MILNET: Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF)
The concept is built around the amphibious assault ships such as the U.S.S. Guam which house troops, support, vehicles and helicopters in order to move men and equipment into position.
The U.S. Marine Corps organizes three Maritime Prepositioned Squadrons (MPS), for instance, MPS 2 is at Diego Garcia in the Mediterannean, and MPS3 in located in Guam.
Each squadron consists of tanks, food, fuel, ammunition, water, and spare parts to support a 17,300 Marine force in combat or a disaster relief operation for up to 30 days. The force can off load either at sea or in-port, with support for Marines in even the most primitive conditions.
The normal mode of operation would be to fly into a reasonably secure area and link up with prepositioned equipment and supplies. The MEU can also modify that operation to offload a limited set of equipment from their MEU stores, and fixed wing aircraft could self deploy by flying into airstrips in the area. Helicopters would be sealifted, assembled and then fly into to airstrips or aid in the offload process. And of course special operations missions can be mounted from LHDs such as the U.S.S. Wasp LHD-1, allowing for rapid ingress to combat area with both transport and gunships.
A Marine Expeditionary Unit -- MEU -- embarked aboard a Wasp class LHD includes Harrier II jumpjets, various types of helicopters, three LCACs and 1900 troops. Starting in 1998, the LPD will come online with the LPD 17, providing for additional helicopter and air cushion craft operations.
An Amphibious Ready Group consists of three ambibious support ships such as a Amphibous Assault Ship (LPH, LHD or LHA), an Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD), and a Dock Landing Ship (LSD) which together field some 33 helicopters, six to eight AV-8B Harrier II jumpjets, and up to 3200 Marines.
