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from https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/04/u-s-marine-corps-trials-unmanned-logistics-concepts-in-the-indo-pacific/

Deeply ingrained into my Marine Corps soul is the memory of
the Marines that landed on Guadalcanal, then had the navy
transport ships sail away before unloading over half their
artillery and most of their supplies.
I also deeply remember a Staff Sergeant describe the
helpless feeling he had laying on a Cuban beach, while
all the ships sailed away (Jerk shit JFK said yes, then
chickened out and pulled the plug!!).

Home -+ U.S. Marine Corps Trials Unmanned Logistics Concepts in the Indo-Pacific

GE Aerospace
U.S. Marine Corps Trials Unmanned Logistics Concepts in the Indo-Pacific Published on 25/04/2025
By Carter Johnston

The U.S. Marine Corps has deployed unmanned surface vessels (USV) to
Japan as part of a larger push to bring unmanned logistics systems to
the Indo-Pacific. The USVs, developed by Leidos, are capable of
supplying distributed forces in contested environments by leveraging a
design similar to narco-subs.

Naval News had the opportunity to break down exactly what the USVs are offering during an exclusive interview with Jeff Holmes of Leidos at the
Navy LeaguerCOs Sea Air Space 2025 conference in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

Leidos had two USVs on display on the show floor. The Autonomous
Low-Profile Vessel (ALPV), also known as Sea Specter, and the Small
Unmanned Surface Vehicle (SUAV), also known as Sea Archer, an internally developed USV designed for high speeds. Both are being offered as
logistics platforms for contested environments, taking two opposite
approaches to maneuvering under fire.


Both USVs on display at Sea Air Space 2025. Screen capture from Naval
News interview. The Sea Archer is shown in the foreground, with Sea
Specter in the background. Both vessels have low observable features.
According to Holmes, the Sea Specter is a rCylow and slowrCO vessel. It is designed from the ground up to be difficult to spot both visually and on radar. Sea Specter can make a trip from Guam to anywhere in the first
island chain on one tank of gas. Sea Archer, on the other hand, is a
high speed vessel that can sit higher up on the water. Leidos is still
working to integrate full autonomy onto Sea Archer, with demonstrations expected this year.

rCLSea Specter is designed for contested logistics. ItrCOs specifically developed to be hard to see. You hide in plain sight.rCY

Jeff Holmes, Leidos
Both USVs are in late stage trials, with the Sea Specter (AUSV) in early operational use with the U.S. Marine Corps in the Indo-Pacific. There
are two AUSVs deployed in the U.S. Marine Corps today, one in the
Pacific and one in the Atlantic. Holmes emphasized the utility of both
AUSVs during the interview.


A Sea Archer / AUSV in sea trials. Screen capture from video provided to
Naval News by Leidos.
rCLThe [AUSV] was so easy to use, [the Marines] taught a cook how to
operate it in 24 hours. The Marines are very pleased with it.rCY

Jeff Holmes, Leidos
The smaller and faster platform, Sea Archer, has completed all builderrCOs trials and is now in late stage testing of autonomous systems. According
to Holmes, Leidos is interested in adding mission modules to add
lethality to each USV. Testing of an enhanced lethality payload on the
Sea Archer is planned for this summer.

rCLThererCOs an awful lot we can do with different mission systems. WerCOre looking to integrate some of those payloads onto the vessel this summer
for demonstrations.rCY

Jeff Holmes, Leidos
Current Status of Deployed AUSVs
One prototype AUSV, rCO65LP2202rC#, has been in testing since January 2024 when it sailed from Norfolk, Virginia to San Diego, California for
preliminary testing. Combat Logistics Battalion 12, 3d Marine Logistics
Group, based in California, received training on the system in June of
the same year, prior to its transfer to Japan.


An Autonomous Low-Profile Vessel is offloaded from the HOS Resolution, a
Stern Landing Vessel at the Naha Port Facility, Okinawa, Japan, Oct. 8,
2024. The ALPV will be testing the ability to deliver various supplies
and equipment to Marines in contested areas, allowing Marines to be more sustainable, resilient and survivable. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff
Sgt. Megan Roses)
It was delivered to Okinawa-based Combat Logistics Battalion 31 of the
31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in October 2024. The 12th Littoral
Logistics Battalion received familiarization training on the vessel in
January 2025. The first operational tests of the AUSV were conducted in
early April.


U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine
Expeditionary Unit, transfer cargo onto a Join Light Tactical Vehicle utilizing the Autonomous Low-Profile Vessel at Kin Red Training Area,
Okinawa, Japan, Apr. 9, 2025. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl.
Skilah Sanchez)
Another prototype AUSV, rCO65LP2201rC#, was first used in familiarization training at Camp Lejeune in April with 2nd Distribution Support
Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group.

A third prototype is set to be delivered by the end of the month,
according to Holmes.

Tags
USMC, USV
Picture of Carter Johnston
Carter Johnston
Carter Johnston a freshman at George Washington University's Elliott
School for International Affairs in the Class of 2028. He is based in Washington, D.C. and Chicago, Illinois. His interests include shipyard infrastructure in the United States, ongoing modernization efforts of
the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, and the politics that lead to their
success domestically and globally.


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From Newsgroup: soc.history.war.misc

"a425couple" wrote in message news:VAOPP.2578081$2zn8.430664@fx15.iad...

from https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/04/u-s-marine-corps-trials-unmanned-logistics-concepts-in-the-indo-pacific/

Deeply ingrained into my Marine Corps soul is the memory of
the Marines that landed on Guadalcanal, then had the navy
transport ships sail away before unloading over half their
artillery and most of their supplies.
------------------------------

That was partly a result of the combined depression and post-WW1 antiwar sentiment cutting military spending to the bare minimum. When Europe and
Japan rattled sabers and disavowed naval arms limitations the Navy chose to assign their still limited funds to building the longest lead time ships first, assuming that if/when war came they would gain the ability to produce the smaller, shorter lead time vessels and have a complete force ready to accompany the new battleships and carriers. The planners in Germany and
Japan expected to be ready for war on about the same timetable as we did, closer to the mid 40's, but the leaderships of both jumped the gun, hoping
for victory with what they already had before the US could tool up to out produce them. In WW1 we had been very slow to respond to military demands. https://naval-encyclopedia.com/ww2/us/north-carolina-class-battleships.php

During Guadalcanal the Navy was critically low on big gun warships that
could oppose the IJN at night, when carriers were useless and vulnerable.
The fast heavy hitters were still being built. Amply demonstrated Japanese naval competence, their relatively close base at Rabaul, and Admiral Ghormley's pessimism and reluctance combined to make the Navy wary of
risking combat losses. https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/1992/december/nailed-colors-mast

And their fears were justified. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Savo_Island

"The Japanese attack prompted the remaining Allied warships and the
amphibious force to withdraw earlier than planned (before unloading all
their supplies), temporarily ceding control of the seas around Guadalcanal
to the Japanese. This early withdrawal of the fleet left the Allied ground forces (primarily United States Marines), which had landed on Guadalcanal
and nearby islands only two days before, in a precarious situation with limited supplies, equipment, and food to hold their beachhead."

The campaign became a continual swap of control between US aircraft in
daytime and Japanese warships at night, until finally the battleship USS Washington won a deciding night duel. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/second-naval-battle-guadalcanal

The revised score of a remarkable 20 hits is based on a recent analysis, the battle report's estimate was much lower. Many near misses called as splashes penetrated underwater and one crippled steering. Radar and computer
controlled US gunnery proved itself.

jsw

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"a425couple" wrote in message news:VAOPP.2578081$2zn8.430664@fx15.iad...

Home -+ U.S. Marine Corps Trials Unmanned Logistics Concepts in the Indo-Pacific

-----------------------------------

Biden's failed Gaza pier demonstrated that we still have problems supplying
a beach head, in that case a relatively unopposed one. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_floating_pier

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From Newsgroup: soc.history.war.misc

"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message news:vuomd3$2727$1@dont-email.me...

"a425couple" wrote in message news:VAOPP.2578081$2zn8.430664@fx15.iad...

from https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/04/u-s-marine-corps-trials-unmanned-logistics-concepts-in-the-indo-pacific/

Deeply ingrained into my Marine Corps soul is the memory of
the Marines that landed on Guadalcanal, then had the navy
transport ships sail away before unloading over half their
artillery and most of their supplies.
------------------------------

"The Japanese attack prompted the remaining Allied warships and the
amphibious force to withdraw earlier than planned (before unloading all
their supplies), temporarily ceding control of the seas around Guadalcanal
to the Japanese. This early withdrawal of the fleet left the Allied ground forces (primarily United States Marines), which had landed on Guadalcanal
and nearby islands only two days before, in a precarious situation with
limited supplies, equipment, and food to hold their beachhead."

-------------------------------------

Due to the high risk and losses from Japanese warships and US aircraft subsequent resupply on both sides was by destroyers used as fast transports. The Marines on Guadalcanal lacked heavy unloading equipment and a harbor and hadn't been able to unload all the initial supplies, which were stored in
the ships for space efficiency instead of sequence of need. Previous Marine landings had been at seaports, Veracruz, Port-au-Prince, Cap Haitien etc.
Pan Am had already built facilities on Midway and Wake. At Guadalcanal they needed extra supplies to construct an airfield as well as the usual ones to survive and fight. At least they had the captured Japanese food supply.

https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/director/directors-corner/h-grams/h-gram-010/h-010-1.html

The lessons were obvious and quickly rectified with more accessible Combat Loading and proper beach landing craft.

https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2019/november/shoestring-logistics-lessons-guadalcanal

"What often is forgotten, however, is the speed and effectiveness of the NavyrCOs response. During the crucial month of August 1942, the Navy reacted with an expeditionary logistics capability significantly faster than its Japanese adversaries."

On New Guinea where my father served the Air Corps developed the tactical logistics to build an airfield from scratch in roadless jungle, starting
with a dirt runway hacked by hired natives from a grass field. A C-47 would land with this CA-1 mini bulldozer which improved the airstrip enough to
pave it with perforated steel Marston mat into a forward fighter base the Japanese couldn't reach through the jungle until too late. Though our early war fighter planes didn't do well in higher altitude aerial combat they redeemed themselves in the ground attack role they had been designed for. https://www.questmasters.us/Clark_CA-1_No_2.html

When I served in Germany in the early 70's there was still a Marston mat runway in use north of Stuttgart. It was quite adequate for our Canadian
Otter bush plane.

The Lessons Learned book that passed around government after Desert Storm lamented that we still don't have enough Roll On, Roll Off (RORO) cargo capacity to fully support a major amphibious invasion with pre-loaded off
road trucks. In WW2 New Guinea they cut truck frames in half and added
bolt-on splices to make the halves small and light enough for a C-47 to deliver to the isolated airstrips. MacArthur and the 5th Air Force General Kenney, an inventive engineer himself, both supported whatever unauthorized field modifications they needed to defeat the enemy.
jsw

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