The U.S. Marine Forces Reserve is teaming up with the Defense Innovation Unit and the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory to acquire commercially available small watercraft for the 2030 Service-level Force Design experimentation.
The reserve force said Monday that it has selected four small boats to be used to support Service-level experimentation and analysis across littoral, reconnaissance and counter reconnaissance and signature management to aid expeditionary advanced base operations.
“What we’re doing here is generating opportunities for our Reserve Marines to get involved in Service-level innovation efforts and to help inform Force Design 2030 future capability requirements,” said Brig. Gen. Douglas Clark, 4th Marine Division commanding general.
The four selected vendors recently demonstrated their products at the Marine Corps Reserve Training Center in Tampa, Florida. Event attendees include DIU acquisition representatives, senior military leaders and Navy and Marine Corps experts who helped vet the watercraft.
The 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion will lead the expeditionary missions and therefore manage the contract awards next year, as well as the conceptualization and limited engineering experimentation.
The acquisition is being processed through DIU’s Commercial Solutions Opening solicitation. Procurement funds will come from the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Appropriation authorized by Congress.