The U.S. Marine Corps: The View from the Late 1980s
Abstract
A shopworn canard within military circles is that military planners and strategists devote inordinate amounts of time and energy preparing for the most recently fought war and that the Marine Corps is particularly adept at backing into the future with its eyes fixed confidently on the past. The experience of the Marine Corps through the midpoint of this decade would seem to demolish such a view. Dramatic enhancements in firepower and in air, sea, and land mobility are being wedded in theory and in practice to emerging doctrine and operational concepts that promise to bring about the most far-reaching changes in amphibious warfare since the emergence of the vertical assault capability in the late 1940s. The introduction of air-cushion landing craft (LCACs) breaks the shackles of an 8- to 10-knot ship-to-shore movement that has been a hallmark of amphibious forces for nearly a half century, bringing the promise of a true over-the-horizon assault capability closer to operational reality. Aviation developments, in terms of both tactical mobility and close air support, are keeping pace with these changes, if not leading the way. And a series of enhancements to strategic mobility, embodied in land and maritime prepositioning programs, offers the best assurance in years that marines will be able to move to threatened areas in sufficient time and in adequate strength to dampen crises, deter major conflict, or fight if deterrence fails. Small wonder, then, that some exuberant commentators have referred to the 1980s as another "golden age" of amphibious warfare. But where is all this leading? And what else, besides amphibious warfare, must be considered in evaluating the current status of the U.S. Marine Corps and in making valid projections for its future? Considering the accelerating rate of change in international developments, the crystal balls of military prognosticators are understandably murky.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA593734
Entities
People
- Christopher Jehn
- James L. George
Organizations
- Center for Naval Analyses