Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations

Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations
Name	Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations
Date	2017–present
Type	Doctrine
Used by	United States Marine Corps
Antecedent	Littoral Operations in a Contested Environment

Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations is a United States Marine Corps doctrine designed for distributed littoral campaigns, aiming to contest access in the Western Pacific and other littorals. The concept was developed alongside concepts from the United States Indo-Pacific Command, United States European Command, Secretary of Defense, Chief of Naval Operations, Commandant of the Marine Corps, and allied staffs in response to strategic challenges posed by People's Republic of China anti-access/area-denial systems, Russian Federation power projection, and evolving technologies from firms such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon Technologies.

Overview and Concept

The concept emphasizes small, mobile, and distributed units operating from austere sites to enable United States Navy sea-control efforts, influence operations with the Department of Defense, and support joint campaigns with forces from United States Air Force, United States Army, and partner militaries like the Japan Self-Defense Forces, Republic of Korea Armed Forces, and Australian Defence Force. It integrates capabilities from programs run by Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, Office of Naval Research, and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to exploit unmanned systems and long-range precision fires from platforms developed by Boeing, General Dynamics, and MBDA. The approach draws doctrinal lineage from operations such as Island hopping (Pacific Theater), Guerrilla warfare, Special Operations actions supported in the Global War on Terrorism, and maritime concepts advocated in writings by analysts at Center for Strategic and International Studies, Brookings Institution, and RAND Corporation.

History and Development

Development began as an evolution of the Littoral Operations in a Contested Environment concept and formal initiatives in publications by the Marine Corps Gazette, Naval War College, and white papers from the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Key milestones include experimentation during exercises with units from III Marine Expeditionary Force, doctrinal releases influenced by strategic guidance from National Defense Strategy (2018), and technology demonstrations coordinated with United States Pacific Fleet and United States Fifth Fleet. Early pilots incorporated assets from Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), coordination with Carrier Strike Group operations, and lessons learned from operations in the Philippines, Persian Gulf, and training with partners at ranges like Pacific Missile Range Facility.

Doctrine and Operational Principles

Doctrine emphasizes distributed shore-based nodes that provide anti-ship, anti-air, and surveillance effects to enable United States Navy maneuver, informed by command relationships articulated in Joint Publication 3-0, Maneuver Warfare School thought, and concepts discussed in Force Design 2030. Principles include agility drawn from Expeditionary warfare traditions, deception and denial influenced by historic campaigns such as Battle of Midway and Battle of Guadalcanal, and integration with ISR assets from National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, and unmanned systems with suppliers like Anduril Industries.

Organization and Units

Implementation assigns tailored task elements within formations such as Marine Littoral Regiments, Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU), and small detachments cooperating with Naval Special Warfare Command, United States Special Operations Command, and allied brigades from Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. Command relationships may involve components of United States Indo-Pacific Command and coordination with logistic nodes like Military Sealift Command. Training and manning draw on personnel pipelines from Officer Candidate School (United States Marine Corps), The Basic School, and specialized schools including Small Craft Training Center.

Capabilities and Equipment

Capabilities focus on coastal fires, anti-ship missiles, mobile air defenses, and distributed sensors enabled by systems produced by Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, MBDA, and BAE Systems. Platforms include truck-mounted launchers, small craft from General Dynamics NASSCO, persistent unmanned aerial systems similar to products from AeroVironment, and sensing suites integrated with networks like Link 16 and systems developed through Project Overmatch efforts. Logistics and sustainment leverage concepts from Prepositioning Program models, transport from United States Air Force Air Mobility Command, and resupply via platforms such as USNS Charles Drew.

Exercises and Implementation

Operational testing has occurred in multilateral exercises involving RIMPAC, Talisman Sabre, and bilateral drills with Japan Self-Defense Forces and Republic of Korea Navy. Key experimentation venues included ranges like Pacific Missile Range Facility and events organized by Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, Naval Sea Systems Command, and the United States Pacific Fleet to validate concepts with participation from defense contractors and think tanks including RAND Corporation and Center for a New American Security analysts. Implementation timelines were debated in the United States Congress budget processes and oversight hearings involving committees such as the House Armed Services Committee and Senate Armed Services Committee.

Criticisms and Strategic Implications

Critiques arise from analysts at Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute, and academia in Harvard Kennedy School and Johns Hopkins University who question sustainability, escalation risks with People's Republic of China, and interoperability challenges with partners like Philippine Navy and Royal Australian Navy. Strategic implications touch on deterrence debates within NATO dialogues, long-range strike discussions influenced by INF Treaty (1987) history, and budgetary trade-offs overseen by Office of Management and Budget and debated in hearings that include testimony from service leaders. Opponents warn of logistical vulnerabilities highlighted in studies by Rand Corporation and propose alternatives emphasizing carrier-centric operations championed historically by proponents associated with United States Navy leadership.

Category:United States Marine Corps doctrine