Flood the Zone: III Marine Expeditionary Force’s Mobility Mandate

The III Marine Expeditionary Force, America's key deterrent in the Indo-Pacific, is critically hampered by a lack of adequate mobility resources. Its ability to move relies on an improvised mix of limited C-130J aircraft, a single high-speed transport ship, and a patchwork of chartered vessels. These crucial surface mobility platforms are not permanent programs and face looming funding cliffs, threatening to leave the force strategically stranded. This gap transforms credible deterrence into hollow promises, jeopardizing the ability to rapidly support allies and prevent conflict in a volatile region.