(The Marine reserves got into some trouble in the past when they tried to expand to over 40,000.) On the other hand, the demands of maintaining a full division-wing structure prevent it from getting much smaller. On the one hand, the retention and recruitment challenges of expanding are too great. Marine Corps Reserve end strength stays level at 38,500, where it has been for many years. This is the first increment of a larger decrease to pay for the commandant’s restructuring. In FY 2021, the Marine Corps decreases active-duty end strength by 2,100. Because the restructuring plan came out after the FY 2021 budget, full implementation is expected in the FY 2022 budget and its associated five-year plan. This restructuring would shed capabilities designed for counterinsurgency and sustained operations ashore and cut a slice across the entire Marine Corps to pay for new capabilities. The FY 2021 budget is an interim step as the Marine Corps seeks to implement a major restructuring. The restructuring has been criticized for focusing too much on a maritime campaign in the Western Pacific, ignoring other global conflicts, and relying on unproven operational concepts. The trade-off is that, because of the LAWs small size, they will not be able to support the customary level of global forward deployments, which may decline as a result. These will provide more distributed capabilities that can implement the Marine Corps’ intention to be a “stand in” force that can operate inside an adversary’s defensive bubble. The amphibious fleet will include large numbers of light amphibious warships (LAWs).UAVs would increase in number, but the Marine Corps is far behind the Air Force in this regard and the Marine Corps’ UAV development program is in disarray.Most artillery would convert from cannon to missile units Ground forces would gain long-range precision fires but give up three infantry battalions, tanks, and some counterinsurgency capabilities.Despite a continuing high operational tempo, the Marine Corps is pursuing modernization over expanding force structure.
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