having to rely on host nation medical facilities (and I'm making that assumption)
Interoperability can work. If it's done right and if its done without the game playing to push an airplane.
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