The inclusion of the Medium Landing Ship in the fiscal year 2025 shipbuilding request is a major win for the Marine Corps, which faced significant amphibious shipbuilding cuts last year.
Gen. Eric Smith will become the first Marine in at least 100 years to have the title "acting commandant."
The most recent Force Design 2030 update directed service brass to establish the new recon battalions later this year.
The Marine Corps' top officer spent part of his week at the Modern Day Marine exposition giving some of his last talks as the commandant.
Lawmakers' add has been expected based on the bipartisan chorus of support for a bigger amphib fleet, but it remains a big win for the Marine Corps.
Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl, the Marine Corps' top requirements officer, predicted Force Design 2030 would only be accelerated if Gen. Eric Smith is confirmed as the new top Marine.
An infantryman and a fierce advocate for Force Design 2030, Gen. Eric Smith has been widely viewed as the most likely candidate to be the next Marine Corps Commandant.
"There comes a point where there’s so many combatant commanders and so many service chiefs that I wonder at what point does the secretary of defense have a span of control where… getting to a decision and getting the right perspectives on the table becomes really difficult," the Marine Corps leader said.
The full-throated support by Armed Services Committee lawmakers could foreshadow Force Design 2030's future when its biggest proponent leaves the Marine Corps.
LPD-32 was at the center of an unusual public dispute between two service chiefs during a Washington, DC event in March.
In separate hearings, two senators - both from North Dakota - pressed Pentagon brass about training issues and use case for the MQ-9 Reaper.
Maj. Gen. Jay Bargeron, commanding general of 3rd Marine Division, told Breaking Defense the recent exercise was an “inflection point” for his command.
The new document, the first update since 1997, says Russia's failure to establish competent logistics have been a "major factor" to why it has failed to achieve its objectives in Ukraine.
“I just mentioned we haven’t put the [third] ship on contract yet. The line is already running behind,” CNO Adm. Michael Gilday said.
In comments to Breaking Defense, a Marine Corps spokesman forcefully pushed back against the new budget request’s failure to seek new amphibious warships.