Acting Head of US Marine Corps Eyes Faster Modernization Efforts

Gen. Eric Smith, the U.S. Marine Corps acting commandant, said a flat or smaller fiscal year 2025 budget could impact his plan to speed up ongoing modernization efforts.

Smith explained during a recent Defense News conference that he aims to put weapons programs such as the Navy/Marine Corps Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System and the Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar on a faster timeline.

Such projects are being developed under Force Design 2030, a strategy to reorient the Marine Corps toward near-peer conflict in the Indo-Pacific region by overhauling operations and upgrading weapon systems. Smith contributed to the design of that plan, which was introduced by his predecessor, Gen. David Berger.

The latest update to Force Design 2030 pushes the Marines to request more funds to improve soldier infrastructure and increase mobility.

According to Smith, he would focus spending on warfighter quality-of-life enhancements if the service’s budget is constrained, likely slowing down capacity-building efforts.

Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl, deputy commandant for combat development and integration, said during the conference that he would prioritize organic precision fires and loitering munitions to support Force Design acceleration, Defense News reported Saturday.