U.S. Marine Corps: Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations

Press release from the U.S. Marine Corps:

August 2, 2021

Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations is a form of expeditionary warfare that involves the employment of mobile, low-signature, operationally relevant, and relatively easy to maintain and sustain naval expeditionary forces from a series of austere, temporary locations ashore or inshore within a contested or potentially contested maritime area in order to conduct sea denial, support sea control, or enable fleet sustainment.

EABO support the projection of naval power by integrating with and supporting the larger naval campaign. Expeditionary operations imply austere conditions, forward deployment, and projection of power. EABO are distinct from other expeditionary operations in that forces conducting them combine various forms of operations to persist within the reach of adversary lethal and nonlethal effects. It is critical that the composition, distribution, and disposition of forces executing EABO limit the adversary’s ability to target them, engage them with fires and other effects, and otherwise influence their activities.

Missions of EABO include:

• Support sea control operations

• Conduct sea denial operations within the littorals

• Contribute to maritime domain awareness

• Provide forward command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, targeting, and counter-targeting capability

• Provide forward sustainment

The Naval Service remains the preeminent US military component for sustained power projection, and a littoral force conducting EABO is a key enabler to a naval campaign.

This press release was produced by the U.S. Marine Corps. The views expressed here are the author’s own.