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1 1 (May 14, 2024)

handle is hein.crs/govepot0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service Informing th~ eg~sIative debate mnce 1914 0 Updated May 14, 2024 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 10 years originally referred to as Force Design 2030 but now known as Force Design. As part of this initiative, the Marines are redesigning forces to place a stronger emphasis on naval expeditionary warfare to better align with the National Defense Strategy, in particular, the strategy's focus on strategic competition with China and Russia. As part of the 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 MiSSion S 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. Selected Marine and Navy 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. * Support information operations. The MLR's Operat ona Environment The Commandant of the Marine Corps' May 2022 Force Design 2030 Annual Update stated 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), intended 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. MLR Organzational Structure As currently envisioned, the MLR is to consist of approximately 1,800 to 2,000 Sailors and Marines 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 reinforced platoon-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. * 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. Seected M LR Systems In order to accomplish the wide range of MLR missions, the Marines and Navy are pursuing a number of essential systems including, but not limited to, the following: Navy-Marine Corps Expeditionary Ship nterdiction Syster (NMESIS) NMESIS consists of the Naval Strike Missile mounted on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). It is a ground-

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