An Operational-Level Maneuver Concept for Littoral Penetration
Abstract
Current Marine Corps Operational Maneuver from the Sea (OMFTS) guidepost-concept papers envision year 2015 Navy/Marine forces conducting Major Theater War (MTW) forcible entry operations using a Ship-to-Objective Maneuver (STOM) designed to "move a large force as seamlessly as possible from...over the horizon (OTH) [amphibious platforms] to an objective as far as 120 miles inland." STOM focuses on attacking an enemy's center of gravity instead of terrain objectives, using the protective barrier of the sea to maximize mobility and achieve operational surprise, and exploiting pre-assault operations to find or create exploitable gaps that allow naval forces to apply their strength against enemy weaknesses. Once the gap has been identified, combat power is projected inland using "combined arms penetration and exploitation operations" empowered by "advanced command and control systems" and "significant improvements in tactical mobility" to maneuver forces from their OTH sea-base to the objective. To turn these concepts into usable force structure, equipment, and doctrine, the Commandant of the Marine Corps has challenged the Navy-Marine Corps team to "examine our organizations, our training, our equipment and....field a more versatile, capable, and responsive naval power projection capability." This study contends that to meet the Commandant's challenge during the forcible-entry phase of a year 2015 littoral penetration operation, the Joint Force Littoral Penetration Component Commander should centrally control the operational-level maneuver of multiple "Littoral Penetration Task Forces," which are each organized upon a structurally robust Amphibious Ready Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) and employed as an operational maneuver group using the tenets of Napoleonic distributed maneuver to set favorable conditions for the Littoral Exploitation Force's penetration against an operational objective.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA525981
Entities
People
- John L. Mayer
Organizations
- Marine Corps University