The United States Marine Corps has organized a special task force to upgrade and make more effective its existing amphibious assault doctrine that has remained practically unchanged for decades.

The Ship to Shore Maneuver Exploration and Experimentation (S2ME2) Task Force will find ways to better integrate the technological advances that pushed air and ground operations into the 21st century: robotics, unmanned vehicles, data sharing and exploiting the electromagnetic spectrum.

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It was established August 24, and last week released a special notice to solicit ideas from defense industry, commercial industry, academia, government labs and warfare centers, among others.

The first exercise that will test these new tactics and innovations will be held April 15-27, 2017 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California.

The exercise will provide warfighters the opportunity to assess the operational utility of emerging technologies and engineering innovations that enhance the Marines' 21st Century Maneuver Warfare Amphibious Assault concept of operations.

Based on the results of the technical and operational assessments from the April exercise, selected participants will be invited to participate in future S2ME2 17 exercises which will progress through more complex scenarios and environments.

Reviewing Marine amphibious landing operations over the past years, Marine Corps Combat Development Command commanding general and Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh said "you take a look at that picture and you go, hmm, it doesn't look a whole lot different. Tactics, techniques and procedures, a lot of it remains today."

The S2ME2 Task Force is one of a series of Advanced Naval Technology Exercises that will engage with industry, academia, and government research and development organizations interested in demonstrating emerging technologies and engineering innovations that address high-priority Navy and Marine Corps missions.

In November, the S2ME2 Task Force effort will hold a workshop where innovators can pitch their ideas for new concepts and technologies. In December, submissions will be chosen to advance to the experimentation phase where operational Marines will get hands-on time with selected concepts and technologies in early 2017.

TagsU.S Marines, U.S. Navy, amphibious assault, Ship to Shore Maneuver Exploration and Experimentation (S2ME2) Task Force, Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh