Latest news with #MarineAirDefenseIntegratedSystem
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Top Marine calls for affordable, lethal and autonomous systems
The Marine Corps' highest-ranking officer continues to emphasize the service's key mission in crisis response through its expeditionary units, while asking industry to give the Corps affordable and autonomous ways to modernize the force. Marine Corps Commandant Eric Smith told the audience at the annual Modern Day Marine exposition Thursday that the force design decisions made over the past six years have put new capabilities in the hands of crucial formations, such as the Marine Expeditionary Unit, or MEU. 'This is about more than ships, it's about deterrence and denial,' Smith said. 'That is why the 3.0 [Amphibious Ready Group] MEU matters, it gives our leaders options.' A 3.0 presence means a three-ship ARG-MEU, each deployed out of the East Coast, one out of the West Coast and a third on episodic deployments out of Okinawa, Japan. Top Marine's deployment plans face familiar wrinkle: Inert Navy ships An ARG includes an assault ship, a landing ship with helicopter platform and a dock landing ship. The MEU contains a battalion landing team, ground combat element, aviation combat element and combat logistics element to form a Marine Air Ground Task Force, or MAGTF. To achieve that, the Corps needs 31 amphibious ships at a readiness level of 80%. Demand is higher from combatant commands, Smith said. The demand is more than five ARG MEUs, the most requested asset behind the Carrier Strike Group. Readiness levels hover at around 50%, Smith said in early April at the Navy League's annual Sea-Air-Space Exposition. That's because following two decades of land-based wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Corps had largely not maintained its fleet. Money for maintenance and shipbuilding went to those wars instead. And Smith wants more capabilities for those MEUs as the service battles an amphibious ship shortage. 'What I need is affordable, lethal, autonomous, light and I can fund at budget time,' Smith said. Some of those new developments include the Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or MADIS, and its lighter version, the L-MADIS. The system still needs more autonomous solutions to get after a major threat – drone swarms. 'The big thing that really keeps me up at night is swarms,' Col. Andrew Konicki, head of ground-based air defense for Marine Corps Systems Command, said Wednesday. Striking those threats from aboard ship or on shore is vital to keeping Marines alive. 'That is how we're going to say ahead of the adversary, with autonomy,' Smith said. Thirteen of 21 Light Marine Air Defense Integrated Systems, or L-MADIS, have been fielded over the past three years. That light system was fielded to the 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment in 2024. It handles group I and II drone threats. Marine Expeditionary Units have used the system when crossing various maritime chokepoints, and it has proved effective in the maritime environment, despite the system being built mainly as a ground-based air defense system, Konicki said. Seven more of the larger MADIS system will be fielded by September, bringing the Corps total to 20, with full fielding expected by 2033. That's for air defense. For a more offensive approach, the Corps expects to receive four-dozen mobile fires platforms, dubbed the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, or NMESIS. The NMESIS is made up of a Naval Strike Missile mounted on a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle platform with semi-autonomous and autonomous capabilities to launch remotely. The 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, a newly created unit for fighting in the littorals, or waters near land, received the first six NMESIS in November. The Hawaii-based unit formed in 2021. The service then established the 12th MLR on Okinawa, Japan, with plans for a third rotational MLR on Guam. Six of the NMESIS systems are set to field with 12th MLR beginning March 2026. All these moves and the push for new, better equipment have a singular aim, he said. 'Modernization with a clear purpose – to keep Marines lethal and survivable,' Smith said.
BBC News
27-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Beijing seizes tiny sandbank in South China Sea
The Chinese coastguard has seized a tiny sandbank in the South China Sea, state media has reported, in an escalation of a regional dispute with the broadcaster CCTV released images of four officers, wearing all black and holding the Chinese flag, stood on the disputed reef of Sandy Cay in the Spratly channel said China had "implemented maritime control and exercised sovereign jurisdiction" on the reef earlier in Philippine government has yet to formally respond. Both China and the Philippines have staked their claims on various islands and zones. Their dispute has been escalating, with frequent confrontations including incidents of vessels colliding and scuffles. Sandy Cay is near a Philippine military outpost on Thitu Island, which Manila reportedly uses to track Chinese movements in the is no sign that China is permanently occupying the 200 sq metre island and the coastguard is reported to have left. The White House said reports of China seizing the reef were "deeply concerning if true".In comments reported by the Financial Times, James Hewitt, US National Security Council spokesperson, warned that "actions like these threaten regional stability and violate international law", adding that the White House was "consulting closely with our own partners".The Chinese move comes as US and Philippine forces are carrying out their annual war scenario drills - called the Balikatan exercises. China has criticised the drills as many as 17,000 personnel are taking part in the coming days. Missiles from the US Marine Air Defense Integrated System were fired off the coast of the northern Philippines on Sunday, the system's second live fire test and its first deployment to the Philippines. The drills are also set to feature the US anti-ship missile system Philippines military says the drills are a rehearsal for national defence but insists they are not directed at any particular country."This type of training is absolutely invaluable to us," said Third Marine Littoral Regiment Officer John exercise has helped allay fears among some US allies that Donald Trump may upend the years-long military support it has provided in the a visit to Manila last month, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington was "doubling down" on its alliance with the country and was determined to "re-establish deterrence" against China. There have been wrangles over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has grown in recent claims by far the largest portion of territory in an area demarcated by its so-called "nine-dash line". The line comprises nine dashes which extends hundreds of miles south and east from its most southerly province of Hainan. Beijing has backed its expansive claims with island-building and naval claimants such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei have staked claims on islands and various zones in the is the South China Sea dispute?
Straits Times
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
US, Philippine troops shoot down drones in joint defence drills
A U.S. soldier checks an Avenger Air Defense System during the annual joint military exercises between U.S. and Philippine troops called \"Balikatan\" or shoulder-to-shoulder, at a naval base in San Antonio, Zambales province, Philippines, April 27, 2025. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez U.S. soldiers talk beside a MADIS or Marine Air Defense Integrated System during the annual joint military exercises between U.S. and Philippine troops called \"Balikatan\" or shoulder-to-shoulder, at a naval base in San Antonio, Zambales province, Philippines, April 27, 2025. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez U.S. soldiers talk beside an Avenger Air Defense System during the annual joint military exercises between U.S. and Philippine troops called \"Balikatan\" or shoulder-to-shoulder, at a naval base in San Antonio, Zambales province, Philippines, April 27, 2025. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez A U.S. soldier checks an Avenger Air Defense System during the annual joint military exercises between U.S. and Philippine troops called \"Balikatan\" or shoulder-to-shoulder, at a naval base in San Antonio, Zambales province, Philippines, April 27, 2025. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez Philippine and U.S. soldiers walk past a MADIS or Marine Air Defense Integrated System during the annual joint military exercises between the U.S. and Philippine troops called \"Balikatan\" or shoulder-to-shoulder, at a naval base in San Antonio, Zambales province, Philippines, April 27, 2025. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez SAN ANTONIO, Philippines - U.S. and Philippine soldiers shot down drones with Stinger missiles during live-fire drills on Sunday, part of annual joint military exercises taking place at a time of simmering tensions with Beijing over the South China Sea. More than 14,000 Filipino and U.S. troops are participating in this year's Balikatan, or "shoulder-to-shoulder", exercises, which run until May 9, focusing on a "full battle test" between the two defence treaty allies in response to regional security concerns. China has criticised the drills as provocative. Sunday's drills were held in the western Philippines province of Zambales that faces the South China Sea, a flashpoint between China and Southeast Asian nations. Ties between Beijing and Manila are their worst in years amid frequent confrontations in the disputed waterway that have sparked concerns of a military conflict. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said last week the country's coastguard had conducted maritime control operations at Sandy Cay, which China calls the Tiexian Reef, exercising sovereignty jurisdiction, and the Philippines on Sunday conducted a maritime operation in the area, observing the "illegal presence" of Chinese coastguard and "maritime militia" vessels. While the Philippine military has described this year's drills as a rehearsal for national defence, it said the exercises were not directed at any country. The integrated air and missile defence exercise in Zambales employed the Marine Air Defense Integrated System or MADIS, marking the system's second live-fire test and its first deployment to the Philippines. "This type of training is absolutely invaluable to us," 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment Officer John Lehane told reporters after the exercise. This year's Balikatan also featured the debut of the NMESIS, the U.S. anti-ship missile system, which will be employed during maritime key terrain security operations in Northern Luzon and the Batanes Islands, near Taiwan. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Anduril beat 9 competitors to snag a $642 million anti-drone contract for the US Marine Corps
Palmer Luckey's startup Anduril scored a $642 million deal for anti-drone tech in Marine Corps bases. The 10-year contract is meant to help fight smaller drones like the exploding ones in Ukraine. The Defense Department said Anduril was chosen out of 10 total bids. Defense startup Anduril clinched a $642 million contract on Friday to help the US Marine Corps fight smaller drones at its bases. Anduril's new deal is for the Marine Corps Installation-Counter small Unmanned Aircraft Systems program, which is essentially a network of anti-drone defenses for bases and facilities. The announcement comes after Anduril scored a separate five-year $200 million agreement in November to bring counter-drone tech to the Marine Air Defense Integrated System. This mobile air defense system can be mounted on vehicles like Humvees. Like with the MADIS, Anduril's offering for this new contract is to fight smaller drones, which the US military classifies as Group 1 and Group 2. Such drones are typically no heavier than 55 pounds and fly at a maximum altitude of about 3,500 feet, like the exploding commercial drones used in the war in Ukraine. When the Corps first opened its contract in April 2024, it warned of a "security capability gap" for dealing with these smaller drones at its bases. "The sUAS threat poses unique challenges to military installations when compared to those of operational forces," the Corps wrote. The Defense Department said on Friday that 10 companies had submitted proposals for the contract. With Anduril scoring the deal, the department said that 80% of the work until 2035 would be done in Costa Mesa, California, home to Anduril's headquarters. The rest is expected to be performed in Washington, D.C., and other Marine Corps facilities. The announcement did not specify what type of product or how many systems Anduril will deliver. Press teams for Anduril and the Marine Corps did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider outside regular business hours. One of Anduril's main offerings for fighting smaller drones, Anvil, features a quadcopter that flies out from a portable storage box to track and crash into enemy systems. It can also be fitted with explosives to attack bigger targets. Additionally, the company sells electronic warfare jammers called Pulsar, which it's already providing to the Pentagon as part of a $250 million deal from October. Anduril, founded in 2017 by Oculus creator Palmer Luckey, has become a rising star in the defense industry as it emphasizes ready-made designs that can be produced at scale. In that sense, it hopes to reuse the same design to bid for multiple contracts instead of creating each one specifically for a single deal. The firm is also working with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and runs its products on an AI software called Lattice to survey the battlefield and identify threats. One of its biggest scores so far is a $22 billion contract with the US Army to provide soldiers with mixed-reality goggles. The contract was originally awarded to Microsoft but later ceded to Anduril. The firm hopes to expand quickly. In August, Anduril raised $1.5 billion to build a 5 million-square-foot factory in Ohio that it said would "hyperscale" production. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US tactics are taking shape for fighting a potent new threat — low-cost drones
Low-cost drones have been used as cheap and effective weapons in conflicts like Ukraine. The US military is rapidly developing its own tactics and ways to counter them. In January, Marines conducted live-fire training exercises using a new anti-drone system. In footage released last year, a Ukrainian drone is filmed approaching a Russian tank. But instead of flying into its protective shield, the drone flies under it, exploding and obliterating the vehicle. It was a vivid example of how off-the-shelf drones, which can cost as little as $1,000, are transforming the battlefield. Ukraine has used drones to overcome Russia's major advantages in manpower and equipment, and Pentagon military planners have watched closely — drawing their own lessons. The US military is now testing a range of equipment and tactics to defend against aerial drone attacks. In January, US Marines conducted live-fire training exercises in Hawaii using a new anti-drone system, the Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or MADIS. The system allows Marines to detect, identify, and destroy drones using an arsenal of weapons, including canons, jammers, and machine guns, Stars and Stripes reported. Last year, Defense One reported that the Pentagon was also planning to equip troops with handheld drone detection and jamming devices. And in December, the Pentagon released a new counter-drone strategy aimed at coordinating how different branches of the military respond to the threat, and making "countering unmanned systems a key element of our thinking." "Some of the character of warfare is changing right now," Col. John Lehane, commander of the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, told The Honolulu Star-Advertiser this month, of the MADIS test. "And if we don't change, we're going to find ourselves in a bad spot," he said. Clayton Swope, a senior fellow in the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Business Insider that anti-drone defenses have two core challenges — to detect drones and to neutralize them. Systems like MADIS, which can travel with front-line forces and integrate drone detectors and interceptors, are an important development, he said. "MADIS is a solution that operates at the pointiest end of the spear, providing air protections to marines who might have to storm the beaches in a future conflict," Swope said. The system is carried by a pair of light, tactical vehicles, Stars and Stripes reported in January, and will next be used in joint exercises in the Philippines, to see how it handles humid conditions. Zak Kallenborn, a drone analyst and affiliate of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told BI that there was no "silver bullet" for tackling drones, and that defenses "need to accommodate that variability." "Drones vary greatly in capability and present threats across the whole of the military," he said. "One big problem is we're only really learning about aerial drone tactics," Kallenborn added, "but drones also fly, swim, and swarm. It's tough to develop counter tactics against technologies that are only just beginning to be used." The relative novelty of using drones in war also means tactics must evolve fast. Russia has developed a sophisticated electronic warfare capability to counter drones by jamming the signals used to guide them. Meanwhile, Ukraine claims to have tested laser weapons to take out drones used by Russia to attack its cities and infrastructure. According to The War Zone, multiple branches of the US military are experimenting with laser or microwave weapons to take down drones. Ukraine, with the help of allies including the US and Germany, is also reportedly seeking to develop new drones to overcome Russia's jamming. Raising the drone threat, Business Insider reported last year that a new type of attack might involve drones operated as part of a coordinated swarm. China is among the countries believed to be developing this technology. To counter this, Swope said militaries like the US' might need to use AI as part of drone defenses, to analyze complex data beyond the capability of humans. "Defensive systems will need to make decisions at a speed and scale that might challenge a human operator," he said. In the short term, "MADIS and other systems like it will be critical to protecting infantry and artillery units from small drones," Swope said, "which Ukraine has shown are an impossible-to-ignore emerging threat to ground forces." Read the original article on Business Insider
