Compass Points - FRAGO & WEZ
Frag order highlights WEZ
Compass Points - FRAGO & WEZ
Frag order highlights WEZ
April 9, 2024
marinecorpscompasspoints.substack.com
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The Commandant's recently released frag order, FRAGO 01-2024, discusses the WEZ:
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Despite the threats that come from operating inside an adversary’s weapons engagement zone (WEZ), forward-deployed Marines have outsized influence to shape the operational environment and cause our adversaries to think before committing to a course of action.
-- FRAGO 01-2024
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The words "operating inside an adversary’s weapons engagement zone (WEZ)" or similar words have been a part of the mythology of Force Design from the beginning. The WEZ is the zone within the range of China's or other enemy, missiles. Originally, it was suggested that Force Design's missile Marines would be well concealed in their island outposts and would be a surprise for China if hostilities erupted. But that was not realistic. The missile units would never be able to remain hidden. The units would be easy for China to locate, bypass, or target.
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The new theory became that Marine missile units inside the WEZ would be open and obvious and would complicate the planning of opposing forces, particularly China. Still, there was always a hint that the Marines were doing something extraordinarily bold by positioning inside the WEZ. It was suggested that even the Arleigh Burke class of guided-missile destroyers would not be able to enter the dangerous WEZ, and the Landing Ship Medium (LSM) would be forced to sail away and hide if rounds were fired. No matter what, it was claimed, a few Marines would take the risk of being inside the WEZ.
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Small units of Marines, stuck on defense on islands in the Pacific cannot have "outside influence" on China's military ambitions. The primary missile for the so-called Marine island, Stand-in-Force is the subsonic Naval Strike Missile, (NSM) with an unclassified range of about 115 miles. Subsonic missiles are easily acquired and destroyed before reaching the target. The US Navy does this every day in the Red Sea. Short range missiles are of little use in the vast Pacific. And merely positioning Marine units inside the WEZ is not particularly bold.
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The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) a prominent Washington DC based think tank has complied a fine report "Missiles of China" with detailed maps showing the range of China's and other enemy missiles. It turns out the WEZ is not like a hot LZ that a Marine helo pilot might choose to fly into despite the risk. The WEZ is simply a line on a map. There is no active hostile fire. Nearly the entire world population lives within some other nation's WEZ.
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For example, at a range of 2,000km, China's missiles, including the CJ-100 and DF-17, can target some or all of several nations including all of South Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, as well as most of the Philippines and even most of India. At a range of 4,000km, China's missiles, including the DF-26, JL-2, and DF-31, place nations as far away as Israel, inside China's WEZ.
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The CSIS "Missiles of China" report was last updated in 2021. That means China has more missiles with longer ranges today. The trendy term WEZ has almost no value in discussions about military operations. The idea that the US should or would confine itself only to operating outside the China's WEZ is silly.
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New technology, like longer range precision missiles, including drones and hypersonic missiles, are a threat. But military forces are always in the process of creating new defenses, counters, and solutions to new threats so the military force can continue to deter and fight. The Marine Corps is a global, offensive force. Despite advances in technology, the Marine Corps must not withdraw to defense. There are counters on the way to deal with every new threat.
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Inside the WEZ? Outside the WEZ? Japan has an aging population -- the oldest among major nations. The entire aging population of Japan lives inside China's WEZ. But the residents of Japan are not hiding in bunkers. They get up every day and live life. The Marine Corps would be wise to spend less time focusing on the boundaries of the WEZ, and more time building the updated, enhanced, combined arms, maneuver force the US will need in the next crisis. What the Marine Corps needs is a balanced approach to worldwide threats and a balanced MAGTF to respond to those threats.
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Generals Krulak and Zinni have written previously in Compass Points about the need to stay focused not on the WEZ, but on the MAGTF,
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The capability to meet unpredicted mission assignments at a moment’s notice coupled with the ability to operate within an unforeseen battlespace, requires a force possessing five resilient functions. These are the organic capabilities that enable the MAGTF to effectively maneuver, sense, fire, command and control, and logistically support its own operations and those of joint or combined elements under its control.
-- Generals Krulak and Zinni, "Balanced MAGTF"
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Compass Points salutes all those on active duty, across the Marine community, and in Congress who are working toward the balanced MAGTF.
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CSIS
Missiles of China
https://missilethreat.csis.org/country/china/
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Compass Points – Balanced MAGTF
Time to upgrade and restore.
January 29, 2024
https://marinecorpscompasspoints.substack.com/p/compass-points-balanced-magtf
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US Marine Corps
FRAGO 01-2024
As previously mentioned the FRAG-01-2024 is bipolar at best, and leaves a taste of expensive consultants “helping” to craft some of the writing, in one’s mouth. Besides which, when the Hell did Marine Corps Officers start talking like politicians and bureaucrats? There should be zero ambiguity, “we will fight our country’s battles in the air, on land and sea.” Nowhere did it say, we stand and die on a lone outpost island chain based on an untested theory, that a bunch of propellers heads dreamed up in their free time. The CMC when it seems he is doing the talking is clear, as example, we want our ships and will work to that goal because without them there is no “crown jewel” aka, MEU, MEB, MEF. Why just 31 ships? Clearly it is an ongoing budget bun fight, but the Corps gave up a huge amount of manpower and assets based on a whisper of a promise, shouldn’t we at least get something in the trade? Has anyone looked at the Infantry Company TO of the SIF? It is ridiculously top heavy, master Sargent’s, gunny’s, staff Sargent’s doing Corporal and Sargent’s work. What an insult to our young developing NCO’s and Staff NCO’s. While we’re at it, if we get into a “peer” fight and WIA/KIA approach 40% where is the manpower coming to fill in the gaps, well of course the younger Marines and NCO’s will do it, as they always have, but what a failure to be realistic in this regard. While the 38th CMC was busy Divesting to Invest, 2/1 and 1/8/24th MEU, were on the ground holding and the HKIA airfield against all odds. As the participants such as the 1/8 Operations Officer Major Jordan Eddington opined “if we lost the airfield we would have all been killed” it had to dawn on the 38th CMC that the MEU was indeed the “Crown Jewel.” But, wait there is more behind door number 2, and no doubt, CP, will bring more in regard to the FRAGO in the next several days. As to the initial reviews, Murphy has weighed in, so we are all cheering up, things could be worse…..
https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2024/04/09/the-marines-pacific-allies-are-copying-its-littoral-regiment-moves/?utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dfn-dnr
Interesting article just came across on my evening "Early Bird" news feed.
"In recent years, the Corps has developed the littoral regiment as purpose-built for littoral combat, or fighting in the shallower reaches where land, islands and archipelagos meet ocean.
Bierman said that military partners and allies in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines are either copying elements of the littoral combat concept or were working toward these moves even as the Corps began developing it."