US Marine Corps strengthens infantry battalions with new SCO rifle optics.

As part of its comprehensive modernization plan, named Force Design 2030, the U.S. Marine Corps is bolstering the capabilities of its infantry units by acquiring additional rifle optics, known as the Squad Common Optic (SCO). Introduced in 2021, the SCO aims to replace existing equipment partially.
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Squad Common Optic (SCO) attached to the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (Picture source: US DoD)

The U.S. Marine Corps is enhancing its infantry capabilities by acquiring additional standard rifle optics, designated as the Squad Common Optic (SCO). This initiative is a part of the Corps' broader modernization strategy, Force Design 2030. The SCO was initially deployed in 2021 to partially replace the Rifle Combat Optic and the Squad Day Optic for infantry and other units. Despite achieving its distribution goal for 2023, the Marine Corps continues to order additional SCOs for its infantry battalions.

According to Morgan Blackstock, a Marine Corps Systems Command spokesperson, this purchase aligns with the Corps' long-term modernization plans. The latest version of Force Design 2030, released in June 2023, envisages reducing the size of infantry battalions to 811 Marines, down from just over 900. This downsizing is accompanied by increased capabilities, aiming to enhance the lethality of Marines on the battlefield.

The upgraded infantry battalions will feature enhanced all-weather surveillance capabilities, anti-armor and indirect fire capacities, as well as integrated support and services. The Corps is also conducting a second phase of experimentation at the company and battalion levels, focusing on cybernetics, intelligence, surveillance, and logistics.

The Squad Common Optic offers variable-power day optics, enabling Marines to engage targets at greater distances than the Rifle Combat Optic and the Squad Day Optic. It reportedly has double the visual range of the Rifle Combat Optic. However, Blackstock clarified that the SCO is not a complete replacement for the earlier optics but is specifically intended for ground combat units and infantry Marines. The deployment of additional SCOs to infantry battalions is scheduled for the current fiscal year and fiscal 2025.