R 291945Z SEP 23
MARADMIN 502/23
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC CDI WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/2023 MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT SUMMIT/MARITIME EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE OPERATIONAL ADVISORY GROUP WRAP-UP MESSAGE//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  Situation/Mission.  The Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration conducted the Marine Unit Expeditionary (MEU) Summit and the Maritime Expeditionary Warfare Operational Advisory Group (XOAG) from 7 to 11 August 2023.
1.a.  The MEU Summit is a collaborative forum for Amphibious Ready Groups (ARG), MEU staffs, and operational headquarters to identify capability gaps, exchange best practices/lessons learned, as well as engage with higher echelon commands on evolving concepts, programs, and capabilities.
1.b.  The XOAG serves the maritime expeditionary warfare (MExW) community of interest to identify, in collaboration with the Operating Forces (OPFOR), Supporting Establishment, and relevant headquarters staffs, capability gaps in MExW and develop Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership and education, Personnel, Facilities (DOTMLPF) solutions.
2.  Execution
2.a.  MEU Summit.  Over 150 participants from the OPFOR, to include Navy and Army staffs, participated in a leveling plenary brief, and operational briefs from the MEU’s and working groups.
2.a.1.  Plenary Summary
2.a.1.a.  The MEU Summit began with introductory comments from Brigadier General (BGen) Stephen Lightfoot, Director of the Capabilities Development Directorate.  BGen Jason Morris, Director of Operations provided opening remarks followed by BGen Marcus Annibale, Director of Expeditionary Warfare (N95).  Operational briefs were provided by I Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), Marine Rotational Force – Southeast Asia, 13th, 15th, and 22nd MEU’s.
2.a.1.b.  Day two included briefs from 31st and 24th MEU’s, as well as III MEF and Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Atlantic prior to the working groups.
2.a.2.  Working Group Key Issue/End State
2.a.2.a.  Afloat C5I
2.a.2.a.1.  Key issue: Cyber and Electronic Warfare Coordination Cell (CEWCC) requirements and integration development.
2.a.2.a.1.a.  End state: Obtain concurrence on the design of CEWCC layout, infrastructure, and services for LPD 28 and future LPD hulls.
2.a.2.a.2.  Key issue: Proliferated Low Earth Orbit (PLEO) integration.
2.a.2.a.2.a.  End state: Successful integration of PLEO satellite communication systems aboard amphibious warfare ships.
2.a.2.a.2.b.  End state: Maintain interoperability as the Department of Defense (DoD) adopts PLEO and Medium Earth Orbit operations.
2.a.2.b.  Operations, Policy, and Training
2.a.2.b.1.  Key issue: The Marine Corps Order (MCO) that sets policy for the MEUs (MCO 3120.13) and the MEU Pre-deployment Training Program (PTP) (MCO 3502.3C) need to be updated.
2.a.2.b.1.a.  End state: Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps (HQMC) presents an updated policy for MEUs and MEU PTP at the next annual MEU Summit.
2.a.3.  Coordinating Instructions
2.a.3.a.  The next MEU Summit will be hosted aboard MCB Quantico, 23 to 25 April 2024.
2.a.3.b.  Quarterly updates will be provided over SVTC on 15 August, 26 October, and 1 February 2024.  Coordinating instructions will be sent to the distribution list no later than 30 days prior to the quarterly SVTCs.
2.b.  XOAG.  Over 140 participants from the OPFOR to include Navy, and Army staffs, as well as industry partners participated in leveling plenary briefs, information briefs from the Operating Forces and Supporting Establishment, and separate working groups.
2.b.1.  Plenary Summary
2.b.1.a.  The XOAG began with opening remarks from BGen Phillip Frietze, Assistant Deputy Commandant for Combat Development, and Integration, followed by precepts brief from Mr. Shon Brodie, Director of Maritime Expeditionary Warfare Division.  Capability Development Directorate, Marine Corps Center for Lessons Learned, and Operations Analysis Directorate provided level setting briefs prior to the working group sessions.
2.b.1.b.  Day two offered operational briefs from Fleet Marine Force Pacific, Fleet Marine Force Atlantic, Naval Beach Group 2, Marine Forces Central Command, and Marine Force Europe/Africa prior to the working groups going into session.
2.b.1.c.  Day three offered overview briefs from the Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Expeditionary Warfare Development Center, Army Futures Command, and Naval Surface Warfare Centers prior to out briefs from the working groups of the MEU Summit and XOAG.
2.b.2.  Working Group Key Issue/End State
2.b.2.a.  Afloat C5I
2.b.2.a.1.  Key issue: Medium Landing Ship C4 interoperability with other naval elements and joint surface platforms.
2.b.2.a.1.a.  End state: Interoperable C4 systems aboard LSM, LSV, and surface connectors with the ability to operate under a shared C2 construct.
2.b.2.a.2.  Key issue: Unmanned system development and integration.
2.b.2.a.2.a.  End state: Integration of an Expeditionary Tactical Unmanned Aerial System program of record to support the afloat MAGTF aboard amphibious warfare ships.
2.b.2.a.2.b.  End state: Ensure Marine Corps equities are accounted for in any afloat unmanned material solutions.
2.b.2.a.3.  Key issue: Afloat logistics IT/C2 architecture and system modernization.
2.b.2.a.3.a.  End state: Provide a logistics warfighting C2 architecture that ensures the integrity and availability of logistics data and provides for its secure and reliable exchange between the warfighter and the relevant combat support/combat service support agency in a timely manner.
2.b.2.a.3.b.  End state: Enable effective and efficient support to our warfighters operating in geographically dispersed, austere, contested, and communications denied/degraded environments.
2.b.2.b.  Naval Beach Group Wellness
2.b.2.b.1.  Key issue:  Naval Beach Group (NBG) manpower funded to approximately 90%; however, manning is only prioritized to meet Global Force Management MEU deployments.
2.b.2.b.1.a.  End state: Well-developed and articulated support to close the gap between manpower funding and manning levels.
2.b.2.b.2.  Key issue: Increase in SSC acquisition profile by fiscal year or investments in Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) is required to maintain ARG/MEU readiness.  Service Life Extension is necessary for LCU 1610 until LCU 1700 is delivered to meet demand.
2.b.2.b.2.a.  End state: Appropriately resourced NBG to meet GFM and future littoral maneuver requirements.
2.b.2.c.  Beach Survey Data and Planning
2.b.2.c.1.  Key issue: No central beach data repository, and outdated data requires action to support Joint Force planning, requirements development, and execution.
2.b.2.c.1.a.  End state: At the Echelon 1 level, OPNAV and HQMC will identify the requirement for updating charts to necessary detail and scale and coordinate a DoD process owner.
2.b.2.c.1.b.  End state: At the Echelon 2 level, develop repository requirements and business rules conducting and retaining beach survey data.
2.b.2.d.  Maritime Prepositioning Force to Enable Distributed Maritime Operations
2.b.2.d.1.  Key issue: Maritime prepositioning equipment and supplies are not loaded on Maritime Prepositioned Ships in an operational/combat configuration that effectively support rapid reception, staging, onward movement, and integration to support Expeditionary Advanced Base (EAB) units of action.
2.b.2.d.1.a.  End state: MPF Next Generation (MPF NEXGEN) A globally responsive, regionally aligned, operationally configured, and resilient MPF oriented to campaigning in support of EAB, crisis response, and Advanced Naval Base missions.
2.b.2.e.  Naval Support Element ARG/MEU Operations
2.b.2.e.1.  Key issue: The current amphibious force requirements based on ARG/MEU organization, manning, and equipment, was last updated in 2008.
2.b.2.e.1.a.  End state: The Future Amphibious Force Cost Benefit Analysis informed by an OPNAV N95 validated requirement for Navy support to the future amphibious force.
2.b.3.  Coordinating Instructions
2.b.3.a.  The XOAG for 2024 will be hosted aboard MCB Quantico, 13 to 15 August 2024.
2.b.3.b.  Quarterly updates will be provided over SVTC on 2 November, 8 February 2024, and 9 May 2024.  Coordinating instructions will be sent to the distribution list no later than 30 days prior to the quarterly SVTCs.
3.  Administration and Logistics.  All briefings for the MEU Summit and the XOAG are available on the Maritime Expeditionary Warfare Information Repository on the secure internet protocol router at: https:(slash)(slash)go.intelink.sgov.gov/ElzQ6zV
4.  Command and Signal
4.a.  The point of contact for the MEU Summit is Maj Nikk Davis at nicholas.r.davis@usmc.mil or (703) 784-4969.
4.b.  The point of contact for the XOAG is Mr. John Morrison at john.morrison1@usmc.mil or (703) 432-4731.
5.  Release authorized by Lieutenant General Karsten S. Heckl, Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration.//