US Marine Corps Rolling Out Handheld Counter-Drone Systems to Troops
According to a US Marine Corps (USMC) announcement, the Corps is rolling out brand-new handheld counter-drone systems to units this year. The new devices will be operable by all troops regardless of their occupational specialty, “and to the maximum extent possible use weapon systems organic to individual units”. They will be lightweight, and require little additional training. Prototypes will likely first be fielded by Marine Expeditionary Units and Marine Littoral Regiments, but the protection is not meant to be exclusive for frontline units. After all, the threat of UAVs expands far beyond the frontline.
These new anti-drone system offers a response to the increasing proliferation of small drones in adversary arsenals. According to the Marine Corps, these drones “can disrupt operations, compromise security, and destroy critical assets, and result in loss of life,” making countermeasures a priority. Moreover, the official release highlighted that the new systems will help fill a critical gap in the USMC’s AA network.
“Current Ground Based Air Defense capabilities that are being fielded today predominantly focus on mounted platforms organic to the Low Altitude Air Defense Battalions and the Littoral Anti-Air Battalions, which encompass the entire air defense continuum up to and including defeating manned aircraft and cruise missile threats. Those dedicated air defense assets are not always practical or available at scale to support individual unit operations. The fielding of organic-CUAS capabilities will address this gap by providing essential self-defense equipment while not detracting from the operator’s primary duties.”
The threat of UAVs is forcing the Marine Corps to change the way its preparing to fight. Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson, head of USMC Training and Education Command, spoke about this challenge to Marine Times.
“It has been a long time, maybe since World War II, since a member of an infantry squad on the ground actually had to look up or over his shoulder do anything other than clear an aircraft hot, or call in a medevac or something like that. […] We may never fight again with the air superiority in the way we have traditionally come to appreciate it.”
Unfortunately, citing security concerns, the USMC has not provided any details regarding what system has been selected. However, it is known that the new weapon was chosen from among multiple competitors following a year-long review process.