The U.S. Marine Corps Installations and Logistics Enterprise (MCILE) 2026 plan outlines the strategic vision to sustain the force in an era of persistent global competition, including a "3-1-5" framework that bolsters wartime posture. The recently released plan, titled "The Reference A for Marine Corps Installations and Logistics," consists of a 27-page document detailing how the Corps will generate, deploy and sustain combat-credible forces to meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving security environment. It is described by officials as serving as a "Reference A" for installations and logistics, providing a single, authoritative description of the current state, ongoing modernization efforts, and capability gaps across the MCILE. Modernization is the name of the game. Combating evolving threats including strategic competition, peer threats, contested operations, geographic distance, diverse climates, and rapidly advancing technologies are admitted challenges that require adaptation. That's where the 3-1-5 framework comes into play.
The 3-1-5 framework is based on the three principal moves of force projection, the operational imperative of littoral mobility, and the five sustainment imperatives. (US Marine Corps/MCILE 2026)
