24th Marine Expeditionary Unit takes the watch as Littoral Combat Force 24, advancing Operation Southern Spear in U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility

The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit has taken over as the tactical force-in-readiness for the U.S. Southern Command area, reorganized as Littoral Combat Force-24 and fielding more than 1,300 Marines and Sailors. Led by U.S. Marine Corps Col. Ryan Lynch, the unit operates under Joint Force Maritime Component Command and Joint Task Force 84-2 in support of Operation Southern Spear.

“The Marines and Sailors of LCF-24 are postured to execute all prescribed mission sets directed by our higher echelons of leadership; to deter the threats facing our hemisphere today,” said Col. Lynch. “Through our transition with the 22nd MEU, we have seamlessly assumed the watch. Our posture is active, our forces are integrated, and we are committed to standing as the regional security partner of choice.”

In theater, LCF-24 serves as the immediate crisis response force for U.S. Southern Command. The Marine Air-Ground Task Force is certified for quick-reaction missions that include embassy reinforcement and the tactical recovery of aircraft personnel, and it remains prepared to support disaster relief. Operating in contested coastal areas, the unit also provides options for maritime interdiction against sanctioned activities and illicit trafficking, and is tasked with disrupting networks used by designated terrorist organizations and narco-terrorists.

Unlike a standard Amphibious Ready Group/MEU deployment, LCF-24 is structured for distributed operations, leveraging shore-based nodes alongside the amphibious transport dock USS Fort Lauderdale, which is dedicated to the mission.

The deployment aligns with national defense priorities and U.S. Southern Command’s strategic objectives. “Our success in Operation Southern Spear relies on our ability to out-maneuver and overmatch the illicit networks threatening the region,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Calvert L. Worth, commanding general of II Marine Expeditionary Force. “Littoral Combat Force-24 provides the exact combination of precision capability and interoperability we need. They are not just a crisis response force; they provide options to the Combatant Commander and serve as a tool for building partner capacity and securing the advantage across all domains.”

U.S. Southern Command leaders cast the presence of LCF-24 as a deterrent to malign state actors and a reinforcement of homeland security. “The Western Hemisphere is no longer a permissive environment for narco-terrorists, criminal syndicates, or their state sponsors,” stated U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Commander of U.S. Southern Command. “With Littoral Combat Force-24 taking the helm of tactical operations, we are sending an unambiguous message: the United States is committed to defending our homeland and securing a prosperous, stable hemisphere alongside our enduring partners.”

As LCF-24 begins operations in the region, the command’s priorities include homeland defense, dismantling narco-terrorist networks, countering adversary disinformation, and reinforcing the United States’ role as a preferred security partner.