Overview
- The Marine Corps conducted its first Maritime Prepositioning Force offload on Mindanao and moved the equipment by Philippine barges to Subic Bay for issue to exercise units.
- Military Sealift Command ship USNS Sgt. William W. Seay delivered the gear to the Port of Cagayan de Oro in a run coordinated with the U.S. Navy, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and commercial port partners.
- Marine officials said the operation extends a network of small, flexible logistics sites that can use austere ports and civilian craft when deep-water hubs could be threatened.
- Commanders said prepositioning lets units tap vehicles, communications gear, and sustainment supplies quickly, with a Marine Corps tracking system tagging items from ship to shore for real-time visibility.
- Planned steps include activating a Subic Bay prepositioning site this summer and Pentagon planning for U.S. fuel storage in Mindanao by 2028, with Subic’s existing depot focused on disaster relief and not storing ammunition.