The U.S. Marine Corps is seriously considering using different kinds of ships, including the expeditionary sea base and the expeditionary fast transport as the amphibious ship shortage remains an issue. Sick, the expeditionary fast transport, or EPF, has been successfully used by Marines in the Pacific several times recently. As a result, in recent and upcoming deployments, the Marines are going to sea through nontraditional means. The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group deployment with the 15th MEU is also being done in stages as the Navy and the Marines aim to achieve what’s called “2.0 MEU presence.” Gen. Christopher Mahoney stated that having three MEUs at sea on three fully ready ARGs is unlikely today.
Heckl mentioned that the lack of ready amphibs remains “my single biggest point of concern.” The naval warfare reporter at Defense News, Megan Eckstein, has covered military news since 2009, with a focus on U.S. Navy and Marine Corps operations, acquisition programs, and budgets.
