Marines Considering 3 Littoral Regiments for the Indo-Pacific - USNI News

As the Marine Corps reorganizes to prepare for a potential conflict with China, the service is considering three new Marine Littoral Regiments for its campaign of land warfare in the Indo-Pacific.

The service is shedding its heavier equipment so it can operate between expeditionary bases on islands in the Pacific to support the fleet. Part of the force design initiative is standing up a new unit, known as a Marine Littoral Regiment, which will likely have 1,800 to 2,000 sailors and Marines. The unit will feature a Littoral Combat Team, a Littoral Anti-Air Battalion and a Littoral Logistics Battalion, USNI News previously reported.

Brig. Gen. Benjamin Watson, the commanding general of the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab, recently said the service plans to have the first regiment, which will be based in Hawaii, reach initial operational capability in Fiscal Year 2023.