The US Army conducted a test in Hawaii to demonstrate the capability of its new troop and equipment transport vessel in joint missions, moving a Naval Strike Missile NMESIS launcher from the Marine Corps.
The operation involved the 3rd Littoral Regiment of Marines, focused on countering Chinese threats, and the 7th Transportation Brigade, recently equipped with the Maneuver Support Vessel – Light (MSV-L), a replacement for the older mechanized landing craft.
The new vessels offer greater range and mobility compared to Cold War-era models, enabling operations in makeshift ports and unprepared beaches, thereby strengthening the littoral maneuverability capability in the Indo-Pacific. Previous tests had already used these vessels to transport HIMARS launchers in exercises in Japan, Australia, and the Philippines, demonstrating that they can support both logistics and the movement of forces and armaments in combined operations.
The integration of NMESIS with the new transports expands the deployment potential of the Littoral Regiments, especially in light of delays in medium amphibious ships dedicated to transporting the regiment. Equipped with low-observable Naval Strike missiles, the system provides Marines with mobile maritime strike capability, already deployed at strategic locations near the first island chain in Japan and the Philippines, raising attention from Chinese military analysts regarding the strategic implications near Taiwan.
Source: Naval News | Photo: X @3d_Marine_Div | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
Marines with 3d Littoral Logistics Battalion and U.S. Army soldiers with 7th Transportation Brigade, onload a Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement onto a Maneuver Support Vessel Light on Marine Corps Base Hawaii. pic.twitter.com/iRkyXQ8TIW
— 3d Marine Division (@3d_Marine_Div) September 14, 2025
