Pentagon is thinking about sending additional Marine Expeditionary Units to Asia, military officials told the Wall Street Journal, Business Insider reported.
MEUs are Marine detachments that sail around on amphibious assault ships like the Wasp and America-class. Essentially small aircraft carriers that can carry troops, the ships are capable of waging war on land, air, and sea.
An MEU can range from 1,000-2,200 strong and deploys for around seven months — usually entirely at sea. The goal of an MEU is to provide a quick reaction force of soldiers to respond to everything from natural disasters to security threats.
Gen. Robert Neller, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, told the Journal that since MEUs are mobile, they would conduct patrols and join in training exercises with partners. "I believe the [National Defense Strategy] and other guidance requires us to adopt a more global posture and this will shape our future naval presence, especially in the Indo-Pacific region," Neller said.
