A joint exercise in the Pacific has just ended between the III Marine Expeditionary Force, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the US Navy's XNUMXth Fleet. These maneuvers are intended to fine-tune future American strategies in a possible confrontation with the Beijing armed forces in the South China Sea.
The exercise Noble fury saw assets of the 1st Marine Battalion take possession of a small airport on the Japanese island of Shima, in order to allow the landing of an MC-130J from which an M-142 rocket launcher landed Himars which fired a 227mm GMLRS-ER rocket salvo (maximum range of 150km) over enemy lines (deep nature). THE'Himars it is intended to replace most of the 777/155 mm M-39 light howitzers in the Marine artillery batteries.
The tactical act described is part of the EABO (Expeditionary Advanced Based Operations) concept, which aims to extend the attack capabilities of the Marines beyond enemy lines, overcoming the limitations imposed by naval units.
The EABO concept marries the use of relatively low-cost mobile capabilities in austere and temporary locations as integral elements of fleet operations. The operations Expeditionary can be used to place naval ISR assets, future cruise missiles for coastal defense (CDCM), anti-aircraft missiles (to counter cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as aircraft), FARP (Forward Area Refueling Point) assets ) to allow refueling of F-35s, as well as ammunition refueling teams for ships and submarines.
Once the launch was complete, the Himars was re-embarked on the MC-130J, while the Marines of the 1st Battalion were embarked on the CH-53E to be moved to another forward point of the front.
The operation Noble fury, fast and powerful, coupled with close integration with the US Navy, is seen by Marine Corps commander David Berger as the key to the Corps' ability to fight China.
In Berger's vision, the Marine Corps will be able to establish an A2 / AD bubble operating within the range of the Chinese missile defense system, denying the Chinese navy access to the sea while providing close support to the XNUMXth Fleet. of the US Navy.
Nodal point of the American tactics are the EABO operations, which would allow the Marines to occupy small islands and atolls scattered in the Pacific to set up long-range anti-ship missile positions (also cruise missiles Tomahawk), command and control centers (C2I) or even simple ports for refueling units of the VII Pacific Fleet.
Noble Fury has tested how imperative it is that the US Navy and Marine Corps work together in a scenario that could see the US take on China in a future conflict.
Photo: US Marine Corps
