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Marines

On Point

A Concept for Stand-in Forces

Combat Development & Integration

Quantico, Virginia

General Raymond G. Davis Center

01

Marine Corps Develops Plan to Grow Force by More Than 6,500

Marine Corps Develops Plan to Grow Force by More Than 6,500 As directed by the Secretary of War in an effort to rebuild the Nation’s military, the...

02

Department of the Navy Creates Portfolio Acquisition Executive Marine Corps to Accelerate Modernization

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Eric E. Austin, the commanding general of Marine Corps Combat Development Command and deputy commandant for Combat...

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03

Pushing Medicine into the High North

U.S. Navy medical providers alongside the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory demonstrate life-saving actions in extreme austere environments, during...

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04

Force Design Now

The Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Eric M. Smith, published the 2025 Force Design Update, which lays out how the Marine Corps is aggressively...

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05

What is a MEU? (Part 1)

U.S. Marines with Marine Expeditionary Units conduct integrated operations across ground, air, logistic, and command elements to enhance readiness...

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06

Stand-in Forces, Indo-Pacific | Video Production

A "Stand-in Force" is a forward deployed, agile and lethal force designed to counter potential threats and deter aggression. U.S. Marine Corps Chief...

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07

When the world looks to the sea it will see an American flag.

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Who We Are

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Mark Bernal, a landing support specialist with 3d Littoral Logistics Battalion, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, prepares a TRV-50 Tactical Resupply Unmanned Aircraft System to resupply U.S. Marines in the field during Balikatan 23 in Cerab, Philippines, April 21, 2023. Balikatan is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. Bernal is a native of San Antonio, Texas. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tyler Andrews)

Mission & Vision

Force Development

Newsroom

The U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) steams in the Pacific Ocean July 12, 2024. Elements of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit are currently embarked aboard the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group conducting routine operations in U.S. 3rd Fleet. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Amelia Kang)

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IN THE NEWS

US Marines Deploy Own 'Narco-Boats' Near China — Marines Deploy Own 'Narco-Boats' Near China

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Naval Research Hydrogen Tech Goes Tactical

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The Marines now have an official drone-fighting handbook

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A new 1st Marine Division handbook shows how the Corps has modernized its thinking and is preparing to fight a drone war. It also reveals how far there is to go, not just in developing doctrine and training but also in acquiring the sort of hardware that Russia and Ukraine have been using for years. As a representative explained, getting the handbook out to establish foundational principles and mark out the way forward was vital even though it is not yet complete.

And taking on the new realities of the drone battlefield is a real milestone.

“Overall, this is indeed a big leap forward for the USMC,” Samuel Bendett, an expert on drones and advisor to the CNA, CNAS and CAIS thinktanks told me. “The United States military has taken some time to observe, evaluate and attempt to codify tactics and concepts.” — How The Marine Corps Is Preparing For Drone Wars — And What’s Missing

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The Marine Corps will field an advanced smart scope that is designed to hit moving targets in order to help Marines shoot down small drones, said Lt. Col. Eric Flanagan, a spokesman for Combat Development and Integration.

Starting next fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1, Marine units will begin receiving the SMASH 2000L advanced fire control system, Flanagan told Task & Purpose on Wednesday.

“The SMASH 2000L will give the rifleman the ability to quickly obtain a positive firing solution and increase their probability of kill when engaging Unmanned Aircraft Systems,” Flanagan said. “The SMASH 2000L provides easily attachable components that will enable a standard M4 to be utilized for targeting and defeating [small unmanned aerial systems] with conventional small arms fire while still enabling the Marine user to utilize that same weapon system to engage other/ground targets.” — Marines to field new smart scope to help shoot down small drones

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Deploying Marine units will be equipped with prototype systems designed to counter drones, said Lt. Gen. Eric Austin, deputy commandant for combat development and integration.

“One of the things that is apparent to all of us is that unmanned aerial systems are a threat not just to infantry Marines, but to all Marines,” said Austin, who is also the commanding general of Marine Corps Combat Development Command.

That’s why the Marine Corps has “repurposed” some money to field the prototypes for counter-drone systems for dismounted Marines, Austin said at the Navy League Sea-Air-Space 2025 conference at National Harbor, Maryland. — Marine Corps to field new counter-drone systems to deploying units

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Combat Development & Integration