Expanded Capabilities for Expanded Competition
The realities of the international security environment are expanding, opening up arenas of competition among nations, militaries, and non-state actors beyond the historical war vs peace dichotomy. Great power competition has surged back to the forefront, reshaping security dynamics not just in the Indo-Pacific but across the globe. Adversaries such as China and Russia are asserting their wills and positions against the United States and our Partners and Allies. These provocations call for a change in the security approach of the United States. The Marine Corps’ unique capabilities, placement, and access places it at the center of the shift toward integrated deterrence and readiness for high-end conflict. To meet these demands, it needs to blend lethality with innovative tools designed to address modern threats. Intermediate Force Capabilities (IFCs) can be an essential part of this strategy, providing solutions to fill gaps between presence and full-scale combat.
Adversaries operate across multiple domains and often take advantage of free maneuver space in what strategists have come to call the “gray zone”. Here is where the line between peace and conflict blurs and traditional military responses are no longer sufficient. The Joint Staff white paper “War Without Gunsmoke” lays out the gap in capability left by the fact that traditional military responses such as presence and threat of lethal force are insufficient as a deterrent tool against adversaries and threats who are more comfortable operating in the gray zone than the United States. IFCs, ranging from directed energy weapons to acoustic hailing devices, aim to give commanders a flexible set of options for managing escalating situations without resorting to lethal force. The promise of IFCs lie in enabling precise, controlled responses that match the complexity of modern threats.
IFCs can play a significant role in enabling Marine Littoral Regiments (MLRs) to achieve U.S. strategic objectives globally. These regiments are being established as "self-deployable, multi-domain forces" equipped to operate autonomously in contested areas. In 2024, the Marine Corps activated the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment in Hawaii, with the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment in Okinawa on track to complete its realignment during 2025. A third unit, the 4th Marine Littoral Regiment, is planned for Guam by 2027. Each MLR is designed to adapt to peer-level competition with autonomy, agility, and resilience at their core.
Operating from an Expeditionary Advanced Base, a Marine Littoral Regiment might face a sophisticated adversary relying on drones or civilian militia fishing vessels to disrupt operations. In such cases, tools like dazzling lasers, directed energy vessel stopping capabilities, and active denial systems can suppress or neutralize these threats with reversible effects and ensure freedom of movement for military and civilian purposes. These technologies offer commanders options to maintain operational tempo and gain and maintain an advantage across the competition continuum.
“Innovations in directed energy, vehicle and vessel stopping technologies, and non-lethal counter-personnel capabilities could provide MLR commanders with greater flexibility and time to assess developing situations,” said Col. Douglas Peterson, the director of the Joint Intermediate Force Capabilities Office that works to bring IFCs to the warfighters. “These tools are effective within the gray zone of competition, providing responses that bridge the gap between mere presence and the use of lethal force.”
Globally, the contest for advantage is relentless. Reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance are key battlegrounds where IFCs could provide a decisive edge. By disrupting adversaries’ surveillance efforts and revealing their intent, commanders gain the ability to de-escalate tensions before they escalate into conflict. The stakes could not be higher. Failing to act effectively in this domain risks endangering freedom of navigation, disrupting global trade routes, and threatening energy supply chains—with ripple effects for both national security and the global economy.
Equipping MLRs with IFCs would represent a forward-thinking approach to modern warfare and the contests for advantage across the competition continuum. With this combination, the Marine Corps would be best prepared to tackle existing and emerging threats with agility and precision. As these capabilities continue to evolve, they offer a vision of a future where the Corps remains adaptive, effective, and ready to lead in a world defined by uncertainty and competition.
Sources:
https://www.marines.mil/News/News-Display/Article/2708146/marine-littoral-regiment-mlr/
https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2024/01/02/new-in-2024-marines-build-3rd-littoral-regiment-to-fight-peer-threats/
https://news.usni.org/2025/01/14/report-to-congress-on-marine-littoral-regiment
| Date Taken: | 02.18.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.18.2025 12:16 |
| Story ID: | 490950 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 69 |
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