A U.S. Marine with 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division uses an unmanned aircraft system during Marine Air-Ground Task Force Warfighting Exercise (MWX) 2-23 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 23, 2023. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan Kennelly)
A U.S. Marine Corps Hero-400 loitering munition drone is staged before flight on San Clemente Island, California, May 25, 2022. The Hero-400 is a loitering munition that the United States Marine Corps and other Department of Defense entities are beginning to incorporate into specific mission sets. This initial training flight develops the unmanned aerial systems pilots’ confidence and abilities to be able to operate the Hero-400 in any clime and place, and enabling 3rd MAW to remain a more lethal and ready force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Daniel Childs)
U.S. Marine Corps Col. Timothy Brady, the commanding officer of 3d Marines, conducts command and control (C2) of an air assault utilizing the Network On-the-Move Airborne (NOTM-A) communications system during Large Scale Exercise 2021, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Aug. 12, 2021. The NOTM-A provides a C2 capability to mission commanders while airborne, enhancing battlefield management and awareness. LSE 2021 is a live, virtual, and constructive exercise employing integrated command and control, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and sensors across the joint force to expand battlefield awareness, share targeting data, and conduct long-range precision strikes in support of naval operations in a contested and distributed maritime environment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Josue Marquez)
U.S. Marine Gen. Eric M. Smith, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, speaks to Marines from Marine Corps Recruiting Station Montgomery and Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion 23rd Marines at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, Feb. 10, 2023. The purpose of this visit was to communicate with the Marines to address questions and concerns about improving the force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Shannon Doherty)
Smith has pushed for transforming the Marine Corps through a variety of initiatives including Force Design 2030, Talent Management 2030, and the “stand-in forces” concept.
May 31, 2023
By
Jon Harper
U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Tristian Zimmerman, left, and Cpl. Jeremiah Egre-Contreras, both cryptologic linguists with Alpha Company, 1st Radio Battalion (RADBN), I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, operate a VMAX backpack system during a field exercise at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, May 28, 2020. (U.S. Marine Corps / Cpl. Dalton S. Swanbeck)
U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 3d Marines, train with a Switchblade 300 10C system as part of Service Level Training Exercise 1-22 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Sept. 24, 2021. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alexis Moradian)
Marines sit at a Joint Tactical Common Operation Picture Workstation, or JTCW. The Marine Corps opened up a bug bounty to find flaws in public facing Marine Corps systems.