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Cpl. Brooks Woodhill, a transmissions systems operator, and Staff Sgt. Thomas King, a transmissions chief, both of 3rd Marine Regiment, use the Mobile User Objective System during Island Marauder 2021 Aug. 11 at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Island Marauder is an annual, Marine Corps Systems Command-led exercise enabling Marines to assess and familiarize themselves with communications gear. This year’s exercise was nested under the Navy’s Large Scale Exercise. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Ashley Calingo)

Photo by Ashley Calingo

MCSC supports LSE, tests Force Design concepts during Island Marauder 21

16 Aug 2021 | Ashley Calingo, MCSC Office of Public Affairs and Communication Marine Corps Systems Command

Marine Corps Systems Command provided support to exercise Island Marauder August 2-16 on Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Unlike previous years, Island Marauder this year was nested under the Navy’s Large Scale Exercise 21, a live, virtual and constructive, scenario-driven, globally-integrated exercise spanning 17 time zones.

During Island Marauder 21, a representative Littoral Combat Team executed objectives using existing and emerging technologies under conditions anticipated for expeditionary advanced base operations, a core concept found in the Marine Corps’ Force Design 2030. MCSC and the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab provided the technologies used and evaluated by Marines on the battlefield during the exercise.

“It’s critical we stay connected to our Marines and the operating forces to ensure the capabilities we’re providing not only meet their current needs, but will keep them ahead of any threat,” said MCSC Commander Brig. Gen. AJ Pasagian. “This is the perfect environment not only for us to solicit feedback on some of our new and emerging systems, but also assess the interoperability of those systems with our Naval partners.”

During the exercise, Marines used innovative communication equipment such as Networking On-the-Move, Marine Air-Ground Task Force Common Handheld, Target Handoff System Version 2 and more.

“We are taking fielded programs of record and providing this command and control equipment to 3rd Marine Regiment and a couple other units with whom they’re working,” said Maj. Ben Gardner, MCSC’s lead for Island Marauder 2021.

MCSC designed a series of scenarios designed to mirror real-life battlefield situations. For example, Marines will be loading a prototype NOTM system via Utility Task Vehicle onto an MV-22 Osprey from an airfield to a beach to test the equipment’s effectiveness while mobile.

The event allows the 3rd Marine Regiment, based in Hawaii, to familiarize themselves with a system they will be using in the future.

“This is the first time [3rd Marines] have used NOTM on an aircraft,” said Gardner.

MCSC collaborated with the Navy and Coast Guard to execute Island Marauder 2021. The Coast Guard provided a commissioned vessel to test interoperability among Marine Corps and Naval capabilities, a unique aspect of the exercise, said Gardner.

Island Marauder 2021 supports Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David Berger’s intention of developing a more naval force and better prepare for the expeditionary advanced base operations and the future Marine Littoral Regiment.


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