How the US Marines Fight

The US Marine Corps is organized into mixed air-ground units that can operate independently without much outside support.

The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducts a beach landing exercise. Photo: US Navy

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States armed forces, tasked with conducting amphibious assault operations from sea using naval mobility vehicles, to rapidly deploy combined armed forces on land, sea and air.

The Marine Corps Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) ​​is the heart of the Marine Corps’ combat organization. MAGTFs are not fixed in size and can change depending on the situation. They can be 500-man forward-deployed special operations forces in Europe, or expeditionary brigades (MEBs) built around 15,000-man Marine infantry regiments, or 40,000-man Marine Expeditionary Forces (MEFs), according to USNI.

The purpose of this division is to ensure that each MAGTF - regardless of its level - is an independent combat unit under a single commander and does not require much outside support when operating far from base. This is the characteristic of "expeditionary" warfare, the identity of the US Marine Corps.

The expeditionary concept is important to the US Marine Corps, as the force was built to land on enemy shores with minimal equipment.

Structure and equipment of the US MAGTF. Graphics: USMC

All MAGTF units at all levels are organized similarly, consisting of a ground combat element (GCE), an air combat element (ACE), a combat logistics element (LCE), and a headquarters.

The Ground Combat Force (GCE) consists of infantry, artillery, reconnaissance, armor, light armor, amphibious assault forces, engineers, and other forces as needed. The GCE is equipped with M1-A1 main battle tanks, amphibious assault vehicles, light armored vehicles, Humvees, and heavy trucks.

The Air Combat Command (ACE) is responsible for attack support, air defense, air fire support, electronic warfare, aircraft control, missiles and air reconnaissance. These missions are performed by aircraft such as the MV-22 Osprey, AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter, AV-8B Harrier fighter or F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter taking off from amphibious ships and aircraft carriers.

US Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper helicopter attacks target

The combat logistics force (LCE) has the basic function of being responsible for providing ammunition, food and medical supplies in combat, while the command post is responsible for issuing combat orders to the marine forces under its command.

In addition to the regular MAGTF units, the US Marine Corps also has an Air-Ground Rapid Reaction Force (MAGTF-CR), operating in the Mediterranean to help the US promptly respond to crises in Africa and the Middle East. This force is organized with a Marine infantry company, 6 MV-22 Osprey aircraft and two KC-130J Hercule aircraft.

US Marines practice landing with Osprey aircraft. Photo: USMC

This is a highly mobile, light force that can respond quickly to terrorist threats or a sudden crisis that could threaten US embassies in the region, as happened at the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya in 2012, which killed four Americans.

Although established primarily for expeditionary combat, the MAGTF can also coordinate operations with other military units in large-scale combined arms operations, often units of the US Navy, Army, and Air Force.

According to VNE