Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 (HMH-461) Brings the King Stallion to the Force

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07/18/2025

By Robbin Laird

Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 (HMH-461) at MCAS New River, North Carolina plays the foundational role in introducing the CH-53K King Stallion into Marine Corps operational service.

Their operational expertise directly informs the ongoing transition of additional Marine Corps squadrons to the King Stallion.

Here is a chronological outline of their key activities since the CH-53K achieved Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in April 2022.

  1. Transition to CH-53K and Initial Flights (January–April 2022)

January 2022: HMH-461 officially redesignated as the first operational fleet squadron for the CH-53K, transitioning from the CH-53E Super Stallion at a ceremony at MCAS New River.

April 13, 2022: HMH-461 conducts its first operational squadron flight with the CH-53K at New River, marking the beginning of routine operations and establishing IOC.

  1. Training & Exercise Expansion (Spring–Summer 2022)

April–August 2022: The squadron began sustained training flights and intensive crew/maintenance proficiency development out of New River.

August 2–24, 2022: HMH-461 deployed three CH-53K helicopters for their first major Marine exercise outside North Carolina, at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. This exercise focused on high-altitude, hot-weather operations, external lifts of Light Armored Vehicles (LAVs), and demonstrated the helicopter’s substantial lift capability and performance in diverse conditions.

  1. Operational Testing and Capability Demonstrations (2022–2023)

Following its Idaho deployment, the squadron further supported test and evaluation events, proving the King Stallion’s operational range, heavy-lift capabilities, and advanced flight control systems.

HMH-461 continued refining pilot and crew skills, supporting regular mission training, equipment transport exercises, and integrating with broader Marine Corps aviation planning.

  1. Continued Training and Fleet Integration (2023–2025)

April 2023: CH-53K crews from HMH-461 participated in training at the Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range near El Centro, California, further testing heavy lift and desert operations.

2024–2025: The squadron has increasingly participated in joint support operations, helicopter support team training at areas like Camp Lejeune and MAWTS-1, and maintenance/operational lessons supporting the CH-53K’s wider fleet transition, with ongoing advanced training characterized as “critical for long-term support” of the platform.

The engagement in WTIs at MAWTS-1 is especially significant as this new core USMC asset becomes integrated into the evolving approach of the “fight tonight” force.

The slide show below shows its recent engagement at sea with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) which are seen in July 2025 underway executing Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), which tests the amphibious ready group’s ability to deliver combat power wherever the nation’s leadership requires, and is informed by U.S. Navy Fleet Commander requirements and assessment of ongoing operations around the globe.

More to come for sure.

Here is an AI generated image which gets it almost right, but the wrong logo for the squadron!

The Coming of the CH-53K : A New Capability for the Distributed Force

ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 10, 2025) Sailors and Marines onboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) await launch and recovery operations on the flight deck. The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) are underway executing Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), which tests the amphibious ready group’s ability to deliver combat power wherever the nation’s leadership requires, and is informed by U.S. Navy Fleet Commander requirements and assessment of ongoing operations around the globe. COMPTUEX is the Department of the Navy’s commitment to deliver highly capable, integrated naval forces to promote our nation’s prosperity and security, deter aggression and provide tailorable options to our nation’s leaders. COMPTUEX also allows the Navy to assess all aspects of prior readiness generation activities, which provides leaders information needed for process and resource allocation decisions for future warfighting development. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Savannah L. Hardesty)
ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 10, 2025) Marine Corps Sgt. Austin Dison, from Anchorage, Alaska, exits a CH-53 Super Stallion, assigned to the “Thunder Chickens” of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, to supervise the chock and chain crew during flight operations. The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) are underway executing Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), which tests the amphibious ready group’s ability to deliver combat power wherever the nation’s leadership requires, and is informed by U.S. Navy Fleet Commander requirements and assessment of ongoing operations around the globe. COMPTUEX is the Department of the Navy’s commitment to deliver highly capable, integrated naval forces to promote our nation’s prosperity and security, deter aggression and provide tailorable options to our nation’s leaders. COMPTUEX also allows the Navy to assess all aspects of prior readiness generation activities, which provides leaders information needed for process and resource allocation decisions for future warfighting development. (U.S. Navy video by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Savannah L. Hardesty)
ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 10, 2025) Marines exit a CH-53 Super Stallion, assigned to the “Thunder Chickens” of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, embark the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7). The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) are underway executing Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), which tests the amphibious ready group’s ability to deliver combat power wherever the nation’s leadership requires, and is informed by U.S. Navy Fleet Commander requirements and assessment of ongoing operations around the globe. COMPTUEX is the Department of the Navy’s commitment to deliver highly capable, integrated naval forces to promote our nation’s prosperity and security, deter aggression and provide tailorable options to our nation’s leaders. COMPTUEX also allows the Navy to assess all aspects of prior readiness generation activities, which provides leaders information needed for process and resource allocation decisions for future warfighting development. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Savannah L. Hardesty)
ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 10, 2025) Airman Jacob Nunez (left), from San Antonio, Texas, and Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuels) Kaizer Garcia, from Manila, Philippines, fuel an MH-60S Seahawk assigned to the “Chargers” of Helicopter Combat Squadron (HSC) 26, during flight operations. The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) are underway executing Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), which tests the amphibious ready group’s ability to deliver combat power wherever the nation’s leadership requires, and is informed by U.S. Navy Fleet Commander requirements and assessment of ongoing operations around the globe. COMPTUEX is the Department of the Navy’s commitment to deliver highly capable, integrated naval forces to promote our nation’s prosperity and security, deter aggression and provide tailorable options to our nation’s leaders. COMPTUEX also allows the Navy to assess all aspects of prior readiness generation activities, which provides leaders information needed for process and resource allocation decisions for future warfighting development. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Savannah L. Hardesty)
ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 10, 2025) Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Alex Jakowlew, from Jacksonville, Florida, assigned to the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) supervises flight deck operations following the recovery of a CH-53K King Stallion, assigned to the Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 461. The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) are underway executing Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), which tests the amphibious ready group’s ability to deliver combat power wherever the nation’s leadership requires, and is informed by U.S. Navy Fleet Commander requirements and assessment of ongoing operations around the globe. COMPTUEX is the Department of the Navy’s commitment to deliver highly capable, integrated naval forces to promote our nation’s prosperity and security, deter aggression and provide tailorable options to our nation’s leaders. COMPTUEX also allows the Navy to assess all aspects of prior readiness generation activities, which provides leaders information needed for process and resource allocation decisions for future warfighting development. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Savannah L. Hardesty)
ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 10, 2025) Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Alex Jakowlew, from Jacksonville, Florida, assigned to the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) directs a CH-53K King Stallion, assigned to the Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH 461), to land during flight operations during COMPTUEX. The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 22nd MEU are underway executing Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), which tests the amphibious ready group’s ability to deliver combat power wherever the nation’s leadership requires, and is informed by U.S. Navy Fleet Commander requirements and assessment of ongoing operations around the globe. COMPTUEX is the Department of the Navy’s commitment to deliver highly capable, integrated naval forces to promote our nation’s prosperity and security, deter aggression and provide tailorable options to our nation’s leaders. COMPTUEX also allows the Navy to assess all aspects of prior readiness generation activities, which provides leaders information needed for process and resource allocation decisions for future warfighting development. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Savannah L. Hardesty)
ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 10, 2025) Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Alex Jakowlew, from Jacksonville, Florida, assigned to the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) directs a CH-53K King Stallion, assigned to the Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 461, for a landing on the flight deck . The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) are underway executing Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), which tests the amphibious ready group’s ability to deliver combat power wherever the nation’s leadership requires, and is informed by U.S. Navy Fleet Commander requirements and assessment of ongoing operations around the globe. COMPTUEX is the Department of the Navy’s commitment to deliver highly capable, integrated naval forces to promote our nation’s prosperity and security, deter aggression and provide tailorable options to our nation’s leaders. COMPTUEX also allows the Navy to assess all aspects of prior readiness generation activities, which provides leaders information needed for process and resource allocation decisions for future warfighting development. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Savannah L. Hardesty)

Advanced Motorized Operations Course : King Stallion Brings News Capabilities to the Fight

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A U.S. Marine Corps CH-53 King Stallion aircraft assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, executes an external lift of Humvee during an Advanced Motorized Operations Course as part of Integrated Training Exercise 1-25 at Training Area Lava, Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Jan. 23, 2025.

AMOC tests the MAGTF’s ability to sustain operations in a contested environment by integrating ground, aviation, and logistics capabilities to ensure mission success. Through realistic scenarios and decentralized decision-making, ITX provides Marines the venue to enhance their lethality by empowering leaders at every level to adapt, communicate, and execute in dynamic environments.

TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA

01.23.2025

Photo by Lance Cpl. Richard PerezGarcia 

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center

U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 7, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, prepare their vehicles during an Advanced Motorized Operations Course as part of Integrated Training Exercise 1-25 at Training Area Lava, Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Jan. 23, 2025. AMOC tests the MAGTF's ability to sustain operations in a contested environment by integrating ground, aviation, and logistics capabilities to ensure mission success. Through realistic scenarios and decentralized decision-making, ITX provides Marines the venue to enhance their lethality by empowering leaders at every level to adapt, communicate, and execute in dynamic environments. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Richard PerezGarcia)
U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Aidan Jones, a Kansas City, Missouri native, combat graphics specialist with Communication Strategy and Operations, Marine Air-Ground Task Force Training Command, Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, takes video of CH-53 King Stallion aircrafts assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, flying over the training area during an Advanced Motorized Operations Course as part of Integrated Training Exercise 1-25 at Training Area Lava, MCAGCC, Twentynine Palms, California, Jan. 23, 2025. AMOC tests the MAGTF's ability to sustain operations in a contested environment by integrating ground, aviation, and logistics capabilities to ensure mission success. Through realistic scenarios and decentralized decision-making, ITX provides Marines the venue to enhance their lethality by empowering leaders at every level to adapt, communicate, and execute in dynamic environments. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Richard PerezGarcia)
A U.S. Marine Corps CH-53 King Stallion aircraft assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, executes an external lift of Humvee during an Advanced Motorized Operations Course as part of Integrated Training Exercise 1-25 at Training Area Lava, Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Jan. 23, 2025. AMOC tests the MAGTF's ability to sustain operations in a contested environment by integrating ground, aviation, and logistics capabilities to ensure mission success. Through realistic scenarios and decentralized decision-making, ITX provides Marines the venue to enhance their lethality by empowering leaders at every level to adapt, communicate, and execute in dynamic environments. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Richard PerezGarcia)
A U.S. Marine Corps CH-53 King Stallion aircraft assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, executes an external lift Humvee during an Advanced Motorized Operations Course as part of Integrated Training Exercise 1-25 at Training Area Lava, Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Jan. 23, 2025. AMOC tests the MAGTF's ability to sustain operations in a contested environment by integrating ground, aviation, and logistics capabilities to ensure mission success. Through realistic scenarios and decentralized decision-making, ITX provides Marines the venue to enhance their lethality by empowering leaders at every level to adapt, communicate, and execute in dynamic environments. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Richard PerezGarcia)
A U.S. Marine Corps CH-53 King Stallion aircraft assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, executes an external lift of Humvee during an Advanced Motorized Operations Course as part of Integrated Training Exercise 1-25 at Training Area Lava, Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Jan. 23, 2025. AMOC tests the MAGTF's ability to sustain operations in a contested environment by integrating ground, aviation, and logistics capabilities to ensure mission success. Through realistic scenarios and decentralized decision-making, ITX provides Marines the venue to enhance their lethality by empowering leaders at every level to adapt, communicate, and execute in dynamic environments. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Richard PerezGarcia)

Putin’s War Economy: How Ukraine’s Invasion Became a Tool for Domestic Control

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on Putin’s War Economy: How Ukraine’s Invasion Became a Tool for Domestic Control
07/17/2025

Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has fundamentally transformed Russia into a war economy, but not in the way many initially expected. Rather than serving merely as a means to achieve territorial conquest, the prolonged conflict has evolved into something far more strategically valuable for Putin: a mechanism for consolidating domestic power and tightening his grip on Russian society.

Putin’s war has reshaped Russia into a state where power is more centralized, the economy is subjugated to military priorities, and society is expected to tolerate greater hardship. The strategic logic of the war now anchors regime survival itself, making any transition to peace extraordinarily complex and fraught with risk. A more granular look at social and economic data, consideration of counterpoints, and awareness of international dynamics only deepen the sense of Russia’s current predicament.

The war’s failure to achieve its initial objectives or the rapid subjugation of Ukraine has created an unexpected political dividend for Putin. By channeling resources away from oligarchs and forcing the population to accept a lower standard of living to fund the war machine, Putin has managed to centralize economic control to an unprecedented degree. The security services have been strengthened and expanded, ostensibly to manage the war economy but effectively to control every aspect of Russian life.

This transformation reveals a crucial paradox: military setbacks on the battlefield have translated into political victories at home. The war economy justifies increased state surveillance, provides a nationalist rallying point that suppresses dissent, and allows Putin to redistribute resources from potential rivals to his security apparatus. What began as an external campaign has become an internal consolidation project.

The war economy has created its own logic of perpetuation. Ending the conflict would not simply return Russia to its pre-2022 status quo but it would potentially unravel the entire power structure that Putin has constructed around the war effort. The centralized control over resources, the expanded security services, and the heightened state of national mobilization all depend on the continuation of the conflict.

This creates a fundamental disincentive for peace that goes beyond traditional military or territorial calculations. For Putin, the war has become less about conquering Ukraine and more about maintaining his position within Russia. The conflict provides ongoing justification for authoritarian measures that might otherwise provoke resistance from the population or elite circles.

This analysis raises the most pressing question facing international diplomacy: is there an off-ramp that would actually interest Putin?

Any viable peace agreement would need to somehow preserve or even enhance his domestic position rather than simply address territorial disputes or security guarantees. Traditional diplomatic approaches that focus solely on military and territorial concessions may be fundamentally insufficient because they ignore the domestic political utility that the war provides.

The challenge becomes even more complex when considering that Putin may view any peace agreement as potentially destabilizing to his rule. If the war economy has become integral to his power structure, then peace itself represents a threat to regime survival. This suggests that ending the conflict may require addressing not just the external dimensions of the war, but also finding ways to preserve Putin’s domestic position without the need for ongoing military mobilization.

Understanding the war economy as a tool of domestic control has profound implications for how the international community approaches the conflict. Economic sanctions, military aid to Ukraine, and diplomatic pressure all take on different meanings when viewed through this lens. The goal cannot simply be to make the war too costly for Russia to continue, but rather to create conditions where peace becomes more valuable to Putin’s domestic position than continued conflict.

This might involve considering what alternative sources of legitimacy and control could replace the war economy, or what external pressures might eventually make the costs of militarization outweigh its domestic political benefits. It also suggests that any lasting resolution will require thinking beyond immediate military outcomes to address the underlying political dynamics that have made the war so valuable to Putin’s continued rule.

The transformation of Russia into a war economy represents one of the most significant developments in contemporary geopolitics, not just for its impact on the conflict in Ukraine, but for what it reveals about how modern authoritarian leaders can weaponize external conflicts for internal control. Until this dynamic is fully understood and addressed, the prospects for sustainable peace remain limited.

 

 

U.S.-Philippines Military Cooperation: Fast Boat Bases and Unmanned Systems Contribute to South China Sea Strategy

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on U.S.-Philippines Military Cooperation: Fast Boat Bases and Unmanned Systems Contribute to South China Sea Strategy
07/16/2025

As tensions in the South China Sea reach new heights, the United States and Philippines are dramatically expanding their military cooperation through a combination of new infrastructure projects and cutting-edge unmanned systems.

The United States plans to fund and construct a facility capable of hosting watercraft and assault boats on the western coast of Palawan, strategically positioned to support Manila’s operations in the disputed South China Sea. The base, located in the municipality of Quezon just 160 miles east of the flashpoint Second Thomas Shoal, represents a significant escalation in U.S.-Philippine military cooperation.

The facility is designed to support at least five vessels, including rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) and assault boats manufactured by Oregon-based Reconcraft, a company specializing in military and law enforcement small boats. The strategic positioning allows for rapid deployment, with plans requiring watercraft to be launched within 15 minutes to meet “rapid deployment readiness” objectives.

This development is crucial for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which has predominantly relied on Naval Detachment Oyster Bay to stage patrols and resupply missions to scattered outposts in the disputed waters. The new western coast facility will provide faster access to Manila’s Spratly Islands outposts compared to more developed eastern ports.

The fast boat base is part of a larger pattern of U.S. military infrastructure investments in the Philippines. Simultaneously, the U.S. is upgrading Naval Detachment Oyster Bay with a $1-5 million boat repair facility specifically designed to support both manned and unmanned surface vessels. This facility will include maintenance capabilities for 11.6-meter (38-foot) vessels, equipped with electrical, air conditioning, and support systems suitable for unmanned platforms.

The expansion occurs within the framework of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which has grown from five to nine Philippine military bases accessible to U.S. forces. The new bases are strategically located in northern Philippines (facing Taiwan), southern areas, and Palawan near the South China Sea.

A cornerstone of the expanded cooperation is the Maritime Security Consortium, launched in November 2024 as a public-private initiative managed by the Defense Innovation Unit, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. The program provides up to $95 million annually in funding for unmanned systems to Southeast Asian countries, with the Philippines as a key recipient.

The Consortium uses joint exercises like Balikatan to demonstrate and deliver systems to partner countries, representing a new model for rapidly deploying advanced military technology to allied nations facing maritime security challenges.

Philippine Unmanned Surface Vessel Capabilities

The Philippines has received several unmanned surface vessels from the U.S., marking a significant technological advancement for the Philippine Navy:

  • MANTAS T-12 Systems: Four 12-foot (3.6-meter) all-electric systems capable of carrying up to 140 pounds (64 kg) of payload and achieving burst speeds of 30+ knots. These represent MARTAC’s most popular system, equipped with advanced propulsion and designed for long duty cycles performing “dull, dirty and dangerous” missions.
  • Devil Ray T-38 System: One 38-foot (11.1-meter) medium USV with a maximum payload capacity of 4,000 pounds (1,814 kg). The T-38 can achieve burst speeds of 70-100+ knots and is based on a high-performance dual sponson platform with multiple world records for speed and stability.
  • Philippine Navy USV Unit: The Philippine Navy formally established an Unmanned Surface Vessel Unit in 2024, with Vice Admiral Toribio Adaci stating its primary role is to improve Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and maritime domain awareness. The unit is based in Subic Bay and was first revealed during the Asia Defense and Security Exhibition.

During a November 2024 demonstration observed by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Philippine Navy USVs were shown equipped with autonomous navigation, ISR payloads, and communication systems with over-the-horizon and line-of-sight capabilities. The USVs use Starlink terminals provided by SpaceX for real-time data transfer and remote operation.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin discussed the existence of “Task Force Ayungin” which is a U.S. military unit stationed in the Philippines. Named after the Philippine designation for Second Thomas Shoal, the task force was officially established in mid-2024 following the June 17 violent clash between Chinese and Philippine forces.

The task force provides technical assistance for Philippine USV operations and is based in Palawan, operating within the Command and Control Fusion Center at Western Command. According to AFP officials, “US troops in Palawan provide technical assistance through the information-sharing group within the Command and Control Fusion Center in Western Command. This support enhances our capability in maritime domain awareness.”

Importantly, U.S. officials have clarified that while the task force provides training and intelligence support, actual missions in the West Philippine Sea remain “purely Philippine operations.”

The military cooperation expansion comes amid severely deteriorating China-Philippines relations. The June 17, 2024 incident at Second Thomas Shoal was particularly serious, with Chinese Coast Guard vessels ramming Philippine boats, resulting in a Filipino sailor losing his finger.

Chinese tactics shifted in 2024 toward more aggressive “use of force,” including physical contact between ships and deployment of water cannons, lasers, and handheld tools against Philippine vessels and personnel. Tensions have continued into 2025, with China deploying its massive “monster ship” (165-meter vessel 5901) to Scarborough Shoal in January.

The developments represent a significant escalation in U.S.-Philippine military cooperation, directly responding to China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the South China Sea.

The combination of new infrastructure, advanced unmanned systems, and embedded U.S. training personnel creates a comprehensive framework for enhanced maritime domain awareness and rapid response capabilities.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth highlighted unmanned surface vessel operations during his 2025 visit to Manila, and the Philippines is expected to receive many more platforms through the $500 million Foreign Military Financing program announced in July 2024. The 2025 Joint Vision Statement on U.S.-Philippine Defense Industrial Cooperation identified unmanned systems, ship maintenance, and logistics as priority areas for collaboration, aligned with the Philippines’ Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) Revitalization Act.

The U.S.-Philippines military cooperation represents a paradigm shift in how allied nations can rapidly deploy advanced military capabilities to address emerging security challenges.

The combination of strategically positioned infrastructure, cutting-edge unmanned systems, and embedded training support creates a comprehensive deterrent framework while maintaining the Philippines’ operational sovereignty.

As China continues its assertive maritime campaign, these developments signal a new phase in South China Sea dynamics, where technological advantages and allied cooperation may prove more decisive than traditional force-on-force confrontations.

The success of this model could serve as a blueprint for similar partnerships throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

Featured image is a composite of the U.S. and Philippine flags created by an AI system.

A Paradigm Shift in Maritime Operations: Autonomous Systems and Their Impact

Iron Fist 25

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Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members prepare to land in V-22 Ospreys assigned to 108th Aviation, Transport Aviation Group, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025.

Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.

The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region.

JGSDF CAMP AINOURA, NAGASAKI, JAPAN

02.23.2025

Photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews 

31st Marine Expeditionary Unit        

U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, taxi the runway in U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Vice-Camp Takayubaru, Kumamoto, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, takeoff in U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Vice-Camp Takayubaru, Kumamoto, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, transport in U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, above Kumamoto, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, transport in U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, above Kumamoto, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, transport in a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, off the coast of Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, transport in a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, off the coast of Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, stage U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Quentin Kennell, a tiltrotor crew chief, MV-22, with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, center, briefs Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members with 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, prior to embark of U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. Kennell is a native of California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Quentin Kennell, a tiltrotor crew chief, MV-22, with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, center, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members with 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, prepare to embark U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. Kennell is a native of California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Quentin Kennell, a tiltrotor crew chief, MV-22, with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, right, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members with 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, prepare to embark U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. Kennell is a native of California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members with 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, embark a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members with 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, embark a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members with 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, takeoff in a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members with 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, prepare to land in V-22 Ospreys assigned to 108th Aviation, Transport Aviation Group, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members prepare to land in V-22 Ospreys assigned to 108th Aviation, Transport Aviation Group, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members prepare to land in V-22 Ospreys assigned to 108th Aviation, Transport Aviation Group, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members stage V-22 Ospreys assigned to 108th Aviation, Transport Aviation Group, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members with 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, prepare to embark V-22 Ospreys assigned to 108th Aviation, Transport Aviation Group, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members observe the takeoff of V-22 Ospreys assigned to 108th Aviation, Transport Aviation Group, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members observe the takeoff of V-22 Ospreys assigned to 108th Aviation, Transport Aviation Group, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members prepare to land in a V-22 Osprey assigned to 108th Aviation, Transport Aviation Group, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members with 108th Aviation, Transport Aviation Group, stage a V-22 Osprey assigned to 108th Aviation, Transport Aviation Group, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members prepare to land in CH-47 Chinook helicopters assigned to 1st Helicopter Brigade, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members with 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, prepare to embark high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles onto CH-47 Chinook helicopters assigned to 1st Helicopter Brigade, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members stage CH-47 Chinook helicopters assigned to 1st Helicopter Brigade, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members with 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, embark a high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle onto a CH-47 Chinook helicopter assigned to 1st Helicopter Brigade, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members takeoff in a CH-47 Chinook helicopter assigned to 1st Helicopter Brigade, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members with 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, approach a landing zone in U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members with 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, prepare to land U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members with 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, disembark an U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members with 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, post security during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, takeoff in U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, above Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, transport in a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, off the coast of Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, transport in a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey assigned to VMM-262 (Rein.), during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, off the coast of Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members prepare to land in V-22 Ospreys assigned to 108th Aviation, Transport Aviation Group, during a bilateral insert exercise in support of Iron Fist 25, at JGSDF Vice-Camp Takayubaru, Kumamoto, Japan, Feb. 23, 2025. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tyler Andrews)

Marines Break New Ground in Anti-Submarine Warfare During Atlantic Alliance 2025 Exercise

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on Marines Break New Ground in Anti-Submarine Warfare During Atlantic Alliance 2025 Exercise
07/14/2025

In a significant demonstration of evolving naval warfare doctrine, U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162 successfully integrated into anti-submarine warfare operations during Atlantic Alliance 2025, marking a significant evolution in how the Navy-Marine Corps team approaches undersea threats.

The exercise, conducted at the Surface Combat Systems Center on Wallops Island, Virginia, represents the culmination of experimental efforts that began during Fleet Battle Problem 2024, where Marine Corps units first stepped into the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) fight as part of operational fleet exercises.

Atlantic Alliance 2025 is the premier naval integration exercise on the East Coast, bringing together 8,500 sailors, Marines, and allied personnel in what officials describe as the largest amphibious exercise in the Western Atlantic in over a decade. The exercise, spanning from North Carolina to Maine and running from June 27 to July 15, 2025, featured over 25 U.S. Navy and Marine Corps units operating alongside Dutch naval forces and British Royal Commandos.

The multinational effort included forces from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Canada, with participation from major naval vessels including USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), USS New York (LPD 21), USS Normandy (CG 60), HNLMS Johan de Witt (L801), HMCS Montreal (FFH 336), and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Mason (DDG 87), USS Ross (DDG 71), and USS Gonzalez (DDG 66).

The most significant development emerging from Atlantic Alliance 2025 was the integration of Marine Corps capabilities into the Theater Undersea Warfare Commander (TUSWC) architecture, supporting Commander, Submarine Group TWO (COMSUBGRU2) in anti-submarine operations.

At the tactical level, Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys from VMM-162 delivered A-size sonobuoys to support undersea capabilities, leveraging the aircraft’s unique speed, range, and lift capacity to complement traditional ASW platforms including the P-8A Poseidon and MH-60R Seahawk.

“The Osprey’s unique capabilities as a tiltrotor aircraft allow it to excel within the framework of distributed aviation operations and expeditionary advanced base operations,” explained Major Sean T. Penczak, executive officer of VMM-162. “Its ability to cover long ranges with a payload comparable to the P-8, while maximizing time on station for time-critical tasking, has made it highly effective in the anti-submarine warfare arena — demonstrating its versatility and value as emerging threats continue to evolve.”

The successful integration represents a fundamental shift in naval thinking about undersea warfare capabilities. Navy Captain Bill Howey, director of maritime operations for COMSUBGRU2, emphasized the significance of this evolution: “We’re past the question of whether the Marine Corps can contribute to ASW. Now we’re refining how they contribute and then integrating that into the fleet playbook.”

Colonel James C. Derrick, commanding officer of Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 26, reflected on the rapid doctrinal change: “A few years ago, the idea of Marines flying ASW missions might have raised eyebrows. Now we’re doing it as part of the plan, using the Osprey’s unique capabilities to help enable naval maneuver.”

Marine forces are developing expanded roles in the ASW fight through capabilities in expeditionary command and control, distributed sensing, and sensor employment. This emerging role enhances the reach and resiliency of the TUSWC architecture, which traditionally centered around destroyers, fast-attack submarines, maritime patrol aircraft, and rotary-wing platforms, supported by allied contributions.

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) contributed to the exercise by supporting automated sonar processing and sensor command and control tools, enabling Marine Corps systems to contribute to real-time undersea warfare.

The exercise leveraged the sophisticated capabilities of the Surface Combat Systems Center at Wallops Island, a facility uniquely positioned on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The center, with its mission to provide live integrated warfare systems in a maritime environment for fleet operations, testing, evaluation, training, research and development, provided an ideal testing ground for these innovative concepts.

First opened in 1985 as a U.S. Navy AEGIS Land-Based Test Site, the facility has grown to include Ship Self Defense and advanced combat system capabilities, making it perfectly suited for complex multi-domain exercises like Atlantic Alliance 2025.

The exercise strengthened interoperability across the Navy-Marine Corps team and allied forces while improving readiness in amphibious operations, expeditionary advanced base operations, and littoral operations in contested environments. Rear Admiral George Pastoor, Commander of the Netherlands Maritime Forces, highlighted the international significance: “AA25 has prepared us for future NATO exercises. Our integration with U.S., U.K. and Canadian forces ensures a stronger maritime response and directly impacts the stability of the entire Atlantic.”

Vice Admiral Doug Perry, Commander of U.S. 2nd Fleet, emphasized the comprehensive nature of the training: “From small tactical unit movements that employed our sailors and marines swimming offshore with UUVs, to composite Naval Maneuver in Anti-Submarine, amphibious and strike warfare, we demonstrated the interoperable warfighting lethality essential to Euro-Atlantic security.”

The successful integration of Marine Corps capabilities into anti-submarine warfare operations during Atlantic Alliance 2025 represents more than tactical innovation. It signals a fundamental reimagining of naval warfare doctrine. As Captain Howey noted, “The Navy-Marine Corps team is no longer splitting the fight above and below the surface. The undersea domain is a naval problem, and it’s being met with a naval solution.”

This exercise demonstrates how emerging threats and evolving operational concepts are driving innovation across the naval services, creating new capabilities that enhance the effectiveness and reach of undersea warfare operations in contested environments.

For an earlier discussion with George Pastoor, see the following:

The Way Ahead After Bold Alligator 2012: A Coalition Perspective

The following sources were used in generating the quotations in the article:

TUSWC Integrates Marine Corps into Undersea Operations During Atlantic Alliance 2025

Atlantic Alliance 2025: largest Western Atlantic amphibious exercise boosts allied maritime integration

USFF AND MARFORCOM WILL CONDUCT ATLANTIC ALLIANCE 2025

U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162, conduct preflight checks on an MV-22B Osprey at Surface Combat Systems Center Wallops Island, Virginia, July 2, 2025. II Marine Expeditionary Force and U.S. Second Fleet, along with NATO Allies from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, are conducting Atlantic Alliance 2025 (AA25). AA25 is the premier East Coast naval integration exercise, taking place along the eastern seaboard from North Carolina to Maine and focusing on the unique amphibious capabilities offered by the Navy-Marine Corps team. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Orlanys Diaz Figueroa)
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Richard Ochoa, from Arizona, and a transmissions system operator with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162, provides radio communication during a flight near Surface Combat Systems Center Wallops Island, Virginia, July 2, 2025. II Marine Expeditionary Force and U.S. Second Fleet, along with NATO Allies from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, are conducting Atlantic Alliance 2025 (AA25). AA25 is the premier East Coast naval integration exercise, taking place along the eastern seaboard from North Carolina to Maine and focusing on the unique amphibious capabilities offered by the Navy-Marine Corps team. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Orlanys Diaz Figueroa)
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Cael Okeefe, from Minnesota, and a crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162, drops sono buoys out the back of an MV-22B Osprey during a flight near Surface Combat Systems Center Wallops Island, Virginia, July 2, 2025. II Marine Expeditionary Force and U.S. Second Fleet, along with NATO Allies from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, are conducting Atlantic Alliance 2025 (AA25). AA25 is the premier East Coast naval integration exercise, taking place along the eastern seaboard from North Carolina to Maine and focusing on the unique amphibious capabilities offered by the Navy-Marine Corps team. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Orlanys Diaz Figueroa)
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Victor Estes, from Alabama, and a crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162, drops sono buoys out the back of an MV-22B Osprey during a flight near Surface Combat Systems Center Wallops Island, Virginia, July 2, 2025. II Marine Expeditionary Force and U.S. Second Fleet, along with NATO Allies from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, are conducting Atlantic Alliance 2025 (AA25). AA25 is the premier East Coast naval integration exercise, taking place along the eastern seaboard from North Carolina to Maine and focusing on the unique amphibious capabilities offered by the Navy-Marine Corps team. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Orlanys Diaz Figueroa)
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Victor Estes, from Alabama, and a crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162, drops sono buoys out the back of an MV-22B Osprey during a flight near Surface Combat Systems Center Wallops Island, Virginia, July 2, 2025. II Marine Expeditionary Force and U.S. Second Fleet, along with NATO Allies from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, are conducting Atlantic Alliance 2025 (AA25). AA25 is the premier East Coast naval integration exercise, taking place along the eastern seaboard from North Carolina to Maine and focusing on the unique amphibious capabilities offered by the Navy-Marine Corps team. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Orlanys Diaz Figueroa)

Raid Training During Realististic Urban Training (RUT) Exercise

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on Raid Training During Realististic Urban Training (RUT) Exercise

A U.S. Marine V-22 Osprey with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) prepares to land during a raid for realistic urban training (RUT) in Lynchburg, Virginia, Mar. 19, 2025.

RUT, an exercise hosted by Expeditionary Operations Training Group (EOTG), is comprised of different training scenarios that enable the 22nd MEU to train as a cohesive Marine Air-Ground Task Force. EOTG trains II Marine Expeditionary Force units in preparation for upcoming deployments in support of geographic combatant commands.

LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA

03.19.2025

Photo by Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin 

II Marine Expeditionary Force    

A U.S. Marine CH-53 Sea Stallion with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) prepares to land during a raid for realistic urban training (RUT) in Lynchburg, Virginia, Mar. 19, 2025. RUT, an exercise hosted by Expeditionary Operations Training Group (EOTG), is comprised of different training scenarios that enable the 22nd MEU to train as a cohesive Marine Air-Ground Task Force. EOTG trains II Marine Expeditionary Force units in preparation for upcoming deployments in support of geographic combatant commands. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin)
A U.S. Marine with II Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), Expeditionary Operations Training Group (EOTG), observes Marines with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) during a raid for realistic urban training (RUT) in Lynchburg, Virginia, Mar. 19, 2025. RUT, an exercise hosted by EOTG, is comprised of different training scenarios that enable the 22nd MEU to train as a cohesive Marine Air-Ground Task Force. EOTG trains II MEF units in preparation for upcoming deployments in support of geographic combatant commands. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin)
U.S. Marines with Marine Forces Special Operations Command conduct a raid during realistic urban training (RUT) in Lynchburg, Virginia, Mar. 19, 2025. RUT, an exercise hosted by Expeditionary Operations Training Group (EOTG), is comprised of different training scenarios that enable the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit to train as a cohesive Marine Air-Ground Task Force. EOTG trains II Marine Expeditionary Force units in preparation for upcoming deployments in support of geographic combatant commands. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin)
A U.S. Marine V-22 Osprey with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) prepares to land during a raid for realistic urban training (RUT) in Lynchburg, Virginia, Mar. 19, 2025. RUT, an exercise hosted by Expeditionary Operations Training Group (EOTG), is comprised of different training scenarios that enable the 22nd MEU to train as a cohesive Marine Air-Ground Task Force. EOTG trains II Marine Expeditionary Force units in preparation for upcoming deployments in support of geographic combatant commands. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin)
U.S. Marines with Maritime Special Purpose Force, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), engage simulated combatants during a raid for realistic urban training (RUT) in Lynchburg, Virginia, Mar. 19, 2025. RUT, an exercise hosted by Expeditionary Operations Training Group (EOTG), is comprised of different training scenarios that enable the 22nd MEU to train as a cohesive Marine Air-Ground Task Force. EOTG trains II Marine Expeditionary Force units in preparation for upcoming deployments in support of geographic combatant commands. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin)
A U.S. Marine UH-1Y Venom with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) prepares to land during a raid for realistic urban training (RUT) in Lynchburg, Virginia, Mar. 19, 2025. RUT, an exercise hosted by Expeditionary Operations Training Group (EOTG), is comprised of different training scenarios that enable the 22nd MEU to train as a cohesive Marine Air-Ground Task Force. EOTG trains II Marine Expeditionary Force units in preparation for upcoming deployments in support of geographic combatant commands. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin)
U.S. Marines with Marine Forces Special Operations Command conduct a raid during realistic urban training (RUT) in Lynchburg, Virginia, Mar. 19, 2025. RUT, an exercise hosted by Expeditionary Operations Training Group (EOTG), is comprised of different training scenarios that enable the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit to train as a cohesive Marine Air-Ground Task Force. EOTG trains II Marine Expeditionary Force units in preparation for upcoming deployments in support of geographic combatant commands. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin)
U.S. Marines and Sailors with Maritime Special Purpose Force, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), evacuate a simulated casualty during a raid for realistic urban training (RUT) in Lynchburg, Virginia, Mar. 19, 2025. RUT, an exercise hosted by Expeditionary Operations Training Group (EOTG), is comprised of different training scenarios that enable the 22nd MEU to train as a cohesive Marine Air-Ground Task Force. EOTG trains II Marine Expeditionary Force units in preparation for upcoming deployments in support of geographic combatant commands. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin)
U.S. Marines with Maritime Special Purpose Force, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), provide security during a raid for realistic urban training (RUT) in Lynchburg, Virginia, Mar. 19, 2025. RUT, an exercise hosted by Expeditionary Operations Training Group (EOTG), is comprised of different training scenarios that enable the 22nd MEU to train as a cohesive Marine Air-Ground Task Force. EOTG trains II Marine Expeditionary Force units in preparation for upcoming deployments in support of geographic combatant commands. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin)

VMM-162 in Anti-submarine Warfare Exercise

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on VMM-162 in Anti-submarine Warfare Exercise
07/13/2025

U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162 transport Marines with Company C, 1st Battalion 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division, during Atlantic Alliance 2025 at Pickerel Pond, Maine, July 10, 2025

In a groundbreaking demonstration of evolving naval warfare doctrine, U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162 successfully integrated into anti-submarine warfare operations during Atlantic Alliance 2025, marking a significant shift in how the Navy-Marine Corps team approaches undersea threats.

Atlantic Alliance 2025 (AA25) is the premier East Coast naval integration exercise, featuring over 25 U.S. Navy and Marine Corps units alongside Dutch naval forces and British Royal Commandos. Spanning from North Carolina to Maine,

AA25 showcasde a range of dynamic events including force integration, air assault operations, bilateral reconnaissance, naval strait transits, amphibious assault training, and a simulated war-at-sea exercise.

WALLOPS ISLAND, VIRGINIA

07.02.2025

Video by Lance Cpl. Orlanys Diaz Figueroa 

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing