By Kyle Mizokami
The Marine Corps is experimenting with the idea of using rocket launchers in amphibious assaults even before a beachhead is carved out, firing them from the flight decks of Navy ships. They would use the HIMARS rocket system that can strike targets at up to 43 miles, softening up the defenses so the assault force has a better time of it.
Traditionally, Marine Corps artillery has had to wait for their infantry brethren to land on a hostile beach and clear a patch of land before they can land and do their job of shelling enemy troops. Artillery howitzers and rocket launchers need patches of flat, firm land to do their work. This constraint prevents Marine artillery from contributing to the most critical phases of an amphibious operation, the pre-landing bombardment and actual landing.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/news/a28762/marine-corps-launching-rockets-from-ships/
