Marines looking at deploying aboard foreign ships

Jim Michaels | USA TODAY

Faced with a shortage of U.S. Navy ships, the Marine Corps is exploring a plan to deploy its forces aboard foreign vessels to ensure they can respond quickly to global crises around Europe and western Africa.

The initiative is a stopgap way to deploy Marines aboard ships overseas until more American vessels are available, said Brig. Gen. Norman Cooling, deputy commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa.

The Marines will be able to respond quickly to evacuate embassies or protect U.S. property and citizens, a need highlighted by the 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador.

"There's no substitute for U.S. amphibious" vessels, Cooling said. "We're looking at other options" in the meantime, he added.

The Marines have been working with Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom and other close allies to determine the suitability of the foreign ships for U.S. personnel and aircraft.

The units would be designed for limited operations and not major amphibious assaults. A ground force of about 100 to 120 Marines would be deployed along with three or four Ospreys, which fly like airplanes but can take off and land like helicopters.

The U.S. Navy has 30 amphibious ships but says it needs 38 to fulfill war fighting requirements. It won't reach that level until 2028 because of budget constraints, according to the Navy.

Critics say the Navy has allowed its amphibious capabilities to decline.

"Allowing the continued atrophy of the Navy-Marine Corps team's amphibious capacity is simply not an option given the national security challenges facing the United States and its allies," said Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., a member of the Armed Services Committee, in an email statement.

Much of the Navy's current amphibious fleet is being used in the Pacific — where the U.S. military is attempting to respond to an expansionist China — and the Middle East, where it is responding to an endless series of crises.

Fighting in Ukraine and chaos in Libya have raised concerns about the need for forces who can respond quickly to events in Europe and Africa.

The U.S. has deployed land-based forces in Spain, Italy and elsewhere, which places them closer to crises in North Africa. But Marines aboard ships can usually get closer to the action and respond more quickly.

Cooling said it would likely be more than a year before agreements would be in place to allow for regular deployments of contingents of Marines on the foreign ships.

In additional to technical requirements, such as testing the ability of ships to carry U.S. aircraft and equipment, the United States would have to reach agreements separately with individuals or operate under NATO authorities.