Gen.: Marines need more amphibs

The Marine Corps wouldn’t be able to successfully go into a contested maritime mission requirement with the number of amphibious ships the Navy currently has, Lt. Gen. David Berger, head of Marines’ Combat Development Command, told lawmakers March 26. The Navy had 19 amphibs ready to sail this week, he indicated, leaving about a third pierside. "The force we have this afternoon,” Berger claimed, “will not” allow us to compete in that environment “to the degree we need it to." Berger was nominated this week to serve as the next Commandant of the Marine Corps. Navy leaders are facing lawmakers this week after its FY 2020 budget request didn't include funding requests for amphibs. Vice Adm. William Merz, deputy CNO for warfare systems, said the Navy is committed to accelerating the building of the amphib fleet. "We see no amphibious ship request, no amphibious connectors," said House Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.). "So there's some concern about where we're going to be with the necessary capability in the Navy for Marine Corps operations." The tense Asia-Pacific region is a “maritime theater and ... we have a Marine Corps that comes from the sea," Marine Commandant Gen. Robert Neller has said. "But we can't come from the sea if I don't have a way to get underway." (Source: Military.com 03/27/19)