Marine Corps Warfighting Lab - Core
Abstract
The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL) supports the Deputy Commandant of the Marine Corps for Combat Development and Integration (DC, CD&I) in his mission to define what the Marine Corps of the future should look like in combat development terms. More specifically, MCWL develops and evaluates future Marine Corps warfighting concepts using an integrated combination of live force experimentation, technology assessment, modeling and simulation, wargaming, and analysis. MCWL's principal outputs improve current (and inform future) United States Marine Corps (USMC) doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership, personnel, and facilities (DOTMLPF) requirements. MCWL conducts service-specific experiments and participates in joint service experimentation. Wargames are conducted to frame emerging warfighting concepts, establish the Joint context for the Marine Corps Force Development System, and establish priorities for development of experimental and non-experimental capabilities. Modeling and Simulation (M&S)-based events allow MCWL to examine capabilities with larger scale venues and forces than is practical with live forces at lower cost in terms of funding and in terms of operating force personnel and equipment. M&S also enables assessment of proposed capabilities before making investments in costly concept demonstrator technologies required in live force experiments. Technical assessments are conducted to ensure that prototype or surrogate technologies are ready for insertion into live force experiments, and to explore the military utility of promising new commercial or government technologies. Live force experimentation permits exploration of prototype and surrogate technologies, as well as Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs), in order to better refine equipment requirements and to identify DOTMLPF initiatives needed to produce future capabilities. Experimentation encompasses inquiries into multiple warfighting areas, including: Combat Service Support (CSS) and Force Protection; Command, Control, Communications, and Computers (C4); Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR); Fires, Targeting, and Maneuver; and Warfighting Excellence. Using operational forces, MCWL conducts Advanced Warfighting Experiments (AWEs) supported by Limited Objective Experiments (LOEs), Limited Technical Assessments (LTAs), Wargames, and Studies. These events are planned and scheduled as part of a series of experimentation campaigns focused on one or more central warfighting concepts. These campaigns are executed under the guidance of the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) and under the auspices of the DC, CD&I. The current MCWL Campaign Plan (MCP), formerly called the MCWL Experiment Campaign Plan (ECP), is focused on the challenges associated with the Enhanced Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Operations (EMO), ShipTo Objective Maneuver (STOM), and Seabasing concepts. This campaign began in FY 2011 and is projected to culminate with an AWE in 2014. EMO experimentation seeks to capitalize on the enhancements achieved during the previous MCWL campaign, Enhanced Company Operations (ECO), completed in FY 2010, which centered on expanding the combat capabilities of the Marine Infantry Company. EMO experimentation examines and develops the capabilities of other elements of the MAGTF beyond the infantry company. Focus areas for this effort are logistics, command and control (C2), and fires, targeting, and maneuver. The next MCWL Campaign, beginning in FY 2014, will shift focus to Future Maritime Operations (FMO) line of effort. FMO will pursue themes of experimentation that support a flexible and sustainable Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB)-sized force involved in immediate crisis response operations across the range of military operations within the emerging "Single Naval Battle" concept. FMO will examine future enhancements in training, organization, and equipment for a crisis response MEB. The goal of this concept-based line of experimentation is to operationalize the concepts of Operational Maneuver From The Sea (OMFTS), STOM, and Seabasing. Furthermore, during FY 2010, the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) designated MCWL as the lead agency for all USMC Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) activities, thereby expending MCWL's responsibilities in this critical area. Additionally, MCWL will continue to support the immediate needs of deployed forces and exploit opportunities presented by promising emerging technologies.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2014
- Source ID
- 2297_0603640M_3_1319_PB_2014
Related Documents
- Root: MC Advanced Technology Demo
- Child Accomplishment: COMBAT SERVICE SUPPORT (CSS) AND FORCE PROTECTION
- Child Accomplishment: FIRES, TARGETING, AND MANEUVER
- Child Accomplishment: COMMAND, CONTROL, COMMUNICATIONS, AND COMPUTERS (C4)
- Child Accomplishment: INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE (ISR)
- Child Accomplishment: MARINE CORPS WARFIGHTING LABORATORY (MCWL) OPERATIONS (SUPPORT)
- Child Accomplishment: WARFIGHTING EXCELLENCE