R 271330Z NOV 17
MARADMIN 645/17
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC CDI//
SUBJ/USMC FY18 EXPERIMENT PLAN - SEA DRAGON 25 PHASE II//
POC/D. WRIGHT/COLONEL/MCWL/FD, TEL: 703-784-4542/EMAIL: DONALD.WRIGHT@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  Background.  As directed by the “2017 CMC MESSAGE TO THE FORCE - SEIZE THE INITIATIVE,” the Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration further developed the Sea Dragon 2025 (SD 25) experiment roadmap to build an expeditionary force for the 21st century.  SD 25 Phase I, which focused on the Marine Corps Force 2025 (MCF 2025) infantry battalion, concludes this fall with an assessment of experiment findings.  Phase II will initiate with the USMC FY 18 Experiment Plan, a three-year campaign (FY18-20) focused on the sequential main efforts of MAGTF hybrid logistics in FY18, information environment operations (IE Ops) in FY19, and expeditionary advance base operations (EAB Ops) in FY20.  Phase II also includes dynamic concurrent experiment efforts focused on dense urban operations, 21st century fires, an adaptive threat force, and the continuation of the Marine Corps Experiment Operational Advisory Group (EXP OAG).  Phase II experiments will continue to capitalize on emerging concepts, technologies, and MAGTF exercises at the tactical and operational levels.
2.  FY18 Hybrid Logistics Experimentation.  The Deputy Commandant for Installations and Logistics (DC, I and L) determined that the Marine Corps must adopt a “hybrid” approach to expeditionary logistics that leverages the rapid development of unmanned/autonomous logistics systems, additive manufacturing, and “smart” logistics information technologies to support a widely distributed force in an A2/AD environment as envisioned in the Marine Corps Operating Concept.  Sponsored by DC, I and L, MCWL/FD will examine the ability of the MAGTF to conduct hybrid logistics through science and technology (S and T) development, wargames and live-force experiments.  In pursuit of this effort, Combat Logistics Battalions 8 and 6 will serve as the USMC FY18 experiment forces and support live-force experiments during ITX 3-18 and NATO Exercise Trident Juncture, respectively.  Marine Corps Title 10 Wargames, Expeditionary Warrior 18 and MAGTF Warrior 18, sponsored by DC, I and L, will focus on tactical-to-strategic logistics in contested environments.  Additionally EX MED 18 will focus on the medical support in these same environments.  Each of the other eight wargames on the schedule will include some aspects of logistics, but not as a focus area.  Finally, tactical wargames conducted by the Ellis Group will include logistics at the small unit level.  MCWL/FD POCs are:  S and T - Maj Robert Taylor (robert.l.taylor9@usmc.mil), Wargames – Major Lee Stuckey (lee.stuckey@usmc.mil), and Experiments – Major Stephen Schull (stephen.shull@usmc.mil).
3.  FY19 Information Environment Operations.  Through MCF 2025 and the recently released IE Ops Concept of Employment, the Marine Corps established a new structure and methodology for IE Ops that impacts future MAGTF operations across all domains.  Sponsored by the Deputy Commandant for Information, Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration, and Information Warfare Integration Division, Capabilities Development Directorate, MCWL/FD will stress and test the ability of the MAGTF to conduct IE Ops through S and T development, wargames in FY18, and live-force experiments in FY19.  MCWL POCs are:  S and T – Major Jeffery Persons (jeffrey.persons@usmc.mil), Wargames – Lieutenant Colonel Andre Salvanera (andre.salvanera@usmc.mil), and Experiments – Mr. R.J. Colson (randall.colson.ctr@usmc.mil).
4.  FY20 Expeditionary Advance Base Operations.  FY18 and FY19 wargames and S and T efforts will continue to identify innovative technologies, operational challenges, and solutions which will inform concept development and implementation at the operational and tactical levels.  The scheduled release of the EABO concept early CY 18 will provide the functional EABO experiment objectives which will drive FY 20 experiment design and live-force testing.  In concert with the release of the EABO concept, FY18 and FY19 research and observation will leverage MAGTF exercises to refine final experiment focus areas for live-force events in FY20.  MCWL POCs are:  S and T – Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Reilly (kevin.reilly@usmc.mil), Wargames – Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Zinni (anthony.zinni@usmc.mil), and Experiments – Mr. Kevin McCarthy (kevin.j.mccarthy1@usmc.mil).
5.  Dense Urban Operations.  This effort commences with the identification of innovative technologies and methodologies which will be demonstrated during the Dense Urban Advanced Naval Technology Experiment (DU ANTX) scheduled for March 2018 at Camp Pendleton.  Selected technologies from the DU ANTX will be further refined for inclusion in FY19 experiments with the potential for inclusion in FY 20 efforts.  MCWL/FD POCs are:  Ellis Group - Major Lawrence Pion (lawrence.pion@usmc.mil), S and T – Captain Michael Malandra (michael.malandra@usmc.mil), Experiments - Lieutenant Colonel Dan Schmitt (daniel.a.schmitt@usmc.mil).
6.  21st Century Fires.  The MOC describes a number of thrust areas related to improving the ability of our forces to provide responsive and effective fires.  Included is the need to develop new capabilities to support the maritime commander in a naval campaign.  MAGTFs, to MEF-level, need more responsive, networked fires, delivered more rapidly and precisely and operational tactics that disadvantage our adversaries.  In order to achieve these aims, MCWL will focus on enhancing fires effects, lethal and non-lethal, as well as autonomous delivery systems.  Guided by the GCE Fires Study conducted by OAD and the new Fires functional concept, this effort will execute a research phase through FY18 with the intent of incorporating elements into experiments during FY19 and FY20.  MCWL/FD POCs are:  S and T - Captain Matthew Cornacchio (matthew.cornachio@usmc.mil), Experiments - Mr. Kevin McCarthy (kevin.j.mccarthy1@usmc.mil).
7.  Adaptive threat force is a dynamic line of experimentation to develop and implement relevant and realistic adversary threats for wargames, live-force experiments, and operating force training events.  MCWL POC is Lieutenant Colonel Dan Schmitt (daniel.a.schmitt@usmc.mil).
8.  In addition to the above lines of effort, MCWL/FD will host an annual Science Technology and Experiment OAG, with quarterly experiment specific working groups to coordinate, synchronize, and discuss experiment efforts across the Marine Corps.  The ST AND E OAG and experiment working groups will also collaborate and integrate with Navy Future Fleet Design experiment efforts when appropriate.  The next ST and E OAG is scheduled for 22-26 January 2018 in Camp Pendleton, CA.  MCWL/FD POC is Mr. Kris Stillings (kris.stillings@usmc.mil).
9.  SD 25 PH II and MCF 2025 must be Service-wide efforts to ensure their success.  Innovative ideas and suggestions from all ranks are encouraged.  Contact the POCs in this MARADMIN with your input.
10.  MCWL POC for SD 25 is Colonel Donald Wright, G-3, MCWL/FD 703-432-0499.
11.  Release authorized by Lieutenant General Robert S. Walsh, Deputy Commandant, Combat Development and Integration//