Compass Points – Tomahawk Chop

Global response requires a global force

Compass Points – Tomahawk Chop

Global response requires a global force

June 16, 2023

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The Marine Expeditionary Force/Brigade/Unit provides a global force that cannot be duplicated by any missile or by any lighter force from any service. In recent testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) the new Marine Corps Commandant nominee emphasized the need for the Marine Corps to get lighter, not heavier, and to return to the Corps' "Naval roots."  At nearly the same time, the Marine Corps announced the stand-up of the first Marine Corps Tomahawk cruise missile battery, Battery A, Long Range Missile (LMSL) battery, LMSL Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment. The plan is for the battalion to have three batteries when it is fully operational in 2030.

Is the Tomahawk what is meant by getting lighter and closer to our Naval roots? The Tomahawk is a long-range, all-weather, jet-powered, subsonic cruise missile. While it is a Navy missile, it is not part of the Marine Corps' Naval roots. The Marine Corps is a combined arms, offense focused, expeditionary force. A Tomahawk missile weighs around 3,000 pounds and is nearly 20 feet in length. A single Tomahawk costs about $1 million. The missile is a great weapon for Navy submarines but not well suited for the global, expeditionary force of Marines.

One recent report details that since the Russian invasion, the United States has supplied Ukraine with more than 2 million rounds of 155 artillery ammunition. The Tomahawk is a useful tool, but the Ukrainians are embroiled in a brutal ground combat, what would they rather have, two Tomahawk missiles at a cost of $2 million or 2 million 155 artillery rounds?

Over the last seven decades or more the Marine Corps' "Naval roots" have meant, not a stripped down defense force scattered on Pacific islands, but a full strength, well equipped, highly capable, global, Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) embarked as part of an Amphibious Ready Group (ARG-MEU). The Marines arrive at the scene of a crisis worldwide with their own logistics and can support themselves without further resupply for more than two weeks. When a Marine Expeditionary Unit arrives just offshore of a crisis, the MEU gives US decision makers immediate options. The Marines can wait offshore and monitor the situation. The MEU can discourage hostilities just by being in the area. The Marines can evacuate civilians, rescue hostages, restore order, and defeat local military forces.

Marine forces too heavy? Perhaps the Tomahawk missile is too heavy, but expeditionary Marine forces are just heavy enough and flexible enough to accomplish the wide variety of emergencies they will face when they arrive at the next troubled foreign shore.

One Compass Points reader has provided an example of Marine Corps global responsiveness:

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The "too heavy" issue is really a "too heavy to do what" issue. Marine forces are heavy enough to do what needs to be done. For example, when we initially went into Somalia, I was in J3 on the Somalia CAT. The MEU went in and was basically self-sustaining with ARG shipping. Later when the MEF arrived they brought all the pieces and ultimately the maritime prepositioned ships.

The Army sent in a light division that could not support itself. Army prepositioned ships could not get into the port and had to go to Mombasa to offload and fly in gear. Gen Powell and Sec Cheney were not happy with the "light" division.

Sec Cheney was impressed by MPS/MEU/MEF MAGTF and its inherent abilities. He wondered why the Army light division had to rely on Marine logistics and why their ships could not get into Mogadishu.

I remember clearly in one briefing Cheney was very direct with Chairman Powell - where is the Army log support?  What about these reports from the MEF about the chow and water they were providing the Army, not to mention airfield operations; landing support etc -- all the things a MAGTF brings

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The Marine Corps' new Tomahawk missile battalion will not be ready until 2030. Instead of waiting, the Marine Corps should focus more on the genuine Navy and Marine roots of the Corps: the Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked on Navy amphibious ships that must be ready today with a force that is light enough to get to the crisis and heavy enough to deter, assist, fight, and win.

Compass Points salutes the United States for having both the strength and wisdom to send 2 million 155 artillery rounds to a neighbor in need and the strength and wisdom to position sufficient numbers of Marine ARG-MEUs around the globe 24/7/365.

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The War Zone (thedrive.com) 6/7/2023

First Marine Corps Tomahawk Cruise Missile Unit Has Stood Up

The Marine Corps is aiming to have a fully operational battalion armed with ground-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles by 2030.

By Joseph Trevithick

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/first-marine-corps-tomahawk-cruise-missile-unit-has-stood-up

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Fact Sheet on U.S. Security Assistance to Ukraine

June 9, 2023

https://media.defense.gov/2023/Jun/09/2003238573/-1/-1/0/UKRAINE-FACT-SHEET-JUNE-9.PDF