On the day that he assumed the office as the 31st
Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC), General Charles C. Krulak published his
Commandant’s Planning Guidance (CPG) as a keystone document to provide a road
map for the future. One of the
Commandant’s key objectives was to “encourage - to demand - creativity and
innovation in the Corps.”[1] CMC later named this campaign of innovation
“Sea Dragon” after a Chinese proverb equating change with a dragon – a beast
too dangerous to ignore but too powerful to control. To survive and prosper the Chinese believed
that one must ride the dragon and CMC believed that as soldiers of the sea the
Corps must harness and ride the sea dragon of change.[2] For the CMC, “Sea Dragon was not one
particular innovation or idea, but rather a commitment to innovation.” [3]
As a catalyst for this effort, his CPG
directed the establishment of a Warfighting Lab “as the crucible for
operational and technological innovation for the Marine Corps.”[4] Tasked as the innovation “cradle and test
bed,” the Commandant’s Warfighting Lab (CWL) would be responsible for the “development,
field testing, and implementation of future operational and functional
concepts, potential doctrinal, organizational, training, educational, and
support solutions” and the integration of new technologies.[5] The CWL became operational on 1 October 1995
and even before it was formally dedicated in December 1995 the small team of
innovators that formed the CWL was already planning several major events. On 4 and 5 December 1995, the CWL conducted
the first of what would eventually number into the hundreds of wargames, with
senior Marine leadership participating in a Traders’ Game on the floor of the
New York Mercantile Exchange.[6] In the fall of 1996, an experimental
Special Purpose MAGTF (SPMAGTF(X))
was added to the CWL and in March of the
following year, the CWL conducted the first live force experiment in the desert
of 29 Palms California as part of the “HUNTER WARRIOR” campaign. The HUNTER WARRIOR series of
experiments was designed to assess concepts centered on dispersed small units
operating under a centralized and digital C2 structure. Later
that year, the CWL was renamed as the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab (MCWL).[7]
The HUNTER WARRIOR campaign
gave way to URBAN WARRIOR, a campaign of experiments designed to increase the
lethality, survivability and effectiveness of small units up to Battalion Task
Force in complex urban settings across the range of military operations. The URBAN WARRIOR series of experiments
resulted in the fielding of many emerging technologies such as the Rifleman’s
Combat Optic (RCO),the Personal Role Radio, biometric devices, multiple ISR
capabilities (Dragoneye, Wasp and Raven) and the Designated Marksman Rifle.
The organization of MCWL has continually evolved with its mission and
functions. The Commanding Officer
became a Commanding General and the Vice Chief of Naval Research at the Office
of Naval Research as well as the Marine Corps’ Executive Agent for Science and
Technology (S&T). After September
11, 2001, MCWL increased support for engaged Marine forces in Afghanistan and
Iraq. New technologies, new Tactics,
Techniques and Procedures and new concepts were developed, tested, and fielded
to meet emerging needs. Support to the
Counter Improvised Explosive Device effort was increased and MCWL added a
division for this critical function.
As the
campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan matured, MCWL was called upon to employ their
well developed urban training capabilities to conceive and create MATILDA
VILLAGE, providing a mission rehearsal venue for 21 Infantry Battalion Task
Forces, as well as allied and partnered forces. Each battalion experienced a
rigorous, live force on force event with a full complement of combined arms to
include armor and aviation in direct support, with a complex adversary and
neutral role player force employing real time lessons from theater. MATILDA
VILLAGE was transitioned to TECOM resulting in the current urban ITX events at
MCAGCC 29 Palms.
Increasing support for combat operations did not slow the
pace of experimentation and S&T to develop future capabilities and in 2004, MCWL began in earnest the DISTRIBUTED OPERATIONS
(DO)experiment, which was the result of concept based study of all previous
experiments and became the first “cradle to grave” experiment. During DO, MCWL received, trained and
experimented with a cohesive unit, and then deployed the unit to combat to
record results and modify concepts against an adaptive enemy. The DO experiment resulted in such concepts
as the Company Level Intelligence Cell (CLIC), the Company Level Operations
Cell (CLOC), the COMBAT HUNTER program, and the “DO Suite” which provided a
significant upgrade to Infantry Battalion’s communications and lethality
capabilities. Follow-on’s to the decade long series of experimental campaigns in Distributed
Operations include Enhanced Company Operations and Enhanced Marine Air Ground Task
Force Operations.
In
2013 MCWL became a part of the newly formed Futures Directorate under the
Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration. MCWL/FD is made up of five Divisions, Futures
Assessment, Concepts and Plans, Wargaming, Science and Technology, and
Experiment. MCWL/FD conducts “horizon
scanning” to detect early indications of significant futures change and
develops new concepts of operation and employment for naval and Marine Corps’ capabilities. The Lab crafts wargames and experiments that
examine various aspects of military issues by integrating potential warfighting
concepts and concepts of operations with existing doctrine. It also harnesses the latest technology
emerging from the S&T community to provide potential technology solutions
to fill emerging or forecast future needs.
The output of the command’s efforts informs the Marine Corps Force
Development System and help to define requirements to enhance warfighting
capabilities.
The Lab is now keenly focused on Expeditionary
Force 21, the Marine Corps’ current concept of how Marines will operate in the
future. Expeditionary Force 21 serves as
a guide for experimentation, force development activities, and programming
decisions.
In this, its twentieth year, even though the
organization has changed, the heart of its mission is as clear as ever – shape
tomorrow’s Marine Corps. Over the next
year the Lab’s Marines, sailors, and civilians will look to future operating
environments for ways to shape the force.
They will explore new operating concepts, the application and employment
of manned and unmanned systems, innovative expeditionary medical concepts, and
continue to collaborate with industry and sister services. MCWL/FD
continues to develop and experiment with innovative and creative concepts and
technologies to prepare the Marine Corps for challenges forseen in the future
security environment. Beginning with
forecasting and futures analysis, to concept development, Science and
Technology integration, wargaming and ultimately live force experimentation and
assessment, the vision for the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab remains as relevant
and valid today as it was twenty years ago.
The legacy of Sea Dragon lives on in the
original command logo while the Futures Directorate logo shows that we will
forever be mindful of the future as Marines stand ready for the challenge of
tomorrow.
[1] Krulak, Charles C. Marine Corps Gazette; Aug 1995; 79, 8;
pg.A1
[2] Krulak, Charles C. Marine Corps Gazette; Jan 1996; 80, 1;
pg 18
[3] Krulak, Charles C. Marine Corps Gazette, Dec 1996; 80, 12;
pg. 12
[4] Krulak, Charles C. Marine Corps Gazette; Aug 1995; 79, 8;
pg.A1