The U.S. Marine Corps is accelerating its adoption of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) to gain a decision advantage under its newly released 2026 Marine Corps Aviation Plan (AVPLAN).

Published Tuesday, February 10, the 2026 AVPLAN highlights AI/ML as central to modernizing aviation readiness, sustainment, and operational planning. The service said the new plan marks a shift from setting strategic direction in the 2025 edition to executing more defined, measurable, and time-bound initiatives driven by data.

“Central to the AVPLAN is the active integration of AI/ML as a primary modernization effort. Specific initiatives include predictive maintenance, dynamic aviation supply, and optimized operations. These approaches are designed to increase readiness, reduce operational costs, and provide a decisive information advantage,” the Marine Corps said in a media update.

The plan also calls for replacing legacy systems with modern data architectures, interoperable networks, and AI-enabled decision-support tools. By integrating maintenance, supply, and operational data, the Marine Corps expects to increase aircraft availability and enhance combat effectiveness.
“The AVPLAN maintains a long-term vision that looks to 2040 and beyond, charting a path for development and investment through multiple Future Years Defense Programs,” it added.