Analysis and Assessment of Lethality and Survivability for the Marine Littoral Regiment
Abstract
As the Marine Corps activates the Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR) to serve as the joint force's reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance effort, questions abound regarding the MLRs ability to provide a persistent and lethal presence well inside the reach of our adversaries' advanced long-range precision fires. In this study, the author uses agent-based combat simulations to inform future force design decisions, live force experimentation, and tactics. The simulated scenario imagines a future MLR conducting sea control operations in the littorals of the Western Pacific against a peer naval threat. This research investigates the effect that a guard force of autonomous and/or semi-autonomous surface vessels, operating as the guard force of the MLR's defense in depth, has on the survivability and lethality of the MLR's land-based antiship missile platforms. Summary statistics generated by the simulation indicate that the future battlefield will see high losses on both sides. However, based on the results of 27,200 simulated engagements, this study finds that an MLR using a guard force of armed and unarmed "scouts" as described above can inflict a prohibitively high and unsustainable cost on an enemy naval force.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1185048
Entities
People
- Patrick J. Moecher
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School