The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) has recently unveiled its 2025 Marine Aviation Plan, highlighting a clear commitment to prioritizing the countering of unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
In the last several years, the Department of Defense has made it clear that technology capable of defending against enemy drone aircraft – also referred to as counter-UAS systems – is a high priority, with several of the service branches undergoing their own counter-UAS initiative.
The USMC’s latest effort includes modernizing its air-to-ground missiles, the AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM), with counter-UAS capabilities.
The JAGM was developed by Lockheed Martin and first integrated into the Marine Corps’ H-1 fleet helicopters in March 2022. It was the service’s “the first true fire-and-forget air-to-ground capability for the H-1 fleet,” and the USMC plans to build on that success by expanding the missile’s role by integrating new air-to-air capabilities, according to the plan.
“This missile will receive incremental upgrades, including funded efforts to add counter-UAS software and integration of a new electromagnetic control actuator section. The counter-UAS software upgrade improves air-to-air guidance and laser pulse logic to increase engagement capability against a wide variety of adversary unmanned systems,” the plan reads.
The USMC also has plans to boost other weapons in its arsenal with counter-UAS capabilities, including the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS) and the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS).
APKWS II provides the USMC with a reliable, high-capacity precision guided munition for both the rotary wing and fixed wing communities.
“To improve performance against UAS, certification of a suitable proximity fuse is in work for fielding to the fleet with current guidance and warhead combinations. Additional demonstrations are also in work with the Army and Air Force to determine feasibility of adding additional guidance methods to the APKWS family, including passive infrared seekers,” the plan reads.
MADIS – an anti-drone system mounted to a tactical vehicle to protect troops – will include a multi-function electronic warfare capability, 360-degree radar, direct fire weapon, electro-optical infrared optic, and supporting command and control (C2) communications suite.
MADIS is slated to reach initial operational capability in fiscal year (FY) 2025, with full operational capability in FY2031.
