Being equipped to win the fight requires more than firepower. Marines are made with a resilient mindset to respond when threats to our nation demand a battle. In the hands of such lethal warfighters, our weapons, vehicles, aircraft, and gear become tools to secure a decisive victory in the fight for our cause.
The Marine Corps is America’s expeditionary force in readiness. We are trained and equipped to respond first when threats to our nation strike without warning. Only carrying what's needed to accomplish each mission ensures that most of our equipment can be loaded and transported aboard Marine Expeditionary Units, self-contained highly mobile forces that deploy from the sea. Each vehicle, aircraft, weapon, and piece of gear is ready to be moved into battle quickly and efficiently so that Marines can win convincingly.
The Marine Corps is distinct from other branches of the U.S. armed services because we are an expeditionary force. Our nimble structure allows us to answer threats to our country wherever they strike. Because of our unique mission set, our vehicle fleet must be versatile and dynamic enough to get Marines to the fight at a moment’s notice across any environment. The Marine Corps is equipped with infantry fighting vehicles designed to get Marines to the battlefield and provide direct-fire support like the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) and the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV). Transport vehicles like the Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) and the Logistics Vehicle System (LVS) are designed to move large equipment. The Marine Corps also deploys light tactical vehicles with offroad capabilities like the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) and ultra-light tactical vehicles like the MRZR. Watch to learn about the vehicles that Marines use to maneuver across the full range of battles.
The specially trained Marines who operate our aircraft have varied roles but share an identical purpose—supporting Marines fighting on the ground. The Marine Corps airwing is structured for versatility. Whether the mission requires taking Marines and heavy equipment to the fight in a CH-53K King Stallion or a combat strike on an enemy target from an F-35B, the Marines who pilot and maintain our aircraft ensure battles from the air are aggressively fought and decisively won. Watch to learn more about Marine aircraft.
Marines are equipped with more than the weapons they fire, the vehicles they drive, and the aircraft they fly. Equally important is the gear that enhances each Marine's mobility, survivability, and situational awareness on the battlefield and in crisis areas of response. This is the gear that is always within reach, equipping our Marines with the tools necessary to win our Nation’s battles and defend its ideals. Interact with the table below to learn about the gear Marines carry.
All deployed Marines are equipped with Ballistic Hearing Protection (BHP), a two-sided, dual-purpose earplug that protects against steady-state noise and impact noise produced from aircraft, vehicles, machinery, gunfire, and explosions. When the yellow side of the earplug is inserted into the ear, the BHP will block loud impulse noise without suppressing critical ambient sounds such as verbal commands. When turned around, so that the green end is inserted into the ear, it provides steady protection against constant, high-level sound sources. It is protective to 190 decibels (dB), which is greater than the noise of a jet fighter during take-off, with afterburners at a distance of 50 feet (130 dB).
The Marine Corps believes in providing Marines with the most advanced personal body armor. The IMTV delivers not only better protection, but also enhanced maneuverability. The new protective equipment provides increased comfort, a more efficient combat load weight distribution, greater ease of weapons handling, and reduced weight. The standard IMTV offers protection against shrapnel and 9mm pistol rounds. Marines are always issued Enhanced Small Arms Protective Inserts, commonly called "SAPI Plates," which fit inside the IMTV and provide protection against rifle rounds.
FEATURES:
- Larger neck hole for easier head movement
- Quick release system for rapid discard
- Adjustable protective inserts to reduce arm movement interference
- Shoulder protection designed for greater arm and shoulder mobility
- Easier for Marines to shoulder their rifles