The Marine Corps of the future will most likely be smaller, more nimble, reliant on drones, and functioning similar to such special operations forces as the Army Green Berets or Navy SEALs, according to Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger.
The Marines will, most importantly, will work more with the Navy to defend ships, Berger told the Heritage Foundation on Thursday, Defense One reports.
"We have not focused on that aspect in nearly twenty years," he said. "That could mean Marines ashore or afloat with longer-range anti-ship missiles.
"Envision them as an extension of the fleet's magazine, augmenting air- and ship-based fires," he said.
President Donald Trump nominated Berger, 59, to the Marines' top position in March. He was confirmed by the Senate in June and assumed command in July.
Berger was first commissioned in 1981.
In outlining his vision for the Marines, the commandant said increased cooperation with Naval forces included taking land-based weapons and "strapping" them onto ship decks, Defense One reports.
For instance, Marines aboard the USS Boxer used an electronic jamming device to down an Iranian drone within 1,000 feet of the ship in the Strait of Hormuz on July 18.
"We'll need to do a lot more of that," Berger said.
Regarding drones, he said officials were working through timelines and other issues to effectively integrate the robots into Marine operations.
"Unless you artificially demand a rate of advancement, it won't happen," Berger said, Defense One reports. "It's not that we don't like them; it's just that everything is built to be manned.
"So, unless you say, 'Five years from now, I want 50 percent of it unmanned,' okay, now you're driving it," he reasoned. "You may not achieve that but you need a driver."
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.