Marines with a low-altitude air defense unit during an exercise at Ie Shima, Japan, in August. The Marine Corps needs cheaper options to deter and defeat drone swarms other than the expensive Marine Air Defense Integrated and MIM-104 Patriot systems.

Defend EABO Logistics with Hiders and Finders

Marine Corps logistics units are still not ready for a peer adversary fight. The air domain will test their ability to hide in plain sight.

Master Sergeant Joshua Owen, U.S. Marine Corps
December 2024
U.S. Navy explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians and maritime EOD technicians from the Royal Netherlands Navy conduct floating mine response drills in the Baltic Sea in June. Instead of struggling to unilaterally produce the knowledge and capabilities necessary to address mine threats, the U.S. Navy should look to successful allied programs, such as the Franco-British Maritime Mine Countermeasures Program.

Turn to Allies to Improve U.S. Mine Warfare

Instead of struggling to unilaterally produce the capabilities necessary to address mine threats to U.S. Navy freedom of maneuver, the service should look to successful allied defense programs.

Lieutenant Commander Matthew Hipple, U.S. Navy
December 2024
An EA-18G Growler lands on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). The Growler’s jamming and other suppression/destruction-of-enemy-air-defense capabilities would be essential for U.S. and allied tactical aircraft in any counterattack against Chinese forces in the defense of Taiwan.

Better Airborne Tactical Electronic Warfare

The Navy's EA-18G Growler remains the sole dedicated U.S. electronic attack aircraft. The joint force needs far more of them to fight a war in the western Pacific.

Kenul N. Vantwest
November 2024
A Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey lands at a forward arming and refueling point (FARP) on Ie Shima, Okinawa, Japan. In 2019, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted a combined raid/fly-in FARP that demonstrated the rapid FARP concept is solid.

Make Naval-Enabled Joint FARPs a Reality by 2026

U.S. naval forces must master establishing temporary forward arming and refueling points throughout China’s weapons engagement zone.

Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Warren, U.S. Marine Corps
November 2024
A landing craft, air cushion (LCAC), transports equipment to the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD-3). The LCAC would be ideal for an abandon-ship rescue in which survivors would likely be spread out over a large area.

A Joint Solution for Open-Ocean Mass Rescue

It is crucial the U.S. military develop new means to safely and quickly rescue sailors on the open ocean following an engagement.

Lieutenant Massimo Morreale, U.S. Navy
November 2024
The author’s illustration of a P-8A Poseidon launching four uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) scouts. Large numbers of small UAVs deployed into the battlespace would complicate and dilute an adversary’s antiscouting screen.

Improve Scouting with Expendable UAVs

One way the Navy could address its scouting challenge is by pairing maritime patrol aircraft with inexpensive uncrewed aerial vehicles.

Matthew S. Cosner
October 2024
A Coast Guard rescue swimmer leaps into the ocean astern of the Marine Protector-class patrol boat USCGC Shrike (WPB-87342). All Coast Guard operations will benefit from the improvements needed to complete the service’s technological revolution.

Finish the Coast Guard’s Tech Revolution

The Coast Guard C5I community has not clearly defined the service's technological revolution's end state and key tasks required to get there.

Lieutenant Commander Joseph Kidwell, U.S. Coast Guard
September 2024