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1 1 (March 28, 2023)

handle is hein.crs/govelbm0001 and id is 1 raw text is: a Congressional Research Service Informing the legislative debate since 1914 Updated March 28, 2023 The U.S. Marine Corps Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR) Background On March 23, 2020, the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) announced a major force design initiative planned to occur over the next 10 years referred to as Force Design 2030. As part of this initiative, the Marine Corps intends to redesign forces to place a stronger emphasis on naval expeditionary warfare and to better align with the National Defense Strategy, in particular, the strategy's focus on strategic competition with China and Russia. As part of this redesign, the Marines plan to establish at least three Marine Littoral Regiments (MLRs) organized, trained, and equipped to accomplish a number of missions within contested maritime spaces. M LR Missions According to the Marines, the MLR is to be capable of the following missions: Conduct Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO), a form of expeditionary warfare involving the employment of naval expeditionary forces with low electronic and physical signatures, which are relatively easy to maintain/sustain. These forces are to be arrayed in a series of austere, temporary locations ashore within a contested or potentially contested maritime area to conduct sea denial, support, sea control, and fleet sustainment operations; Conduct strike operations with a variety of systems; Coordinate air and missile defense operations; Support maritime domain awareness; Support naval surface warfare operations; and Support information operations. The MLR's Operational Environment The Commandant of the Marine Corps' May 2022 Force Design 2030 Annual Update states: The security environment is characterized by proliferation of sophisticated sensors and precision weapons coupled with growing strategic competition. Potential adversaries employ systems and tactics to hold the fleet and joint force at arm's length, allowing them to employ a strategy that uses contested areas as a shield behind which they can apply a range of coercive measures against our allies and partners. Operating in this environment, MLRs are envisioned to serve as what the Marines call a Stand-In Force (SIF), primarily to help the fleet and joint force win the reconnaissance and counter reconnaissance battle within a contested area at the leading edge of a maritime defense-in- depth. MLR Employment According to a May 25, 2022 Marine Corps Association article Missions, MAGTFs, Force Design & Change, by Colonel Michael R. Kennedy, USMC (Retired), MLRs are intended to: Deploy to islands, coastlines, and observation posts along chokepoints where their networked sensors and weapons can surveil the air and surface (and, potentially subsurface) waterways. The timing of their insertion is implied to be in the competition phase before hostilities start. The duration of their stay is less clear, and potentially challenging as resupply over long distances ...will be challenging ... Host nation support (if it exists) will be critical as will prepositioned supplies and even foraging. The MLR's purpose will be to observe and prevent any grey zone activities that lead to fait accompli actions. In some cases, it is presumed that they may be the trigger that shifts the status from competition to conflict if any premature hostile acts are directed towards their positions. Proposed MLR Organizational Structure Marine Corps leadership has stated it requires further analysis and experimentation to refine MLR organizational structure. As currently envisioned, the MLR is planned to consist of approximately 1,800 to 2,000 Sailors and Marines and composed of four elements: A Command Element; A Littoral Combat Team consisting of an infantry battalion and an anti-ship missile battery. The Littoral Combat Team is to provide the basis for multiple platoon reinforced-sized expeditionary advanced base sites capable of conducting a variety of missions; A Littoral Anti-Air Battalion designed to conduct air defense, air surveillance and early warning, air control, and forward rearming and refueling operations; and A Combat Logistics Battalion designed to resupply expeditionary advanced base sites, manage cache sites, and connect with higher-level logistics providers. The Combat Logistics Battalion is also to provide limited purchasing authority, medical support, ammunition and fuel distribution, and field maintenance.

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