Tactical Decision Game: Who would win between a MEU and an Airborne Brigade? Ready Go

2016-05-07T22:22:14-04:00

We are the mighty put out an article on a theoretical battle between a Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a Army Airborne Brigade. Lets see the tacticians go to work

Response by SFC Wade W. made May 7 at 2016 10:38 PM

2016-05-07T22:38:02-04:00

Tough call but I have to go with the Airborne Brigade. I feel the Army spends more time training in a true tactical field environment. The MEU because of real world sea deployments doesn't have the same opportunities.

Response by SSG Dennis Grossmann made May 7 at 2016 10:53 PM

2016-05-07T22:53:08-04:00

Ha!!! Trick question, it will be a tie. Everybody gets a trophy.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 7 at 2016 11:06 PM

2016-05-07T23:06:25-04:00

The Airborne Brigade. Reasoning: Da Navy would get lost trying to deliver the MEU.....

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 7 at 2016 11:36 PM

2016-05-07T23:36:08-04:00

MEU!
The Marine Corps, doing the job the Army can't accomplish since 1775!

Response by SN Greg Wright made May 8 at 2016 1:10 AM

2016-05-08T01:10:09-04:00

Oh please. Are you kidding me? Marines, hands down. There's a reason women can get Ranger tabs, but no woman can (yet) complete the Marine infantry courses.

Response by SSG Robert Webster made May 8 at 2016 1:19 AM

2016-05-08T01:19:26-04:00

It depends upon the battlefield. On certain battlefields they each have a distinct advantage.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2016 8:59 AM

2016-05-08T08:59:53-04:00

If the MEU had is aviation assets it would win. A MEU is a combined arms unit with armor and aviation, an airborne brigade is not. MEUs are smaller but they pack a bigger punch in fire power. Luckily, that scenario would never play out.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2016 10:30 AM

2016-05-08T10:30:49-04:00

MEU has fixed wing organic, along with (a little) armor and big arty. I think through combined arms and aviation, it would be the MEU.

Response by SGT Charles W. made May 8 at 2016 2:19 PM

2016-05-08T14:19:53-04:00

Does the Army Airborne Brigade include Rangers, SF, and Delta? If so, hands down, Army of course! :-))

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made May 8 at 2016 8:14 PM

2016-05-08T20:14:14-04:00

Love the Picture. Flashbacks to my Qualification with the Mossberg 12 Gauge, Underway adds a whole new level of entertainment.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2016 9:51 PM

2016-05-08T21:51:20-04:00

Don’t know … Just F*** the stupid SOB who finds himself on the battlefield opposing either when they are not restricted by an overly complicated ROE/RUF backed by a Commander in Chief who’s willing to open the gates of Hell.
US Airborne providing Death from Above since 1942.
USMC ... Providing the maximum opportunity for terrorists to become martyrs since 1804.
God bless them both for doing what they do and me for being fortunate to have them on my side.

Response by 1SG Harold Piet made May 10 at 2016 8:44 AM

2016-05-10T08:44:42-04:00

Once again, why would a team ever oppose each other. They would join forces and be unstoppable.

Response by SSG Wally Lawver made May 10 at 2016 9:13 AM

2016-05-10T09:13:28-04:00

MEU, has more organic available firepower.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2016 9:45 AM

2016-05-10T09:45:29-04:00

Just when I think We The MIghty can't come up with a stupider topic to write about, they go full potato.

Response by LCpl Cody Collins made May 10 at 2016 11:40 AM

2016-05-10T11:40:18-04:00

I would go with the Marine Amphibious Unit.
(Old School ) M.E.U. sounds like a military unit run by scientists in Antarctica looking for a crashed UFO.
Any way, the Marine Corps is a Department of the United States Navy there for we will have the attic punch of not only air support but Naval guns and Naval transportation and Naval AWAC and Naval p3 . That Marine unit will have so much cover on the land on the sea and in the air that any kind of Army Brigade trying to get into the Killzone through the air by parachute of glider or sum of Hollywood type gliding suits will get shot down by so many Sams it would not even be a contest.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2016 12:50 PM

2016-05-10T12:50:56-04:00

This is a stupid question. If you don't understand why this is a stupid question you are probably a recruit

Response by Sgt Jim Weber made May 10 at 2016 3:10 PM

2016-05-10T15:10:10-04:00

I don't know that much about airborne to make a serious comment, but the MEU would seem to be the better choice because of all the options and secenerios that they have planned for. Additionally you'd have air and Naval assets at your disposal and all Marines want to "get into the shit" I know I was once that way too. Luckily for me I got to go to Desert Storm

Response by CW4 Angel C. made May 10 at 2016 7:56 PM

2016-05-10T19:56:05-04:00

I'm not a tactician by far but this sounds like apples and oranges. From what I understand an MEU only has a BN size Infantry unit. And the Army doesn't really use Airborne Brigades to wage war on an "enemy". We use Brigade Combat Teams and Task Forces. So a BCT is almost twice as big as an MEU and have at least two infantry BNs. A BCT (ABN) TF is like half an ABN Division and with all the assets an MEU has and then some (with the exception of limited waterborne OPS). Pay attention to how Afghanistan is/was fought by the Army, combined joint task forces (CJTF). I can only expect the Marines beefing up their forces as well to match any threat (like Khandahar). So in conclusion I give the edge to whoever trained better and
has the best leadership for the mission!!! Also maybe next time you can throw in a scenario and a specific type of ABN Brigades. Having been in ABN BDEs most of my military career I tell you that the difference is huge between Infantry, Engineer, FA, ADA, etc... ABN BDEs.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made May 11 at 2016 9:00 AM

2016-05-11T09:00:40-04:00

It is pretty cut and dry. A MEU has air, armor, artillery and ground troops. Plus they are transported using Navy vessels which means more aircraft and Naval gunfire. A MEU has more power. End of story.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made May 11 at 2016 10:39 AM

2016-05-11T10:39:41-04:00

While both are expeditionary type units, an Airborne BDE is built for speed and rapid strategic insertion. To be able to do that they had to shed a lot of weight to be airmobile. They are pretty much all leg infantry with very limited heavy weapon support and no organic armor. An MEU, while also custom built for expeditionary activity, was not as severely limited by weight as an Airborne unit, due the heavier lift capability of ships. So while an MEU is still primarily built around leg infantry, they have a lot more heavy weapons and firepower at their disposal than an Airborne BDE. An MEU also has better sustainment abilities, so they could outlast an Airborne BDE even if it came to being static. So unless that Airborne BDE gets reinforced and resupplied beau coup fast, they are likely to get overrun by an MEU. Of course, it also depends on where the fight is taking place. You pull the Marines away from their Navy support and force them to fight an Airborne BDE that is dug into an urban environment, good luck in rooting them out....

However, this is kind of a silly question as both units are actually meant to complement each other. Look at Normandy. While the landings were carried out by Army, they could have easily been Marines. The Airborne was dropped to seize key crossroads and bridges so the landing forces could move inward rapidly and to seal off the beaches from reinforcement while the landing forces took an overbeach entry point to the continent. However, if the beach landings failed the Airborne would have been cut off and killed off piecemeal. Had the airdrops failed, the Germans could have swarmed the beaches with reinforcements potentially pushing the Allies back into the sea.

Response by Col Jim Harmon made May 11 at 2016 12:32 PM

2016-05-11T12:32:49-04:00

Good question SSG Winkler. I’ve seen a lot of comments saying this is a stupid question. There is no such thing as a stupid question.

This one poses some serious thought to understand the differences and capabilities of the two units.

Understanding not just what each brings to the fight in terms of their organic and support weaponry, but also understanding how they fight, and where they fight best. Lot's a variables at play here (urban vs. desert vs. littoral vs. jungle vs. artic).

You've made a lot of people think past the first layer of the onion. Sometimes it not just about what you bring to the fight, but how it’s employed, and where the fight happens to be.

Response by CW4 Leonard White made May 11 at 2016 10:07 PM

2016-05-11T22:07:42-04:00

Stupid argument...just get the job done! ONE TEAM, ONE FIGHT!!!

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 11:33 PM

2016-05-11T23:33:24-04:00

Who spends less time doing 350-1 nonsense? That'd be your winner.

Response by Cpl Michael Crowley made May 11 at 2016 11:54 PM

2016-05-11T23:54:40-04:00

I need numbers, statistics, readiness reports, leadership reviews, troop reviews, etc. There's too many unknown variables. Give me stats and I'll give you a predictable winner, although we all know how predictable Americans are in combat. lol :P

Response by SSG Dennis Grossmann made May 13 at 2016 6:47 AM

2016-05-13T06:47:58-04:00

With current ROE's you would have a few thousand soldiers and Marines standing around because neither are allowed to fire until being fired upon.
With that being said; and both sides having optimal conditions, I know I'm sort of biased but the Airborne brigade would get there first, establish an LZ for the C-17s to bring in supplies, and set up a defensive position.
The Marines would have Harrier and Super Cobra air support to cover the landing. The Marines would be able to get a couple of Ospreys is behind the defenses, but the rest would have to regroup once they realize that the area is occupied. This would force the LAVs to change beach heads.
The Javelin missiles have neutralized the threat of the Super Cobras and the crew served weapons have the forward Marines out of action (captured). Defensive positions fortified and 105 Howitzers set up.
The Marines regroup and advance.
Unfortunately the Airborne have another 2 Battalions jump in behind the Marines and game over. Airborne by sheer attrition and speed. With other variables the outcomes would be different and again I am biased.

Response by Cpl Glynis Sakowicz made Aug 23 at 2016 9:32 AM

2016-08-23T09:32:42-04:00

No one is better. They are simply different. Their "Rides" to and from are a bit different... Navy versus USAF, and they are both capable of being on their own for days at a time to do whatever the job is...
Now, I would LOVE to say that this is better, or that THAT is more efficient, but the truth is, they do the same job, in different uniforms, and we are so very, VERY blessed to have them there to do a job that most of us can't do at this stage in our lives.
Thanks Guys...