U.S. Navy landing craft, air cushion assigned to Assault Craft Unit 5, enters the well deck of Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer during launch and recovery operations, Feb. 23, 2026. The proposed defense budget released Tuesday, April 21, 2026, would see the Marine Corps receive new amphibious landing ships. (U.S. Navy)
The Marine Corps would get new amphibious landing ships and have its stocks of munitions refreshed under the defense budget request for fiscal 2027 released Tuesday.
The Marine Corps, which has an active force of 173,700 and a reserve force of 34,700, would receive $18.9 billion to pay and support personnel, including a military-wide pay raise tilted toward giving the largest percentage to lower-ranking enlisted men and women.
The budget request would fund a 7% pay raise for troops in the rank of sergeant and below, a 6% pay raise for soldiers from staff sergeant to captain, and a 5% raise for officers in the rank of major and higher, according to the documents.
The budget request allocates $6.5 billion for “fleet readiness” of Marine units, including field logistics, maritime prepositioning and depot maintenance.
Marine aviation squadrons would receive 10 F-35C Lightning II fighters, the variant capable of vertical takeoff and landing from amphibious assault ships or when ashore.
While the budget intermingles much of the Navy and Marine budget, the Pentagon-issued synopsis includes $6.3 billion for ground units, and the purchase of 241 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles. Weapons include 103 Naval Strike Missiles, 193 Javelin shoulder-launched missiles, 32 Navy/Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System Launchers and 410 Medium Range Intercept Capability Missiles.
The Navy budget calls for a new Landing Transport Dock and a Landing Helicopter Assault Ship. The Marines would also receive six of the Medium Landing Ships it unveiled earlier this week as a shore-to-shore vessel that would not be required to use ports to unload its troops and cargo. The design is based on the L-100 transport by Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards.
U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, currently forward deployed with 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division as part of the Unit Deployment Program, train at the Rodriguez Live Fire Training Complex in Pocheon, South Korea, April 6, 2026. (Joaquin Dela Torre/U.S. Marine Corps)
