Littoral warfare

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RHIB deployed from a US Navy destroyer operating in a littoral area Us navy rhib.jpg
RHIB deployed from a US Navy destroyer operating in a littoral area

In military and naval warfare, littoral warfare is operations in and around the littoral zone, within a certain distance of shore, including surveillance, mine-clearing and support for landing operations and other types of combat shifting from water to ground, and back.

Contents

Definition

Littoral warfare is warfare in and around the littoral zone. [1]

History

Littoral warfare has been conducted almost as long as human societies have been conducting warfare. [1]

In the 21st century the United States Marine Corps re-emphasized littoral warfare. [2]

See also

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USS <i>Fort Worth</i> Freedom-class littoral combat ship of the US Navy

USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) is a Freedom-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy. She is the first ship to be named after Fort Worth, Texas, the 13th-largest city in the United States.

USS <i>Coronado</i> (LCS-4) Independence-class littoral combat ship

USS Coronado (LCS-4) is an Independence-class littoral combat ship. She is the third ship of the United States Navy to be named after Coronado, California.

USS <i>Little Rock</i> (LCS-9) Freedom-class littoral combat ship of the US Navy

USS Little Rock (LCS-9) is a Freedom-class littoral combat ship (LCS) of the United States Navy. She is the second ship named after Little Rock, the capital city of Arkansas.

Future Commando Force Modernisation programme and future model for British Royal Marines

The Future Commando Force (FCF) is an in-progress modernisation programme and model of the future role and operations of the Royal Marines. The FCF essentially retasks 40 Commando and 45 Commando with implementing the infantry component of two Littoral Response Groups (LRGs), though other units from 3 Commando Brigade are also included in the composition of LRGs, as well as changing the role and operations of the Royal Marines and the equipment and tactics they use. The FCF concept was created before 2019, when the first exercises and experiments with the FCF began. It was reinforced in the Ministry of Defence command paper Defence in a Competitive Age, which followed the Integrated Review. It describes the Royal Marines as a forward-deployed maritime special operations/special operations capable force which will work with greater agility and autonomy, and in smaller teams that specialise in raids within littoral zones, and operations within grey zones and other special operations to relieve and complement United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF). The emphasis on the littoral role of the Royal Marines strongly links the FCF to the Littoral Strike concept, which is being developed and implemented by the LRGs. The FCF is also strongly linked to the "Autonomous Advanced Force" concept by its emphasis on leveraging new technologies to augment commandos on operations. A series of exercises from 2019–present have been key to developing the FCF, chiefly with experimentation.

References

  1. 1 2 Vego, Milan. "On Littoral Warfare". digital-commons.usnwc.edu. Naval War College Review. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  2. Stashwick, Steven. "U.S. Marines Planning Three Specialized Units for Island Fighting". thediplomat.com. The Diplomat. Retrieved 6 March 2021.