The Ukrainian crisis provides real-world examples of how the Marine Corps’ war-fighting philosophy may play out in the future. Small forces armed with lethal weapons defeat massive opponent formations—the destruction of ships from shore, followed by rapid fading into the backdrop. The enemy’s inability to keep up with the quick dissemination of knowledge shatters their capacity to execute efficient battle strategies. All of these situations are now occurring as Ukrainians combat the Russian onslaught.
They might also be extracted from the Corps’ redesign of its fighting principles and force design. This year’s giant Marine Corps drill occurred in Europe, with 30,000 Marines from 27 nations mainly operating in Norway. The senior Marine said that he and others had gotten quick-turn training incorrect in the past. However, he added that analysts have already extracted lessons that can be fed back into the police. They include the significance of smaller troops and ground forces.
The information issue lies in the Corps’ reconnaissance and counters reconnaissance force design. Instead of depending on other agencies, the Marine Corps has been sluggish in building its sensing capabilities. The MQ-9 Reaper drone program provides the Marine Corps with a resident drone capability, which they want to upgrade with additional sensors and other equipment.
