Marine Corps to officially redesignate 12th MLR in November

The Marine Corps will formally redesignate its existing 12th Marine Regiment as the new 12th Marine Littoral Regiment on Nov. 15, marking what the service says is a step forward in its effort to develop a more mobile, lethal and sustainable stand-in force.

“The redesignation will mark the next historic chapter in the Marine Corps’ commitment to designing a force that is prepared to effectively respond to the challenges of the contemporary global security environment and serves as a testament to the regiment's role in the Marine Corps' global employment,” according to Marine Corps announcement released Tuesday.

The Pentagon initially announced plans to redesignate the Okinawa, Japan-based 12th Marine Regiment in January, indicating the new MLR would be established by 2025 and equipped with a variety of new capabilities.

Following redesignation, the 12th MLR will “continue to train and evolve to be ready to fight as part of 3d Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force,” the notice states, adding that the unit is currently participating in exercise Resolute Dragon 23.2 alongside Japan.

“During Resolute Dragon, 12th Marines will distribute in a similar manner to what is designed for the MLR: They will deploy to Japan’s Southwest Islands, Kyushu, and Hokkaido, provide sensing capabilities in a simulated battlespace, and integrate joint force firepower with our Japanese ally’s capabilities,” the release continues.

Meanwhile, the Hawaii-based 3rd MLR -- the first of the new units established by the Marine Corps -- was expected to achieve initial operational capability in the final days of FY-23, a Marine Corps spokesperson told Inside Defense in October. The service has yet to announce the completion of this milestone.

The Marine Corps is also preparing to establish at least one additional MLR. The service is considering multiple locations including Guam for the unit, but has shared few details publicly.

MLRs are an important piece of the Force Design 2030 initiative, which aims to modernize the force and better prepare for conflict in the Indo-Pacific. Each MLR will contain a littoral combat team, anti-air unit and combat logistics battalion.