Plans for trimmer, faster US Marines in Pacific ‘a threat’ to China
- 10-year plan to tailor military options for conflict with PLA in Pacific island chains inspired by rising China, says top Marine
- Analysts say disputed islands and reefs in East and South China seas part of US consideration in new strategy
The Marine Corps Combat Development Command this week laid out a 10-year plan to axe 12,000 personnel and give up most of its artillery cannon battalions to allow the corps to focus on developing light mobility options to get around the region’s island chains.
Unmanned systems and mobile anti-ship missiles are at the heart of the new strategy, which has been developed specifically to address possible conflicts with the PLA in the region’s coastal waters.
“Such a plan will help the Marines to meet the new requirements of modern battles involved in multi-domain [in the air, ground, maritime, space and cyberspace] in both competition and armed conflict, which will definitely cause great threats to Chinese navy and air force,” he said.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal earlier this month, Marine Corps commandant General David Berger said the plan, which he started designing last summer, had been inspired by a rising China.
“China, in terms of military capability, is the pacing threat,” Berger reportedly said. “If we did nothing, we would be passed.”