Organizing III MEF in the Pacific

Abstract

Examining the lost capabilities created by the aforementioned gap as well as the short falls of relying on Western Pacific economic prosperity and the Air-Sea Battle concept, the United States and III IVIEF can better mitigate the impending gap via creative Theater Security Cooperation exercise scheduling, augmenting the Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB), and careful design of the elements sent to Guam and Hawaii. Since the end of WWII, III MEF has been the constant stabilizing force that not only the U.S. but also other nations in the region have come to rely on. In 2006 the United States and Japan agreed to close Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and relocate III MEF Marines from Okinawa to Guam. The gap caused by moving III MEF over 1,200 nautical miles to the east will weaken the United States' posture and has destabilizing effects on Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea - effects that can not be mitigated only by economics or vague strategic concepts. Some scholars believe China's economic machine is emerging as a more viable strategic solution than the U.S. has provided in the Western Pacific. The relatively recent economic partnerships in the region have created stability but have also given rise to some additional concerns, specifically territorial and defense challenges. China's thriving economy has translated into military capabilities that worry every nation in the Western Pacific, especially the United States. China's more recent military capabilities provide a substantial anti-access and aerial denial (A2/AD) threat in the region. In 2010 the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments developed the Air-Sea Battle (ASB) concept as a way to increase interoperability between the Air Force and Navy through integrated training and improved technical interoperability to counter China's A2/AD. However, the ASB concept neglects mention of any land component.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 04, 2012
Accession Number
ADA601487

Entities

People

  • Allen E. Szczepek Jr.

Organizations

  • Marine Corps University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Cyber
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Afghanistan Conflict
  • Air Force
  • Amphibious Operations
  • Command And Control
  • Department Of Defense
  • Economic Systems
  • Governments
  • International Organizations
  • Marine Corps
  • Military Capabilities
  • Security
  • South Korea
  • Tilt Rotor Aircraft
  • Training
  • Treaties
  • United States
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Asian Economic Studies
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Strategic Security Studies