Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) 1st Class Aaron Wilson, from Atlanta, assigned to the air department aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), stands watch as the arresting gear officer as an E2-D Hawkeye attached to the "Bear Aces" of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 124 flies over the flight deck, April 19, 2022. U.S. Navy / Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary Melvin
The Naval Brief: MARCENT reorganization; Amphib readiness concerns; Aviation 2030; and more...
Welcome to The Naval Brief, a weekly look at the news and ideas shaping the sea services’ future.
Middle East missions. The Marine Corps in the Middle East has not lost sight of regional security concerns like Iran and is reorganizing its forces to prepare for the future, Defense One reports. MARCENT is adding new exercises, upgrading communication networks, and pre-positioning equipment in the region so Marines can respond to crises quickly.
Amphib readiness problems. A Marine Expeditionary Unit was unable to deploy early to reassure allies in Europe because the amphibious ships it was associated with had maintenance problems, Defense One reports. The number of amphibious warships is also expected to shrink in the next few years, making it more difficult for MEUs and ARGs to be available.
Aviation plan. The Marine Corps released its first aviation plan in three years with changes that align with objectives in Force Design 2030, Defense One reports. One new change is the littoral anti-air battalion that is part of the new Marine littoral regiment.
Sign up to get The Naval Brief every Thursday from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. On this day in 1961, Navy test pilot Alan Shepard became the first American in space. The USS Lake Champlain aircraft carrier retrieved him after he splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean.
From Defense One
Navy, Microsoft Team Up for R&D—and the Rights to Sell What Emerges // Mariam Baksh
The Seattle-based tech giant will get access to Naval Postgraduate School facilities and the chance to negotiate exclusive rights for technology it helps develop there.
Reversing Roe Would Harm Military Readiness, Abortion-Rights Advocates Warn // Jacqueline Feldscher
"If a woman is considering enlisting, I would highly encourage her to rethink that choice," said one veteran.
Lawmakers Worry Pentagon Will 'Shortchange' INDOPACOM's Budget Request // Jacqueline Feldscher
More than a dozen members of the House Armed Services Committee asked appropriators to bring the Pentagon's 2023 spending proposal up to INDOPACOM's request.