MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- The Marine Corps administratively redesignated the 3rd Marine Regiment to the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment in a ceremony here today.
The occasion marks the establishment of the first MLR in the Marine Corps.
The redesignation of this storied regiment is an important chapter in Marine Corps history and builds on its reputation as a versatile, agile, and lethal warfighting organization.
“Marines on the leading edge of change is nothing new,” said Maj. Gen. Jay Bargeron, commanding general of 3rd Marine Division. “Adapting and overcoming challenge is part of our history and a critical component of our maneuver warfare philosophy. Marines have always been at the forefront of change when required, generating innovative solutions to challenging operational problems.”
While the 3rd MLR is not envisioned to be fully operational for several years, its establishment demonstrates progress in the Marine Corps’ Force Design 2030 modernization effort.
The administrative redesignation to the 3rd MLR sets key personnel in place and allows the unit to manage existing facilities and equipment previously managed by the 3rd Marine Regiment. The redesignation also facilitates wargaming and experimentation to better define unit requirements and employment concepts in support of the Marine Corps’ Force Design 2030 modernization goals.
“The MLR will be optimized for conducting Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations in support of the joint force, with allies and partners, in austere and distributed maritime environments,” said Bargeron. “We are honing our capabilities to integrate and coordinate joint and combined fires and effects, extending the reach of and providing more options to our forces.”
As designed, the 3rd MLR is comprised of a headquarters element and three subordinate commands. These subordinate commands are the 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion, which activated
Feb. 11; the Combat Logistics Battalion 3; and the Littoral Combat Team 3. The latter two units will formally align or activate under the MLR in the coming months.
The MLR is tailored to integrate with naval forces and serve as a key enabler for joint forces, allies, and partners. Its low signature in the electromagnetic spectrum will help the MLR remain difficult to detect, allowing it to function within range of the adversary’s weapons systems. From there, the MLR will integrate communications, sensor networks, and weapons systems to strengthen joint kill webs and increase the joint force’s ability to detect and target adversary forces. These actions will complicate an adversary’s decision-making process while providing additional options for friendly forces. Further details of how the MLR will operate are still in development and will continue to be informed by experimentation.
“When our partners and allies need us, we will be ready,” said Bargeron. “This redesignation reflects the Corps’ continued effort to ensure that Marines remain capable of fighting and winning on the battlefields of the future.”