USS New Orleans, 31st MEU conduct live-fire exercise in Philippine Sea

A U.S. Marine, with Company I, Battalion Landing Team 3/1, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, fires a M240B machine gun during a live-fire deck shoot aboard forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS New Orleans (LPD-18) in the Philippine Sea, Feb. 21, 2026. Marines trained their skills through structured stages and live-fire exercises to improve individual marksmanship and overall unit effectiveness. The 31st MEU is a persistent, combat credible force operating aboard the ships of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, routinely interacting and operating with our allies and partners to contribute to deterrence, security, crisis response, and combat operations in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Rebeka Falcon)