Force Design Transformation: How Modern Doctrine Is Radically Changing What Marines Do
The institutional contrast between the counterinsurgency era and today's distributed maritime operations illustrates the sweeping scale of this structural reorganization:
| Operational Dimension | GWOT Era (2001, 2019) | Force Design Era (2020, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Mission | Inland counterinsurgency and sustained land combat | Maritime denial, sensor-to-shooter cueing, and EABO |
| Heavy Armor Presence | Heavy M1A1 Abrams tank companies | Zero tanks; replaced by remote missile carriers (ROGUE Fires) |
| Logistical Footprint | Massive fixed bases with daily supply convoys | Austere, dispersed teams cached with limited self-sustaining supplies |
| Primary Strike Weapon | Towed 155mm howitzers and direct airstrikes | Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) and HIMARS rocketry |
