U.S. Marine Corps Integrates Civilian Cargo Vessels into Military Operations

Summary

During a recent exercise in the Philippines, U.S. Marines successfully unloaded anti-ship and air defense systems from a commercial vessel as part of the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) test, demonstrating the Corps' growing ability to rapidly deploy weapons and electronic monitoring systems to strategic islands in the South China Sea region. This capability is considered a critical deterrent against potential Chinese aggression, with the U.S. Army also contributing missile launcher systems to reinforce these efforts. To further strengthen its Pacific posture, the Marine Corps has established three Marine Littoral Regiments, based in Hawaii, North Carolina, and Japan, which leverage existing equipment including weapons, aircraft, and vehicles. However, a significant gap remains in the form of Landing Ship Mediums (LSMs), with the Marines requiring 45 vessels across three regiments, but the Navy and Marines remain at odds over whether to pursue a more capable $300 million version or a more affordable $100 million alternative. The Marines argue that budget constraints make the expensive option untenable and point to the Army's existing Besson-class logistics vessels as a potential model for the more cost-effective approach.