Tag Archive | "maritime warfare"

Modern/future Marine Corps (10 Points)?


The Marine Corps mission statement is to provide the US with amphibious expeditionary warfare. The issue I see with that is in modern times this mission statement has become obsolete.
Amphibious operations will always be needed, but forcible entry by storming beaches doesn’t work like it did in WWII, long range missiles can counter an entire beach assault with the push of a button. Since we no longer storm beaches, that takes a huge chunk of the Marine Corps mission away. Amphibious invasions today mean bombing the shore and moving forces on shore or inserting through helicopter from a MEU, neither of those require a Marine Corps as bombings can be handled by the Air Force and Navy and helicopter insertions require helicopters (Army, Navy, and Air Force) and infantry (Army).
The Marine Corps is still an expeditionary force in readiness. There are MEUs afloat as we speak that can “park” anywhere in the world ready to conduct combat operations and handle limited scale warfare within 18 hours. The issue here is that MEUs are never called upon to be used as a “first to fight” tool for the US. Special operations forces are always first to fight, Army Airborne units and specialized units such as the 10th Mountain are either second or invade along side the Marine Corps. If something went down in North Korea right now expect to hear special operations forces and Army Airborne units were first to assault, followed by a MEU.
I understand the Marine Corps isn’t supposed to fill a direct niche, to break it down the Army handles land warfare, the Navy handles maritime warfare, and the Air Force handles air superiority, I know there pretty much isn’t anything else to fill. But historically the Marines have filled an important role, we have always needed a force in readiness and the ability of forcible entry, especially from sea. But that role is no longer valid as there are plenty of other and better forces in readiness (special operations/Airborne) and forcible entry doesn’t really exist in modern warfare, especially from sea. To top it off when it comes to straight Army vs Marine infantry you can throw out propaganda but statistics show the Army is better.
So what is the modern/future purpose of the Marine Corps? Am I missing something? Do you think the role the Marine Corps plays is nearly as important as other branches, or are they reverting back to their pre-WWII days where they were “those other military guys” like when they were guarding ships. This question certainly isn’t intended to bash on the Marines, just get a better understanding of their role in modern times and how necessary they are in todays conflicts.
Thanks in advance.

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