Yet more (irrelevant to WinSPMBT) craziness.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...S_launcher.jpg
I'm not the current Commandant but I fail to see how tailoring the USMC to one specific mission profile, island defense, is beneficial in the long run.
MANY have claimed the USMC has become a second (and much smaller) US Army. While they do use a lot of the same equipment (after all that's whats available/affordable) the overall emphasis the USMC places on transportability (particularly via water) has become more and more of an issue. The US Army designs it equipment/formations around what's needed to accomplish a specific mission profile, airborne, mountain, heloborne, armor, etc. but pay little to no attention to how the units/equipment will get to the fight. The US has a large ocean to cross to get anywhere (other then Canada/Mexico). It takes them months to get into the where they're needed (WWI war declared 6 Apr 1917 significant units arrive in Europe Oct 1917; WW2 7 Dec 1941 operation Torch Nov 1942; Korea invaded 25 Jun 1950 Inchon landing Sep 1950; Desert Shield/Storm Kuwait invaded 2 Aug 1990 liberated 24-28 Feb 1991).
The current USMC Commandant seems to assume little to no opposition to the deployment of his Littoral Regiments. And when the Divisions get to the battle they'll have zero armored support (rather useful for dealing with fortifications and defensive positions) and less artillery (fine IF you're near the coast AND the US Navy is nearby).
I fully expect the next Commandant (or the one after) to reverse this trend.