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The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea,[2] using the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces and is one of seven uniformed services. Administratively within the Department of the Navy, operationally the U.S. Marine Corps acts as a separate branch of the military, often working closely with US Naval forces for training, transportation, and logistic purposes.

Seal of the United States Marine Corps

Organisation

Marine Expeditionary Units

The USMC has 12 Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU's) which are the principle amphibious assault forces of the USMC. It consists of a Ground Combat Element, Aviation Combat Element, Logistics Combat Element, and a Command Element.

MEU's are organised with Amphibious Assault Ships, other amphibious ships, and warships to form an Amphibious Strike Group. With its six Harriers, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, and supply ships, the ASG possesses all the combat power needed to launch strikes at land targets, including the ability to interdict enemy forces using Harriers and Tomahawk missiles.

Ground Combat Element

The Ground Combat Element (GCE) is based around the Battalion Landing Team (BLT), an infantry battalion reinforced with an artillery battery, Amphibious Assault Vehicle platoon, combat engineer platoon, light armored reconnaissance company, tank platoon, reconnaissance platoon, air defence platoon, anti-tank platoon, and other units as the mission and circumstances require. The total strength is approximately 1,200 members.

It has the following equipment:

• 4 M1A1 Abrams
• 8 M8 Buford
• 16 LAV-25
• 16 AAV-7
• 6 155mm howitzer: M198 or M777
• 4 M142 HIMARS High Mobility Artillery Rocket System
• 8 M252 81mm mortar
• 8 BGM-71 TOW
• 8 FGM-148 Javelin
• 8 FIM-92 Stinger
• 3 HUMRAAM launchers
• 1 HUMRAAM Fire Distribution Center
• 1 HUMRAAM Remote Terminal Unit
• 1 AN/MPQ-64 Radar

Extra units can be added depending on the situation.

Aviation Combat Element

The Aviation Combat Element (ACE) is a Marine Composite Squadron (Reinforced) composed of a Medium/Heavy Helicopter Squadron augmented with three other types of helicopters, one detachment of amphibious flight-deck-capable jets, and a Marine Air Control Group Detachment with air traffic control, direct air support, and anti-aircraft assets.

It has the following aircraft:

• 6 Boeing AV-8B Harrier II Plus
• 6 Bell AH-1W SuperCobra
• 4 Bell UH-1N TwinHuey
• 15 Sikorsky MH-92 Super Hawk
• 6 SikorskyCH-53E Super Stallion
• 2 Lockheed Martin KC-130J Hercules

Logistics Combat Element

The Logistics Combat Element (LCE) (formerly Combat Service Support Element or CSSE) contains all the logistics specialists and equipment necessary for the unit to support itself for 15 days in an austere expeditionary environment. It includes service support, medical, dental, maintenance, transportation, explosive ordinance disposal, military police, utilities production and distribution, bulk fuels, and other technical experts. It consists of approximately 300 Marines and sailors. This element is occasionally referred to as the MEU Service Support Group (MSSG).

Command Element

The Command Element (CE), which includes the MEU commander and his supporting staff, provides command and control over the other three elements. It includes specialized detachments for naval gunfire, reconnaissance, surveillance, specialized communications, radio reconnaissance (SIGINT), electronic warfare, intelligence and counterintelligence, and public affairs missions. The overall strength is about 200 Marines and sailors.

Marine Aviation Units

Separate from the MEU's are squadrons operating F/A-18 Hornets, AV-8B Harriers, EA-6B Prowlers, KC-130 Hercules, and all other USMC aircraft not allocated to MEU's.

Special Operations

• MCSOCOM Detachment One
  • 2 Marine Special Operations Battalions (MSOB)
  • Marine Special Operations Support Group (MSOSG)
  • Marine Special Operations Advisor Group (MSOAG)
  • Marine Special Operations School (MSOS)
• Marine Force Recon
• Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team

Marine Corps Security Guard

Marine Security Guards, also known as the MSG or Marine Embassy Guards, are a battalion of U.S. Marines that are posted at American Embassies, American Consulates and other official United States Government offices such as the US Interests Section, located in Havana, Cuba, the U.S. Office, located in Pristina, Kosovo, or the United States Mission to NATO located in Brussels, Belgium. Modern use of Marine Security Guards at Embassies started in 1948.

Equipment

Small Arms

Pistols

• M9 9mm pistol
• MEUSOC .45 cal pistol

Submachine Guns

• HK MP5/MP5N 9mm submachine gun (Special Forces)
• HK MP5SD3/5/6 9mm submachine gun (Special Forces)
• HK MP5K/MP5K-N 9mm submachine gun (Special Forces)

Rifles

• M16A2/A4 5.56mm rifle
  • USMC Squad Advanced Marksman Rifle (SAM-R)
• M14 7.62mm rifle
  • USMC Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR)
• M1 Garand Rifle .30'06 rifle (USMC Silent Drill Platoon)

Carbines

• M4/M4A1 Carbine 5.56mm carbine
• Mk 18 Mod 0 CQBR 5.56mm carbine (Special Forces)
• Colt Model 723/725/727 5.56mm carbine (Special Forces)

Machine Guns

• M249 5.56 mm Squad Automatic Weapon
• M240G 7.62 mm Medium Machine Gun
• M2 .50 Caliber Machine Gun
• M60E3 7.62 mm Machine Gun (Special Operations)

Sniper Rifles

• M40 7.62mm sniper rifle
• Mk 11 Mod 0 7.62mm sniper rifle
• M82 .50 BMG sniper rifle
• M107 .50 BMG sniper rifle

Shotguns

• Mossberg 500 & 590 12 gauge shotgun
• M1014 12 gauge shotgun
• KAC Masterkey 12 gauge shotgun (Special Forces)
• Remington 870 12 gauge shotgun

Heavy Weapons

• M203A1/A2 40mm grenade launcher
• M32 40mm Multiple Grenade Launcher
• M3 MAAWS 84mm recoilless rifle
• M72 66mm rocket launcher
• M136 AT4 84mm disposable rocket launcher
• Mk 153 Mod 0 SMAW 83mm rocket launcher
• FGM-172 SRAW anti tank missile
• FGM-148 Javelin anti tank missile
• FIM-92 Stinger surface to air missile

Combat Vehicles

Tanks

• M1 Abrams
  • M1A1 AIM
  • M1 Grizzly Engineer Vehicle
  • M104 Wolverine Heavy Assault Bridge [1]
  • M105 Abrams Recovery Vehicle [2]
• M8 Buford

Personnel Carriers

• AAV-7A1 Amphibious Assault Vehicle
  • AAVC-7A1 Amphibious Command Vehicle
  • AAVR-7A1 Amphibious Recovery Vehicle
• LAV-25
  • LAV-25 armament/reconnaissance vehicle
  • LAV-AT anti-tank TOW carrier
  • LAV-M mortar carrier
  • LAV-R recovery
  • LAV-C2 command and control
  • LAV-L logistics cargo carrier

Light Combat Vehicles

• M1097 Avenger Air Defense System
• M1099 HUMRAAM Air Defence System
• Interim Fast Attack Vehicle

Patrol Vehicles

• Cougar H
• Cougar HE
• RG-31
• RG-33
• RG-33L
• Buffalo (mine protected vehicle)

Support/Engineering Vehicle

• M93 Fox Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical reconnaissance vehicle
• M9 Armored Combat Earthmover
• M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle
• M60A1 Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge
• M88A2 Hercules Recovery Vehicle

Artillery

Mortars

• M224 60 mm mortar
• M252 81 mm mortar

Howitzers

• M198 (155 mm Towed Howitzer)
• M777 (155 mm Towed Howitzer)

Rocket Artillery

• M142 HIMARS High Mobility Artillery Rocket System
  • M26 Rocket
    • M26A1
    • M26A2
  • M29 Rocket with Sense and Destroy Armor (SADARM)
  • M30 Guided MLRS (GMLRS)
  • M31 Guided MLRS (GMLRS)

Air Defence

• FIM-92 Stinger
• MIM-120 AMRAAM

Anti-Tank

• FGM-172 SRAW
• FGM-148 Javelin
• BGM-71 TOW

Helicopters

• Bell AH-1W SuperCobra
• Bell UH-1N TwinHuey
• Boeing CH-46E Sea Knight
• Sikorsky MH-92 Super Hawk
• Sikorsky CH-53D Sea Stallion
• Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion

Fixed Wing Aircraft

• Boeing F/A-18C/D Hornet
• Boeing F/A-18A/B Hornet
• Boeing AV-8B Harrier II Plus
• Grumman EA-6B Prowler
• Lockheed Martin KC-130J Hercules

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

• RQ-7 Shadow
• RQ-11 Raven
• Boeing ScanEagle

Support Vehicles

• HMMWV series
• Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement MTVR series
• Logistics Vehicle System LVS series

Rank Insignia

Officers

Warrant Officers

Enlisted Men

Uniforms

Service Uniforms

Ceremonial, Band and Mess Dress Uniforms

MARPAT Combat Utility Uniforms

Organizational Flight Uniforms

Flag

Colours of the United States Marine Corps