US Marine Corps unveils 2025 Aviation Plan, introduces Project Eagle

The US Marine Corps has introduced its 2025 Aviation Plan, a comprehensive strategic framework designed to modernize marine aviation and ensure readiness for future conflicts.

As informed, the plan focuses on key areas of transformation, including technological advancements, expeditionary mobility, sustainment, and total force integration.

According to US officials., this plan is a roadmap to enhancing operational readiness and ensuring marine aviation remains a lethal force in support of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) throughout the spectrum from competition to conflict.

The Aviation Plan introduces Project Eagle, a modernization strategy that prioritizes distributed aviation operations (DAO) and decision-centric aviation operations (DCAO) to maintain operational effectiveness in contested environments. 

The strategy emphasizes the use of AI-driven decision-making software, autonomous systems, unmanned systems, advanced digital command and control capabilities, and manned-unmanned teaming. By fully embracing these technologies, Marine Corps Aviation is set to enhance its ability to operate across all domains, ensuring a capable and resilient force.

“We are committed to shaping a future aviation force that is ready, resilient, and capable of rapidly responding to emerging threats, wherever they may arise,” said Col. Derek Brannon, Branch Head for the Cunningham Group, Headquarters Marine Corps Aviation.

“Project Eagle builds on the progress we’ve made, and it prepares us to embrace technological innovation while ensuring we can deliver combat power across all domains.”

The 2025 Aviation Plan underscores several key priorities aimed at ensuring marine aviation remains a lethal and responsive force. These include:

• Aviation Readiness:  Ensuring marine aviation remains poised to respond to any crisis at a moment’s notice, with the readiness to deploy rapidly and provide immediate support.
• Enhanced Expeditionary Mobility: Modernizing critical platforms such as the MV-22B Osprey, CH-53K King Stallion, and KC-130J Hercules to enhance the Marine Corps’ ability to operate from austere, distributed locations.
• Modernizing Aviation Logistics: Modernizing sustainment practices to ensure readiness in contested environments through the creation of Maintenance Operations Centers, streamlined supply chain reforms, and enhanced aviation logistics packages. These innovations will better support DAO and MAGTF operations while improving sustainment across the force.
• Marine Air Command and Control System (MACCS) Modernization: Transforming air command and control capabilities with advanced technologies like the TPS-80 radar and ground-based air defense systems. The integration of regional air defense concepts will support Expeditionary Advance Base Operations (EABO) and enhance digital interoperability for joint and coalition operations.
• Total Force Integration: Strengthening collaboration between active-duty and reserve forces, particularly through the integration of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, to enhance operational flexibility, sustainment, and warfighting readiness across the total force.

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The 2025 Aviation Plan reinforces marine aviation’s role within the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF), to ensure that it remains integrated with the joint force and partners, according to US Marines.

“Through continued modernization and an unwavering commitment to current readiness, Marine Aviation is prepared to support the MAGTF through competition to conflict,” said Lt. Gen. Bradford Gering, Deputy Commandant for Aviation.

“The 2025 Aviation Plan demonstrates our resolute dedication to maintaining operational superiority and ensuring we are always ready to project force, wherever and whenever needed.”