In a powerful article in Forbes, Senior Contributor Loren Thompson raises a series of questions about the Marine Corps focus on China. In his article, "Marine Corps War Plans are too Sino-Centric. What About the Other 90% of the World?" (link below) Thompson asserts the Marine Corps role as the nation's force in readiness is already being undermined. He goes on to say the current Marine Corps plan to field, dozens of light amphibious warships will likely "prove useless in most contingencies."
Forbes (forbes.com) October 17, 2022
Aerospace & Defense
Marine Corps War Plans Are Too Sino-Centric. What About The Other 90% Of The World?
By Loren Thompson, Senior Contributor
. . . The more immediate issue, though, is how this problematic approach to the China challenge might deprive the Marine Corps of capabilities needed to respond elsewhere. We are already seeing evidence that the consensus supporting a fleet of large amphibs suitable for responding to crises in other places is being undermined by confusion over Marine plans.
Getting rid of all the tanks on the assumption the Army can supply heavy armor in a timely fashion seems unrealistic. And eliminating squadrons of heavy, medium, and light rotorcraft is doubly questionable, given the fact that Marines are already breaking up deployed readiness groups to cope with diverse regional challenges. Those rotorcrafts may not be needed to fight China, but there are dozens of other places around the world where they could prove more useful than a light amphibious warship.
Loren Thompson is the COO of the Lexington Institute
The 2018 and 2022 NDS’s are sino-centric, also. To my knowledge, that’s where the service chiefs get their guidance, so it seems to make sense to focus there as a DoD.
Perhaps the Corps is responding to the needs of the nation? Perhaps the nation does not need a 911 force?
To what evidence do you refer that the USMC plans are undermining Navy amphib plans?