A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Type 88 Surface-to-Ship Missile System assigned to 1st Artillery Brigade, fires while positioned next to a Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System and Marine Air-Defense Integrated System, both with 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, at a joint task force maritime strike event during Exercise Balikatan 2026 at Paoay Sand Dunes, Philippines, May 6, 2026. - A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Type 88 Surface-to-Ship Missile System assigned to 1st Artillery Brigade, fires while positioned next to a Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System and Marine Air-Defense Integrated System, both with 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, at a joint task force maritime strike event during Exercise Balikatan 2026 at Paoay Sand Dunes, Philippines, May 6, 2026. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military that represents the strength of our alliance, improves our capable combined force, and demonstrates our commitment to regional peace and prosperity. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jonathan Beauchamp)
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Bowen Miles, a field artillery cannoneer, with 3rd Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, operates a Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System during Exercise Balikatan 2026 at Cagayan North International Airport, Philippines, April 21, 2026. - U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Bowen Miles, a field artillery cannoneer, with 3rd Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, operates a Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System during Exercise Balikatan 2026 at Cagayan North International Airport, Philippines, April 21, 2026. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military that represents the strength of our alliance, improves our capable combined force, and demonstrates our commitment to regional peace and prosperity. Miles is a native of Utah. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Ernesto Lagunes)
U.S. Marines with 3rd Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, maneuver toward an objective during a live-fire training event at Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, Feb. 3, 2026. - U.S. Marines with 3rd Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, maneuver toward an objective during a live-fire training event at Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, Feb. 3, 2026. The training exercise at PTA refined weapon system and tactical proficiency, strengthening overall combat readiness and preparing 3rd LCT for future operational requirements. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Iyer Ramakrishna)
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Ryan Wass, a sensor platoon maintenance chief with air control battery, 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, poses for a photo at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Feb. 27, 2026. - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Ryan Wass, a sensor platoon maintenance chief with air control battery, 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, poses for a photo at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Feb. 27, 2026. Wass was recognized as the U.S. Missile Defender of the Year for the Marine Corps during the 16th Annual Missile Defender of the Year Awards ceremony in Alexandria, Virginia, Jan. 16, 2026. Wass is a native of Arizona. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Ernesto Lagunes)
U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Daniel J. Pacheco, an assistant air officer with 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, delivers remarks during an award ceremony on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Nov. 26, 2025. - U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Daniel J. Pacheco, an assistant air officer with 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, delivers remarks during an award ceremony on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Nov. 26, 2025. Maj. Pacheco was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal after helping save a fellow Marine's life following a motorcycle crash on the Pali highway. Pacheco is a native of California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Iyer Ramakrishna)
From left, U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Alexander Cruz, Lance Cpl. Samuel Engelman, and Lance Cpl. Jaden Neal transmissions system operators with 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, program a Portable Radio Communications 160 System during a joint-training communications exercise at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, Oct. 22, 2025 - From left, U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Alexander Cruz, Lance Cpl. Samuel Engelman, and Lance Cpl. Jaden Neal transmissions system operators with 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, program a Portable Radio Communications 160 System during a joint-training communications exercise at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, Oct. 22, 2025. 3rd MLR worked alongside U.S. Army soldiers with 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force, to communicate with Marines from 12th MLR in Okinawa, Japan, to enhance interoperability by rehearsing interorganizational communication and refining techniques, tactics, and procedures. Cruz and Neal are natives of California, and Engelman is a native of Missouri. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Grace Barneveld)
U.S. Marines with 3rd Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, and U.S. soldiers with 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary), offload a Navy/Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System from a Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) (MSV(L)) on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Sept. 17, 2025. - U.S. Marines with 3rd Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, and U.S. soldiers with 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary), offload a Navy/Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System from a Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) (MSV(L)) on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Sept. 17, 2025. The joint training demonstrated 3rd LCT's ability to conduct equipment recovery operations utilizing the capabilities of the U.S. Army's MSV(L) in a littoral environment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Malia Sparks)
Capt. Chris Hedrick, commander, Submarine Squadron 1, left, Col. Gabriel L. Diana, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment commanding officer, second from left, and staff pose for a photo on the brow before a tour of the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Vermont (SSN 792) on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Aug. 14, 2025. - JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (Aug. 14, 2025) – Capt. Chris Hedrick, commander, Submarine Squadron 1, left, Col. Gabriel L. Diana, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment commanding officer, second from left, and staff pose for a photo on the brow before a tour of the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Vermont (SSN 792) on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Aug. 14, 2025. Vermont is assigned to Submarine Squadron 1 and is capable of supporting various missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations forces support, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nicholas Russell)
The awards ceremony recognized Marines who displayed exceptional performance during a maintenance support mission for 3d MLR, ensuring the regiment remained combat-ready for future operations across the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Malia Sparks) - U.S. Marines with 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, and 3d Maintenance Battalion, 3d Marine Logistics Group, pose for a group photo during an awards ceremony on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Aug. 7, 2025. The awards ceremony recognized Marines who displayed exceptional performance during a maintenance support mission for 3d MLR, ensuring the regiment remained combat-ready for future operations across the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Malia Sparks)
U.S. Marines with 3d Littoral Combat Team, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, operate the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System during the Maritime Key Terrain Security Operation as a part of Exercise KAMANDAG 9 in the Philippines, May 25, 2025. The MKTSO involved elements of 3d MLR, U.S. Soldiers with 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, and Philippine Marines with Marine Battalion Landing Team 10 inserting via air and sea into various islands in the Batanes and Babuyan Island chains in order to rehearse securing and defending key maritime terrain with the NMESIS, Marine Air Defense Integrated System, and High Mobility Rocket Artillery System. KAMANDAG is an annual Philippine Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps-led exercise aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ defense and humanitarian capabilities by providing valuable training in combined operations with foreign militaries in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Malia Sparks) - U.S. Marines with 3d Littoral Combat Team, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, operate the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System during the Maritime Key Terrain Security Operation as a part of Exercise KAMANDAG 9 in the Philippines, May 25, 2025. The MKTSO involved elements of 3d MLR, U.S. Soldiers with 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, and Philippine Marines with Marine Battalion Landing Team 10 inserting via air and sea into various islands in the Batanes and Babuyan Island chains in order to rehearse securing and defending key maritime terrain with the NMESIS, Marine Air Defense Integrated System, and High Mobility Rocket Artillery System. KAMANDAG is an annual Philippine Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps-led exercise aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ defense and humanitarian capabilities by providing valuable training in combined operations with foreign militaries in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Malia Sparks)