Headquarters Marine Corps Aviation released the 2025 Marine Corps Aviation Plan, outlining a strategic framework that balances responding to today’s crises with modernizing Marine Aviation to ensure the Corps is prepared for tomorrow’s fight. The plan focuses on key areas of transformation, including technological advancements, expeditionary mobility, sustainment, and total force integration. This plan is a roadmap to enhancing operational readiness and ensuring Marine Aviation remains a lethal force in support of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) throughout the spectrum from competition to conflict.
The Aviation Plan introduces Project Eagle, a modernization strategy that prioritizes Distributed Aviation Operations (DAO) and Decision-Centric Aviation Operations (DCAO) to maintain operational effectiveness in contested environments. By fully embracing cutting-edge technologies such as AI-driven decision-making software, autonomous systems, advanced digital command and control capabilities, unmanned systems, and manned-unmanned teaming, the Marine Corps will be better positioned to operate in increasingly complex and dynamic theaters of operation.
“We are committed to shaping a future aviation force that is ready, resilient, and capable of rapidly responding to emerging threats, wherever they may arise,” said Col. Derek Brannon, Branch Head for the Cunningham Group, Headquarters Marine Corps Aviation. “Project Eagle builds on the progress we’ve made, and it prepares us to embrace technological innovation while ensuring we can deliver combat power across all domains.”
The 2025 plan underscores additional key priorities, including:
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Aviation Readiness: Ensuring Marine Aviation remains poised to respond to any crisis at a moment’s notice, with the readiness to deploy rapidly and provide immediate support when the nation calls.
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Enhanced Expeditionary Mobility: Strengthening the Marine Corps’ ability to operate from austere, distributed locations through the modernization of platforms like the MV-22B Osprey, CH-53K King Stallion, and KC-130J Hercules, ensuring agile mobility and support for maritime and littoral operations.
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Modernizing Aviation Logistics: Modernizing sustainment practices to ensure readiness in contested environments through the creation of Maintenance Operations Centers, streamlined supply chain reforms, and enhanced aviation logistics packages. These innovations will better support DAO and MAGTF operations while improving sustainment across the force.
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Marine Air Command and Control System (MACCS) Modernization: Transforming air command and control capabilities with advanced technologies like the TPS-80 radar and Ground-Based Air Defense Systems. The integration of regional air defense concepts will support Expeditionary Advance Base Operations (EABO) and enhance digital interoperability for joint and coalition operations.
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Total Force Integration: Strengthening collaboration between active-duty and reserve forces, particularly through the integration of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, to enhance operational flexibility, sustainment, and warfighting readiness across the total force.
These advancements solidify Marine Aviation’s role as an indispensable force within the MAGTF, ensuring it remains agile, lethal, and fully integrated with the Joint Force, partners, and allies.
“Through continued modernization and an unwavering commitment to current readiness, Marine Aviation is prepared to support the MAGTF through competition to conflict,” said Lt. Gen. Bradford Gering, Deputy Commandant for Aviation. “The 2025 Aviation Plan demonstrates our resolute dedication to maintaining operational superiority and ensuring we are always ready to project force, wherever and whenever needed.”
As Marine Aviation transitions into a new era, the 2025 Aviation Plan is a bold declaration of the Corps’ commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and unmatched warfighting capability.
To learn more about the 2025 Marine Corps Aviation Plan: https://www.aviation.marines.mil/
