The new Congress will have much work to do, many issues to dig into. No, issue is more important to the Marine Corps, than the issue of Force Design 2030. The Congressional Research Service concludes their report to Congress, New US Marine Corps Force Design Initiative: Force Design 2030, with several issues for Congress to consider. The proponents of Force Design 2030 have still never adequately addressed these - or other - critical issues.
See link below for full CRS report.
Congressional Research Service
New U.S. Marine Corps Force Design Initiative: Force Design 2030
Updated March 7, 2022
By Andrew Feickert
. . . Potential issues for Congress include the following:
— How do emerging lessons from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine inform Marine Corps
thinking on Force Design 2030?
— If Force Design 2030 is focused on China and the Indo Pacific region, will the redesigned force be suitable/adequate to support future NATO commitments in Europe?
— With Force Design 2030 focused on China and the Indo Pacific region, what are the Marine’s plans to address Contested Logistics? Are there concerns that much of the responsibility for successfully operating in such an environment falls outside the control of the Marines and rests on the Navy and unmanned naval and air systems?
— How does the elimination of the Marine’s two tank battalions impact the ability of the Marines to defend against enemy mechanized and armored forces?
— How does the elimination of most towed artillery affect the Marines’ ability to provide fire support if air or naval assets are unable to deliver fire support due to nonavailability, range limitations, or adverse weather?
— How does the elimination of significant numbers of manned rotary and fixed winged aircraft effect the Marines’ ability to transport Marines and supplies by air and the provision of close air support?
— If the Marines phase out most of their legacy sustained land operations-specific logistics capability, will they be able to participate in sustained land operations in the future if required?
Author Information:
Andrew Feickert
CRS Specialist in Military Ground Forces
FTR, when the final version of this
CRS report was promulgated, went to my Virginia Fed elected, Kaine, Warner, and Wittman, plus the HASC and SASC. Instructed each person to request that the Marine Corps address the issues IDed in the report. Crickets.
In closing, with Marines in Congress, why haven’t these Leathernecks contacted HQMC, requesting input on each issue that the CRS IDed?
I am interested in what the DOD answers to these questions might be. I think they have already answered them