CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES -- From 7 July to 25 Aug 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, was the headquarters element of a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) composited for SLTE named MAGTF-6. SLTE is a series of cumulative exercises designed to prepare the MAGTF, the fundamental unit of Marine Corps strategy, to be combat capable enough to respond to crises and conflicts around the globe.
French Foreign Legionnaires with the 4th Combat Company (4COY), 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2eREI), 6th Light Armored Brigade (6eBLB), arrived at the MCAGCC on Aug 4 to attach to Marine Air Ground Task Force 6 (MAGTF-6). The first event Legionnaires and Marines of MAGTF-6 came together for was a “familiarization” session the morning of Aug 6. Legionnaires laid out their gear, weapons, sensors, UAS, and tricolor flags at various stations, and Marines pulled up a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV).
Of note, and reflecting the changing battlespace worldwide, was 4th Combat Company’s (4COY) experimental UAS squad, named Groupe Auppi Drone/Drone Support Group (GAD). In total, GAD possessed 2x Parrot ANAFI SUAS, 2x Chimera first person view (FPV) UAS, and 2x Black Hornet micro UAS. In addition to UAS, the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of 4COY were reinforced by a squad of snipers who were equipped with 7x SCAR-H rifles and 1x PGM Hecate II .50 caliber anti-material rifle.
By comparison, Marine UAS platoon and scout platoons are infantry battalion assets. UAS platoons utilize approximately 8x Skydio, 4x R80D Skyraider, and 2x RQ-20 Pumas, to conduct short to medium ranged reconnaissance which answers a battalion commanders critical information requirement (CCIRs), observe for indirect fire (IDF) assets, or increase situational awareness or the battalion commander. Marine scout platoons are also reconnaissance assets that provide the battalion commander with a dedicated, organic intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability, focusing on collecting information. While those functions may sound similar, scouts can extend the battlespace further and provide precision fires if necessary.
The first combined training Marines and Legionnaires conducted together was Military Operations on Urban Terrain (MOUT) at Range 225, dubbed Operation Rattlesnake by French leadership. At Range 225, a squad of Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO) Marines controlled by the information warfare unit in MAGTF-6, the Multi-Domain Task Unit, attached to 4COY. 4COY split up into squads, each reinforced by a two-man ANGLICO team, to practice exterior movement up to MOUT, and room clearing tactics and internal movement when inside urban terrain. Just like Marines, Legionnaires urban tactics revolve around the concept of “isolate, suppress, and seize”, isolating forces in a building from being able to withdraw or be reinforced, suppressing potential firing points such as windows to cover movement up to the building, and seizing it with overwhelming violence of action.
“They really embrace the concept of violence of action,” said Sergeant Zachary Bunker, a Fire Support Marine with 2nd ANGLICO. “When there’s an objective [the Legion] wants to seize, they send everything they got at it.”
Next on Aug 7 and Aug 8 came platoon-level training at a larger MOUT range, Range 220, dubbed “Operation Coyote”. 4COY and ANGLICO conducted a motorized movement up to approximately 2.5 to 3 kilometers away from R220. Building upon the fundamental concepts rehearsed at R225, 4COY and ANGLICO split into a maneuver force and an opposing force (OPFOR). The maneuver element conducted a nighttime infiltration while simultaneously trying to locate and eliminate the OPFOR, who conducted defensive screening operations of R220.
During this nighttime infiltration, 4COY and ANGLICO utilized both scouts and UAS to reconnoiter the steep, mountainous terrain separating their insert point/attack position from R220, as well as R220 itself. Under the cover of darkness, 4COY’s GAD was able to utilize both its SUAS and micro-UAS to great effect, providing thermal imaging of the battlespace and grid coordinates that could be used to update commanders’ situational awareness, and coordinate fire support from ANGLICO. In the case of the Black Hornet micro-UAS, the near undetectable visual and audible signature of the drone allowed it to loiter directly overhead OPFOR, providing the exact ten-digit grids which could then inform fire missions against the OPFOR.
When 4COY’s maneuver element, composed of three platoons and supporting ANGLICO had reached their assault positions, they assaulted R220 at sunrise. Each platoon conducted separate attacks on the urban terrain, which was split into three “lanes” for the platoons to execute platoon-level attacks, building upon the squad-level rehearsals done at R225. ANGLICO teams remained side-by-side with each assaulting platoons’ platoon commander and/or platoon sergeant to keep them informed of their fire support options and turn the platoon commander’s intent into fire missions. During Operation Coyote, ANGLICO Marines simulated calling in obscuration and suppression from indirect fire assets (IDF) such as M777 howitzers, and close air support (CAS) from rotary-wing assets such as UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper helicopters.
Four days later, 2eREI’s commanding officer, Colonel Miailhes, visited the MCAGCC training area to observe 4COY and ANGLICO execute a company-level assault on R200 during Operation Black Widow, an event which built upon the previously rehearsed tactics of MOUT operations, mountain maneuvers, UAS integration, and motorized night infiltrations. With all preparatory exercises completed, 4COY was ready to integrate into MAGTF-6 for the culminating event of SLTE 4-25, Marine Air Ground Task Force Warfighting Exercise (MWX).
MWX was a force-on-force training event that saw approximately over 5,000 Marines supported by foreign allies such as the Legionnaires of 4COY and Republic of Korea (ROK) Marines facing off against each other for control over MOUT Range 220, dubbed “Hidalgo City” in the fictional road-to-war lore created for the MWX scenario. MAGTF-6 was on the offense conducting Operation Assured Resolve, to seize Hidalgo City from the OPFOR, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, who was supported by the ROK Marines and supporting aviation and logistics assets.
During MWX, the full effect of Marine Corps and Legionnaire integration was present on the battlefield. In the initial stages of Operation Assured Resolve, 4COY was tasked with seizing the mountainous Quackenbush Pass to allow follow-on friendly forces from 2d Battalion, 8th Marines (V28) and 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (V31) to follow-in-trace and advance on Hidalgo City.
Not only was ANGLICO attached to 4COY for the duration of MWX, but during the opening salvos of the exercise, Marines from 2d Combat Engineer Battalion attached to the company in four 4x man teams, one team with each rifle platoon, to conduct route and engineer reconnaissance, clearing key avenues of approach to allow 4COY to maneuver onto and seize Quackenbush Pass.
From the mountainous vantage point of Quackenbush Pass, 4COY employed UAS to conduct reconnaissance for MAGTF-6, and coordinate IDF support from their 81mm mortars. During MWX, 4COY attacked OPFOR Low Altitude Air Defense (LAAD) teams that were using Stinger Man Portable Air Defense (MANPAD) systems to threaten friendly aviation, demonstrating how ground forces can enable the maneuver of friendly aviation throughout the battlespace.
As MWX progressed and attrition increased for MAGTF-6, 4COY received follow-on tasking to seize a foothold in Hidalgo City. As truck platoon, V28 was reallocated to move 4COY closer to Hidalgo City to conduct a night infiltration of the city, they lost eight Medium Tactical Replacement Vehicle (MTVR) trucks, leaving one MTVR functional.
Driving a MTVR that was overheating and pulling a broken trailer, Lance Corporal Justin Sheridan and Private First-Class Verens Sommer, motor transport operators, drove their MTVR a total of 150 miles using only night-vision goggles (NVGs) without pause to make four trips transporting 88 Legionnaires to an infiltration point within 5 kilometers of Hidalgo City. Marching from the infiltration point, the 88 Legionaries were able to reconstitute and resupply with the rest of their company and Marines who were isolated in Hidalgo City, allowing those forces to be combat effective the following day.
“Despite the tactical risks, [Lance Cpl Sheridan and PFC Sommer] never questioned the feasibility of the mission and carried it out with determination and professionalism,” Captain Chyrchkov, executive officer of 4COY said. “I am confident these young Marines will continue to serve the Corps with honor and fidelity. Their actions reflect great credit upon themselves and their company.”
MWX demonstrated multiple ways that Marines and Legionnaires can effectively integrate forces. Legionnaires tactical predisposition for motorized operations using the Multirole Armored Vehicle Griffon (VBMR) allowed for seamless transition into Marine Corps motorized operations using the MTVR, which the Marine Corps uses to enhance the mobility of its infantry in austere environments. The success of this integration was further emphasized by the initiative and intrepidity of Lance Cpl Sheridan and PFC Sommer.
“We started driving as soon as the sun went down, and it was coming up right as we finished our last movement,” said PFC Sommer, the assistant driver, “Every time we stop to let troops in and out, we had to deal with the overheating, air leakage, and concertina wire getting caught in the tires. During out third trip, our trailer collapsed because the poles holding the tarp broke from the rocky terrain. At the end of the day though, we were just doing our job just in a different situation than normal. [Sheridan] and I had a great time and it was fun training with [the French].”
“[Sommer and I] drove totally black out most of the night,” said Lance Cpl Sheridan, the MTVR driver, “We knew there was enemy UAS and armor looking for us close by. Sommer had to guide me looking out the top hatch of the vehicle due to the delamination making it hard to see through the windows. Every time we stopped, put duct tape on the air brake hoses to stop them from leaking. It felt like the whole truck was falling apart, but because the French Captain told us they had a mission to do, we knew we had to help.”
In addition to motorized integration, the liaison and fire support capabilities of ANGLICO allowed 4COY to integrate into the targeting cycle of the MAGTF, ensuring that language barriers did not prevent timely fire support integration. Lastly, UAS, scouts, and sensors from the weapons section of 4COY allowed extended observation as the Legion controlled key terrain, enabling the maneuver of two friendly Marine battalions to conduct a forward passage of lines.
“Integrating ANGLICO into our scheme was seamless,” said1stLt Deschamps, 1st Platoon commander of 4COY, “We have Joint Tactical Air Controllers in the French Army too, so it was easy to utilize the ANGLICO Marines because our procedures are very familiar.”
Strategically, the French Army composites task-organized units into Combined Arms Tactical Groups (GTIA), which are strikingly like the MAGTF and Amphibious Readiness Groups (ARGs) that form the main effort of the Marine Corps Force Design initiative. Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication 1 Warfighting (MCDP-1), our foundational doctrinal document and the French Army’s Future Land Action emphasize pitting your center of gravity or “effect majeur” (major effect), against the enemy’s critical vulnerability. Marines value subordinate unit leaders empowered to act autonomously to accomplish their leaders desired “commanders’ intent”, a principle mirrored in French Army doctrine referred to as “subsidiarity”. This maneuver-centric, mission-oriented tactical mindset underpinned much of the successful interoperability that was demonstrated during SLTE 4-25.
“Our motto is Être prêt, or ‘be ready’,” said Corporal Sameke, an NCO in 1st Platoon, 4COY, speaking on the expeditionary nature of 2eREI and its similarities to the Marine Corps, “You never know where you may be needed. Be ready so you never have to get ready.”
After the completion of MWX, 4COY was addressed by both Colonel Neil Berry, commanding officer of 6th Marine Regiment, and Major General Clingan, commanding general of Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center / MAGTF Training Command. Colonel Berry presented a plaque to 4COY in recognition of their warrior spirit, emphasizing the shared history the Belleau Wood regiment shares with the nation of France. Major General Clingan presented a challenge coin to Legionnaire NCO Corporal Thapa for exceptional performance as a mortar squad leader during MWX. Corporal Thapa lead his mortar section decisively from the front, ensuring while one mortar team was firing, the other team was moving to a new fire position to evade enemy counter battery fire. According to Major General Clingan, Cpl Thapa and 4COY lived up to the warrior legacy of the French Foreign Legion.
"The Legionnaires of 4th Company fought with a ferocity and tactical acumen that resonated deeply with us,” said Lt. Col. Dennis Dunbar, executive officer of 6th Marine Regiment, ‘Their warrior spirit mirrors our own, it is a shared ethos forged in fire. Knowing our own 6th Marines shed blood at Belleau Wood, fighting alongside Frenchmen who embody that same courage... it's a powerful reminder of the enduring bond born of shared sacrifice."
MWX is the latest in a series of exercises spanning over a decade that units from 2nd Marine Division, such as 6th Marine Regiment, and 2d Battalion 8th Marines have directly interoperated with forces from 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment and 6th Light Armored Brigade.
6e BLB and 2d MARDIV share a continuing military partnership that began approximately 2013, and was formalized with a co-signed Memorandum of Cooperation formalizing unit-to-unit partnerships in 2019. Together, 2d MARDIV and 2eREI, 6e BLB have participated in 7 combined training events since 2013 to include Special Purpose MAGTF Crisis Response in 2013 and 2014, Exercise Bold Alligator 2017, Exercise Baccarat 2021, MAGTF Warfighting Exercise (MWX) in 2022, bilateral training in Nimes, France in 2022, Exercise Chesapeake 2025, and now SLTE 4-25.
These combined training events are indicative of the strong bond 2nd Marine Division and the French Army shares, built upon a legacy of national allyship that extends back to the founding of the United States of America.