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Fort Buchanan Advances Army Transformation Through Innovative Training Capability

Sunday, February 1st, 2026

FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico —The Army’s home in the Caribbean is supporting the service’s transformation into a leaner, more lethal, and more agile force by modernizing how Soldiers train and generate readiness across the region.

Central to this effort is theMobile Marksmanship Training Simulator (MMTS), a deployable capability operated by Fort Buchanan’sTraining Support Center (TSC). The MMTS enhances marksmanship and engagement-skills training while reducing logistical demands and costs, directly supporting the goals of theArmy Transformation Initiative (ATI).

“Combined with the full range of capabilities available at the TSC, the MMTS has enabled Fort Buchanan to adapt how we support the warfighter. It has strengthened our training support and helped develop combat-ready formations across the region,” saidLuis Reyes, TSC manager.

The MMTS features full mobility, CO?-powered weapons that generate realistic recoil, and immersive, interactive scenarios that replicate operational environments. These capabilities allow units to train consistently regardless of range of availability or geographic constraints.

“The fact that we can take this system directly to Soldiers is a game-changer. It saves time and resources, allowing troops to focus on warfighter tasks instead of traveling long distances to training sites,” Reyes added.

Fiscal year 2025 marked the first year the MMTS was employed in Puerto Rico, and its impact was immediate. During the year, the system delivered more than800 hours of training to approximately 1,600 Soldiers, significantly expanding access to high-quality training while conserving time and resources.

According to Reyes, the MMTS does not replace Fort Buchanan’s fixedEngagement Skills Trainer (EST) 2000. Instead, it complements existing capabilities by extending training beyond fixed facilities. Together, EST 2000 and MMTS provide a layered, flexible approach that increases training frequency and efficiency while maintaining established standards.

“What the team at the Fort Buchanan TSC is doing—especially with the MMTS—is a clear indicator of the installation’s role as a warfighter readiness enabler. This capability strengthens readiness across the region and supports the Department of the Army enterprise,” saidBerenisse Rodriguez, chief of the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security.

By expanding access to modern training and delivering measurable results, Fort Buchanan’s Training Support Center continues to implement Army transformation concepts—ensuring forces remain ready, lethal, and responsive to mission requirements across the Western Hemisphere.

“Whether preparing units for contingency response, disaster relief, homeland defense, or overseas deployments, the TSC ensures leaders and Soldiers have access to the tools and resources they need to succeed,” saidRodriguez.

With an annual budget exceeding$500 million, Fort Buchanan supports a military community of approximately15,000 personnel, including Active Duty, Reserve, Puerto Rico National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve, and Navy Reserve members. The installation’s mission is to enhance readiness and facilitate the deployment of military personnel to any location, at any time.

Story by Carlos Cuebas

U.S. Army Garrison Fort Buchanan

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The Role of Heavy Metal on the Technological Front Line: Where Do Platforms Go From Here?

Saturday, January 31st, 2026

Thales RapidRanger – a modular integrated mobile weapon system – firing StarStreak

On Ukraine’s front lines, a small robot trawls through the dark, laden with supplies. Against long odds, this Uncrewed Ground Vehicle delivers a lifeline to the warfighter who depends on it. Whether platforms can go the distance and deliver the required effect is increasingly defined by the mission systems they’re equipped with – the sensor suites, autonomy modules and C4ISR capabilities that turn a technological edge into an advantage.

As Human Autonomy Teams go, this serves as just one discrete example among many. Platforms, of course, predominate. However, their ability to achieve the desired results increasingly depends on the mission systems they are equipped with, which transform technological superiority into a competitive advantage.

Mission systems: the ‘secret sauce’ behind a platform’s value and lethality

As the Minister of State for the Armed Forces warned of the “shadow of war knocking on Europe’s door”, UK MoD is shifting gears to meet an urgent, unerring need: to keep its armed forces agile enough to stay ahead of the threat and lethal enough to deter it altogether. The role of platforms in meeting this need is not in doubt. But if they are doing the heavy lifting, then it is the mission systems on top that fine-tune the solution.

One only has to consider the £1bn earmarked for the Digital Targeting Web, described by General Sir Jim Hockenhull as bringing “a step change in lethality”, to get an idea of what that solution could look like: an interconnected network of AI-enabled sensors, deciders and effectors to help British Army operators, in the context of Project ASGARD, see first and strike fast.

The timing of the Army’s new framing as a ‘20-40-40’ force is not a coincidence. On paper, 20% of its combat capability will come from technologically advanced, high-spec “survivable platforms”. In practice, these platforms – and their operators – will be able to punch above their weight.

Behind all the speeches, strategies and initiatives is an unequivocally clear desired strategic end state. The British Army must become – and must remain – a protected, connected, digitally-enabled and absolutely lethal force.

Augmenting the platform to enhance the operator

If the ‘ends’ have been well-defined, then the ‘ways and means’ are increasingly delivered by mission systems that can make operators safer, more decisive, more dangerous and more situationally aware beyond the metal hull.

“Take the TrueHunter gimbal sight. Its ability to identify and track targets on the move – and at increased range – helps commanders and gunners deftly coordinate and execute recce-strike operations, enabled by a seamless handover of targets.

“Combine this with the RS4 stabilised weapons system, TrueGuardian Threat Detection and Thales’ DigitalCrew, and hunter-killer teams become – like the platforms they operate – far greater than the sum of the parts: a network of organic and synthetic eyes, ears and instinct to deliver tactical advantage,” says Jonathan, Head of Land Sales at Thales.

DigitalCrew™, a domain, platform and sensor-agnostic suite of algorithms, assists soldiers in armoured vehicles. It enhances and augments what they ‘see’ through sensors and alerts them to what is different, dangerous, or of interest.

Such a reality is neither remote nor unattainable. GVA-compliant platforms like the Hippo Multipower Raptor UGV – designed to UK MoD open-architecture standards that allow rapid integration and upgrade of mission systems – are rolling out of the lab, off the production line and on to where they are needed most.

Rigorous experimentation for real-world implementation

Similarly, initiatives like the Land Digital Robotics and Autonomous Systems Integration Capability (L-DRIC), a DSTL-funded programme, are acting both as vanguard and testbed for this sort of capability. The aim is to give operators the means of sensing the battlefield without stepping foot or training eyes on it. From a technical perspective, this involves beyond visual line of sight operation of multiple uncrewed ground and air systems from a crewed platform that’s positioned away from the immediate action.

“Working alongside DSTL, Catalyst and Digital Concepts Engineering, Thales developed trials for L-DRIC during which a single operator controlled three uncrewed vehicles – including Raptor – demonstrating how robotic and autonomous systems (RAS) can be integrated with crewed command vehicles through a unified digital system,” says Jonathan.

Although three uncrewed vehicles were used in the recent trials, this is by no means the limit of the capability. It would be possible to also include fixed winged capability as L-DRIC emulates a combat platform system with full UK DEF STAN 23-009 GVA installation. With sufficient processing power, the digital twin eco-system could incorporate a whole battlegroup simulation that could be rapidly configured down to individual sensor and effector levels. The extension of GVA electronic architecture into RAS force integration has been critical to enabling the rapid sharing of information across the whole eco-system.

This is a UK first. It will not be the last. The physical platforms and systems involved in L-DRIC were digitally twinned, allowing for rapid testing and scaling of new and existing capabilities in a virtual environment without the effort, cost and risk of buying hardware and conducting physical trials.

The lessons learned and successes earned from L-DRIC can be laced through wider defence business: how to pull a TRL-6 capability through to fieldable product at speed; how to help MOD make the most of its existing investments; and how to keep operators lethal without making them targets.

The procurement imperative: investing in software-enhanced mission systems

With every passing week comes new peril, a stark warning, a technology turned on – then turned on the West. Threats proliferate and cross-pollinate across domains. Any advantage gained by either side is slim and fleeting. This is neither new nor news; the nature of war remains unchanged just as its character can become unrecognisable in months.

When it comes to armoured mobility, heavy metal might be enough to make do but it is not enough to make better. The platforms exist – and where they don’t, the programmes to replace them do. As the shadow of war starts knocking louder and louder, what is needed are three distinct but complementary things:

a focus on rapidly upgradable, spirally-developed mission systems;
a network of highly qualified, high-quality SMEs to design, develop and deliver the systems, and
integrators who can ensure these systems all contribute to a faster, tighter and more lethal sensor-to-shooter chain.

For these to work – and work well – we need common standards, open architectures and a platform-agnostic approach to sensors, data fusion and effectors. Technologically, we are already there. Technically, we are not far behind. But if the UK is to meet its aggressive lethality goals, then procurement and upgrade strategy must recognise that money is best spent on the software-enhanced mission systems that turn platforms into force multipliers.

Thales RapidDestroyer – Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapons (RFDEW)

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Military Kayaks in Special Operations: A Quiet Lineage

Saturday, January 31st, 2026

Introduction

The use of kayaks or canoes more broadly for military operations is nearly as old as the craft themselves. Inland and coastal waterways have served as arteries of commerce, migration, and conflict since antiquity. With the introduction of engines, human-powered watercraft largely faded from conventional military use, surviving primarily in sport, recreation, and a narrow but enduring niche: special operations.

This article provides a focused overview of the military kayak’s role from the Second World War to the present day. It is not an exhaustive history, but rather a snapshot of how a simple platform when paired with disciplined fieldcraft has enabled stealth, endurance, and access disproportionate to its size.

World War II: The Birth of Modern Military Kayak Operations

Early in the Second World War, British forces recognized the potential of kayaks for clandestine maritime raiding. One of the earliest and most influential proponents was Major Herbert “Blondie” Hasler, an accomplished canoeist who understood that small, purpose-trained teams moving silently along rivers and coastlines could strike targets inaccessible to conventional forces.

Hasler proposed a solution to a persistent operational problem: German shipping operating from the occupied port of Bordeaux, which had proven difficult for British Bomber Command to interdict. His plan envisioned a ten-man raiding force launched by submarine outside the mouth of the Gironde Estuary. From there, the team would paddle more than eighty miles during periods of limited visibility, emplace limpet mines on enemy shipping, and then evade by any means available, with the ultimate goal of returning to the United Kingdom.

This mission later known as Operation Frankton became one of the most iconic special operations of the war and was immortalized in books and film under the title The Cockleshell Heroes.

Operation Frankton validated the concept of kayak-borne raiding and directly influenced the development of British maritime special operations doctrine. During this same period, multiple parallel kayak development efforts were underway in the United Kingdom, refining folding designs and techniques that would later inform the Special Boat Service (SBS) and allied units.

The Pacific Theater: Operation Jaywick

Kayak operations were not confined to Europe. In the Pacific Theater, the Allied Z Special Force demonstrated the strategic potential of kayak infiltration during Operation Jaywick.

Six men, operating from three kayaks, infiltrated Singapore Harbor and emplaced limpet mines on Japanese shipping. The operation resulted in the destruction or serious damage of approximately 39,000 tons of enemy vessels.

Jaywick confirmed that kayak-based operations could succeed even in heavily defended ports and reinforced the kayak’s role as a viable platform for strategic raiding when employed by highly trained personnel.

Post-War Continuity: The Rhodesian SAS

Following the Second World War, kayaks remained in service with special operations forces in the United Kingdom, Europe, Africa, Asia and the United States. One of the most compelling post-war examples comes from the Rhodesian Bush War.

The Rhodesian SAS employed kayaks and canoes as low-signature insertion platforms along major waterways, particularly the Zambezi River and its tributaries. Among these missions, one operation stands out for its duration and austerity: a small SAS element inserted by kayak and operated entirely waterborne for approximately five weeks.

The patrol lived out of their boats, sleeping offshore in the kayaks or briefly ashore in concealed shoreline hides. During this period, they conducted persistent shoreline reconnaissance, surveillance of infiltration routes, and limited raids against insurgent logistics nodes, camps, and river crossings.

Kayaks enabled silent night movement, an extremely low visual and acoustic signature, and continuous repositioning without reliance on fixed bases, vehicles, or aircraft. This operation remains one of the most extreme examples of fieldcraft, endurance, and waterborne stealth in modern special operations history. Conceptually, it aligns more closely with Second World War SBS and Combined Operations Pilotage Party (COPP) missions than with later helicopter-centric SOF models.

Cold and Littoral Operations: Pebble Island, 1982

In May 1982, during the Falklands conflict, British special operations forces again demonstrated the value of kayak infiltration. Prior to the raid on Argentine aircraft positioned on Pebble Island, a small SAS reconnaissance element conducted a covert insertion by kayak.

Launching at night from offshore, the team paddled in extreme South Atlantic weather to avoid detection. Once ashore, the kayaks were cached and the patrol transitioned to foot movement to conduct reconnaissance of aircraft disposition, defensive routines, and terrain.

This reconnaissance directly enabled the success of the subsequent raid and reaffirmed a long-standing lineage of British waterborne special operations doctrine: small teams, operating independently, emphasizing endurance, precision, and stealth in austere environments.

Years later, during a training rotation at the Mountain Camp in Salalah, Oman, I had the opportunity to hear a firsthand account of this operation from Brumby Stokes, one of the four-man SAS team who conducted the paddle and reconnaissance. Hearing the details directly from a participant reinforced how demandingand how deliberately understated these operations were.

Pebble Island remains a textbook example of kayak-based SOF infiltration enabling decisive follow-on action: quiet access, accurate intelligence, and a surgically executed assault.

Personal Reflections: A Living Lineage

My own journey with military kayaks began long before operational use, sparked by Second World War films such as The Cockleshell Heroes and Attack Force Z. Those stories planted an early appreciation for the concept long before I understood the discipline behind it.

When I arrived at 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), I sought assignment to an Underwater Operations Detachment commonly referred to as a dive team. Within three months, I had completed pre-scuba training and the Combat Diver Qualification Course (CDQC). My first deployment took me to Aqaba, Jordan, where kayak infiltration using Klepper folding kayaks was one of the methods we rehearsed.

Over the course of my career, we used kayaks for infiltration training, mothercraft launches, helocasting, and shore insertions. They were also used for long-distance paddling as physical training, team building, and on occasion as improvised fishing platforms. We rehearsed operational employment during a counter-narcotics mission that was ultimately cancelled due to circumstances outside our control.

As my responsibilities increased, culminating in my role as Command Diving Officer for 5th Special Forces Group, I came to appreciate the quiet value of having kayaks available in the dive locker and on team deployments. They represented a direct lineage to the OSS Maritime Unit and to allied formations such as the SBS and Z Special Force.

Preserving the Craft

Today, I am fortunate to own one of the original 5th Group Klepper kayaks, acquired when U.S. Special Forces transitioned to the American-made Long Haul variant. When I received it, the kayak consisted of mismatched parts in poor condition and was missing its hull skin entirely.

Over several months, I restored the frame to operational condition and sourced a new skin from Long Haul, which at the time held the U.S. repair contract for the original German Kleppers. Configured in a one-man expedition setup, the kayak is now used for physical training and personal stress relief a functional reminder of a demanding and enduring tradition.

Conclusion

Kayaks remain in use by military and special operations units around the world. While rarely employed, they persist as a specialized capability within the maritime toolkit reserved for missions where stealth, endurance, and access outweigh speed or mass.

From Bordeaux to Singapore, the Zambezi to the Falklands, the military kayak has repeatedly proven that sophisticated effects do not always require complex machines. Sometimes, a paddle, patience, and exceptional fieldcraft are enough.

About the author: Travis Rolph is a retired Airborne Infantry and Special Forces veteran and founder of Mayflower Research & Consulting.

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, Maritime, SOF | 7 Comments »

The Army and AMTEC Unveil New Production Line and Testing Range in Wisconsin

Saturday, January 31st, 2026

JANESVILLE, WI — In the latest effort to modernize the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), the Army has partnered with AMTEC Corporation to open a new 40mm grenade production line and test range at AMTEC’s Janesville, WI facility. This is another milestone in the Army’s ongoing campaign of industrial expansion and modernization of munitions production for the Joint force.

The ribbon cutting ceremony was held on January 22 with Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Agile Sustainment and Ammunition and Commanding General of Picatinny Arsenal, Mr. Mark Nielsen, Veterans and Military Affairs Constituent Services Representative for Wisconsin Senator Ronald Johnson, and Ms. Susie Liston, District Director for Wisconsin Congressman Bryan Steil in attendance. Following the ribbon cutting, AMTEC executives walked the guests through the capabilities of the new line as they toured the production facility and the test range.

The grand opening of AMTEC’s new indoor 200m test range and the 72,000-square-foot manufacturing facility that houses the new, state-of-the-art 40mm M918E2 production line is the latest in a string of new facilities coming online as the Army continues to increase munitions production capacity and safety through modernization. The Army has invested $21M to open the new production line.

“The new line brings much-needed automation and flexibility as the manufacturing process shifts from a highly artisan process to an automated, high-volume production process,” said Reim. “Since 2022, $5.5B has been pushed into the DIB making it the largest investment in infrastructure and munitions production since World War II. This is the 11th new facility that the Army has stood up demonstrating our commitment to increasing production capacity, modernizing equipment and facilities, and improving safety and efficiency by deploying advanced manufacturing technologies.”

The M918E2 High Velocity Target Practice – Day Night Thermal (HV TP-DNT) cartridge provides Warfighters with a safer and more reliable cartridge that allows them the ability to maneuver during training in more realistic “Train as they Fight” scenarios. The new training cartridge is non-dud producing, meaning troops can now safely move across areas that once posed an unexploded ordnance (UXO) hazard. It also provides a day, night, and thermal visible impact signature that can be seen by the unaided eye, and thermal and night vision sights.

AMTEC will also realize cost savings and efficiency improvements with their new on-site test range. Previously, the company tested rounds at a nearby police test range, which required expensive satellite tasking and protection. The new test range accommodates the MK19, M203, and M320 weapon system platforms familiar to the 40mm portfolio. The test range will enhance precision testing capabilities for medium-caliber munitions, supporting quality assurance, rapid prototyping, and delivery of reliable munitions to U.S. Army and international allies.

“This investment provides a trifecta for the Army: advanced manufacturing capability, safety, and a modernized round that allows units to train as they fight,” said Reim.

A subsidiary of National Defense Corporation, AMTEC serves as the Department of War’s prime contractor for 40mm grenade ammunition and fuzing systems. AMTEC is a long-time partner and the largest manufacturer of 40mm ammunition in the world.

By Michael Chambers

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FirstSpear Friday Focus: Multi Climate Glove (MCG)

Friday, January 30th, 2026

The MULTI CLIMATE GLOVE (MCG) is designed for situations where maximum manipulation and tactility are essential while still protecting your digits. It features a brushed microfiber suede palm that provides a soft yet durable surface for reliable performance.

A digital texture on the palm enhances grip, giving users better control in demanding environments.

The back of the glove is constructed from a premium polyester soft shell material, offering flexibility and comfort. Because of its lightweight design, the MCG feels almost like you are not wearing a glove at all.

Its breathable fit helps reduce moisture buildup and improves comfort during extended wear. The glove also has low water uptake and dries softly, making it suitable for multi-climate conditions. An adjustable wrist ensures a secure fit and helps keep the glove in place during movement.

One of the standout features is the advanced patent-pending trigger finger design. This allows excellent transmission of trigger feel, magazine release access, and other key weapon control functions. The MCG is built for peak performance and precision, especially in training and deployment settings.

To request an estimate click image above or visit First-Spear.com/Request-For-Estimate. FirstSpear is the premier source for cutting-edge tactical gear for military, law enforcement and those who train. For more information visit First-Spear.com.

Posted in Advertiser, FS Friday Focus, Guest Post, Handwear | 2 Comments »

USAF to Introduce Air Expeditionary Wing 2.0

Friday, January 30th, 2026

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —

Beginning this year, the Air Force is introducing Air Expeditionary Wing 2.0, an improved version of our legacy deployment construct, as its new wing unit of action. AEW 2.0 will be implemented in fiscal year 2027.

Changes in the global strategic environment over the last several years emphasized a clear need: maintain an elevated state of readiness to deter and win in high-end conflict.

To achieve this, the Air Force has reevaluated its approach to generating and deploying combat airpower. The service evolved its force presentation through different deployment models in recent years, including the Expeditionary Air Base (XAB), Air Task Force (ATF), and Deployable Combat Wing (DCW), to better align with future needs. The outcome of the feedback and lessons learned from previous models is AEW 2.0, a modified version of the Air Expeditionary Wing that reflects updated national priorities and more efficiently uses talent and resources.

“AEW 2.0 allows us to present combat ready forces,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach. “It is the next step in evolving our readiness, and it’s based on input from across the total force and feedback from the major commands and wings. This model allows Airmen to train at home in a manner consistent with how they will operate when they deploy.”

AEW 2.0 is a modular and scalable wing-level unit of action that provides a standardized, right-sized baseline force package that provides the necessary capabilities to C2 and project platform-agnostic air power in any theater, which improves agility in our operations and preserves decision space for combatant commanders.

The primary difference between the legacy deployed AEW and the AEW 2.0 solution is that the AEW 2.0 forms approximately 18 months prior to deployment so that its teamed, capabilities-based components can train and certify as a cohesive unit. The legacy AEW model was enabled by crowdsourcing via the AEF process, degrading warfighting capability and making deployed unit cohesion and integration much more difficult. AEW 2.0 is a cohesive wing that arrives in theater maximally ready to fight.

This model preserves the critical wins of previous force presentation concepts: deliberately teamed, capabilities-based force packages that train and certify together through the AFFORGEN cycle. It also optimizes the balance in preserving capacity at the host wing to fulfill the in-garrison mission and defend the homeland while the unit of action trains and deploys.

“AEW 2.0 will help us move faster and stay prepared to fight wherever and whenever we’re needed,” said Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham, the Air Force’s deputy chief of staff for operations. “A key strength of this unit of action model is the deliberate training and teaming that improves collaboration and readiness across the service. It’s imperative we continue empowering wings and commanders with necessary resources and guidance to be the agile, decisive force our nation demands.”

Other notable updates to the AEW 2.0 approach include the continuation of group command opportunities at deployed locations and implementation of Wing Operations Centers instead of A-Staffs at deployed locations.

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

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AFSOC Releases CV-22B Accident Investigation Board Report

Thursday, January 29th, 2026

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. —

Today, Air Force Special Operations Command released an Accident Investigation Board report on a CV-22B Osprey mishap that occurred Nov. 20, 2024, near Melrose Air Force Range, N.M. The aircraft and crew were assigned to the 27th Special Operations Wing’s 20th Special Operations Squadron, at Cannon AFB, N.M. The mishap resulted in no injuries or fatalities nor damage to civilian property. The estimated cost of damage to government property was valued at approximately $2.8 million.

The AIB President found by a preponderance of the evidence, the cause for the mishap is attributed to a catastrophic failure of the left hand proprotor gearbox lower input idler helical gear (-105) due to a materiel inclusion in the gear’s rim-to-web radius interface.

Additionally, the AIB President found by a preponderance of the evidence the following factor which substantially contributed to the mishap: poorly designed -105 gear in CV-22 proprotor gearbox.

The AIB report can be viewed at www.afjag.af.mil/AIB-Reports under the 2024 tab.

Via Air Force Special Operations Command

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Guest Post | 1 Comment »

2nd Marine Logistics Group Develops First Marine Corps NDAA Compliant 3D Printed Drone

Wednesday, January 28th, 2026

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – Amidst the Department of War’s “Drone Dominance” intent to acquire 300,000 one-way attack drones by calendar year 2028, 2nd Marine Logistics Group has developed the Marine Corps’ first National Defense Authorizing Act-compliant 3D printed drone. The drone, titled HANX, is a holistically adaptable approved platform that can be tailored to the needs of the warfighter. HANX marks a large leap from previous Marine Corps’ 3D printed drone capabilities, such as “nibbler” in 2017, which was not subject to the same compliance requirements that exist today to meet NDAA requirements. HANX being fully NDAA compliant means it is resilient to backdoor programs from our adversaries, making it a device that can be used by any Marine for their mission. U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Henry David Volpe is behind the creation of the 3D printed drone platform, helping to bring the Marine Corps into the next era of 3D print capabilities.

Volpe, an automotive maintenance technician with 2nd Maintenance Battalion, 2nd Combat Readiness Regiment, 2nd MLG, started 3D printing in seventh grade in his home state of Missouri. He joined a Lego robotics club in middle school, where he found he enjoyed making robots from putting the pieces together to programming them.

“Both my parents are engineers, so I feel like I’ve always had that encouragement to tinker and experiment with things,” said Volpe. “Programming and designing things were just a natural continuation of my interest and the environment I grew up in.”

After graduating from high school, Volpe attended college for automotive maintenance technology, where he learned how to work on cars and even got a job as a car mechanic.

“I just enjoyed the labor and learning about the systems within a vehicle. More specifically, I loved the electronic side of automotive. Yes, the part everyone complains about,” said Volpe.

However, when COVID-19 hit in 2020, it made both work and school hard for Volpe. He needed stability, so he thought of the armed forces. Volpe said he always thought that Marines were the best of the best, so he saw this as not only a good opportunity to join for job security, but a good excuse to become one of America’s finest.

After graduating from boot camp and his military occupational specialty schoolhouse in 2022, Volpe began working as a motor transport mechanic at 2nd Maintenance Battalion, where he pursued his passion for working on and maintaining cars. One day, a friend from work told him about the opportunities in robotics, 3D printing, and advanced manufacturing that the II Marine Expeditionary Force Innovation Campus offers.

Volpe was immediately intrigued by the opportunity. His previous experience with robotics and 3D printers made the innovation campus appeal to his passion and provided a chance to get back into an old hobby. Conveniently, the campus was also right across the street from his job, so he decided to go over and get involved.

“I immediately went over to the innovation campus, shook hands with the master sergeant, and said, ‘I want to work over here, I’ve got experience with this,’” said Volpe.

The innovation campus was launched with the intention of teaching and training Marines in 3D printing, robotics, and manufacturing. It provides a space for technically proficient and curious Marines to learn new skills as well as gain access to the materials, software, and hardware to design any products they can think of. Once Volpe got there, he was put to work immediately, where he repaired two 3D printers that had the crew stumped. His college experience helped him diagnose the issue and develop a problem-solving mindset. Volpe quickly found himself feeling at home working in the innovation campus.

“Although the environment itself felt surreal to me, I had never envisioned getting to do what my hobbies are as a job,” said Volpe. “Especially within the Marine Corps.”

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew Pine, the officer in charge of the innovation campus, came across an article online about the U.S. Army making its own 3D-printed drones and decided to check it out. Pine knew Volpe was interested in drones because he had built them on his own time. So, Pine and Volpe took a trip to U.S. Army Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where Volpe was inspired to create a better and cheaper 3D printed drone platform designed and built entirely by a Marine.

“Their drone has some capabilities mine doesn’t, and some very nice cameras with it, but what I saw was a big price tag. I knew I could make something far cheaper without sacrificing too many features,” Volpe said. “The [U.S. Army] design and hardware selection was also contracted out to third and fourth parties; making their 3D printed drone an assembly can’t be entirely done by soldiers.”

Once Volpe set his mind to it, Pine helped lead Volpe and the rest of the Innovation Campus team through drone development, guiding them to reach their ambitious goal of innovation throughout the Marine Corps while giving them the room to make their own decisions.

Volpe previously built drones from kits but had never fully 3D-printed and built one from the ground up. He decided the same week he got back from this trip to take on the challenge and make the Marine Corps their own in-house-made drone.

Due to the operational tempo of the Innovation Campus, Volpewas given a deadline of 90 days to get the job done. He worked around the clock to design the drone, using different parts to make a Frankenstein of a prototype simply called “HANX,” based on Volpe’s nickname “Hank.” Before this challenge, Volpe only worked on drones by fixing or modifying them to suit whatever he needed his drone to do. It had been a while since he had built an actual drone. Despite this, he succeeded and made the drone he set out to build. Volpe had created five major versions of HANX in total prior to finishing the final prototype and there were dozens of small adjustments made to keep improving its design throughout the process.

“This was only possible because of the collaboration with the team around me,” said Volpe. “I’d give out different drone parts and say, ‘Hey, can you redesign this for me?’ Or ‘I need 20 of these printed.’ I designed it, but I didn’t work on it alone.”

Volpe took the lead on this project, assisted by Cpl Liam Smyth, who made the first design for HANX’s landing gear, Staff Sgt. Jonathan Borjesson, who helped Volpe with the hours of tuning the drone to the correct specifications, Cpl. Isauro Vazquezgarcia and Cpl. Corven Lacy who kept the 3D printers running while Volpe worked on the drone design and provided design input to improve the drone. None of it would have been possible if it were not for Chief Warrant Officer 3 Pine, who helped with the policy changes to even allow the drone to be made.

“You never do anything alone, whether that’s in combat or not,” said Volpe. After meticulously researching, planning, and implementing new knowledge learned to draft his blueprints, hundreds of hours, late nights, early mornings, failed designs, and shared success, the team of Marines had brought the drone from an idea to reality. And now “HANX” was ready to be tested.

Even after spending over 1000 hours, the hard part was still ahead. Now the team had to see if their work would meet the rigorous requirements to be approved by the small unmanned aerial systems program office.

“Anyone can create a cheap drone using cheap non-approved parts; however, finding parts that don’t run the risk of having backdoor software is difficult,” said Volpe.

A device harboring backdoor software is a device that adversaries could easily hack to record data from. To prevent the drone from becoming a potential security risk, all the critical components inside the drone have to be NDAA compliant.

“I was doing a ton of research, finding different manufacturers and then messaging them, trying to get a hold of people and talk with them about what they’re selling, and making sure that it is within NDAA standards,” said Volpe.

Volpe applied himself to finding all the pieces that would hopefully meet the necessary standard, the back and forward with the U.S. government a difficult but necessary process as they ensured all the pieces used were NDAA complaint. And then came the final test, ensuring the final product as a whole met all the necessary changes and adaptation requirements. The team waited eagerly, months of focused work balancing on the edge of success or failure.

But then the call came from the program office at NAVAIR notifying the team of the interim flight clearance process changes that enabled approval for flight of HANX. Just like that, Volpe had built the first NDAA and NAVAIR approved 3D printed drone. Completely by Marines, for Marines, at a price point that added versatility across units and changed the game on the limits of sUAS capabilities.

“I had never accomplished something like this,” said Volpe. “I’ve been to college before, rebuilt engines, but this is mine. This is what I designed. This is what I made”

After finally getting HANX approved for use, the Innovation Campus developed a plan for in-house-built, 3D printed modular drones. All the work put in over the past few months by Volpe and the team was now captured in training plans and a draft course framework. The campus was preparing the Marine Corps to equip any Marine with the ability to sustain the capability offered by the HANX and the equipment to manufacture it across all units. A capability quickly taken advantage of by the Marine Corps Special Forces Command at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

With HANX’s ability to be modified to suit various types of missions, such as reconnaissance, logistics, one-way attack drones, and more, it was a real-time answer to needs across II MEF major subordinate commands. With the Secretary of War’s intent for proliferating drone technology, HANX ability to adapt and be easily and cheaply crafted by any Marines in any unit directly supports the War Department’s plan to “unleash American drone dominance by bolstering the U.S. drone manufacturing base. HANX provides the Marine Corps large potential in harnessing the ingenuity of warfighters, arming combat units with low-cost attack drone capabilities, and training senior officers to overcome bureaucratic risk-aversion culture in drone procurement and training.”

“Some explosive ordnance disposal Marines, are about to buy 20 of these, and they’re going to be strapping explosives to it,” said Volpe, “The drone is cheap and easy to change, making it easier to be utilized for a variety of missions throughout the military, compared to all of the drones bought through contractors where we aren’t allowed to modify them.”

“When I first started working with 3D printing, I never could have imagined the technology would advance enough to enable anyone to be able to 3D print a drone,” said Volpe. “But seeing myself design and make one for the Marine Corps, a year ago I wouldn’t have thought that was possible.”

Volpe’s HANX drone is the most significant leap in 3D-printed drone technology for the Marine Corps in almost a decade and a significant accomplishment for the II MEF Innovation Campus and the U.S. Marine Corps as a whole.

“Volpe’s put over 1000 hours in this Innovation Campus workspace,” said Pine. “He’s very knowledgeable. He dives in deep whenever he’s learning something new. He is a motor transport mechanic, and he made the first drone approved for flight. That should tell you enough about how driven he is to make things successful.”

However, the HANX drone is just a stepping-stone on the road to the campus’s goal to enhance manufacturing capabilities in the Marine Corps. Innovations like HANX show Marines of all ranks and backgrounds they can embrace the 3D printing invocation that is being entirely done by Marines, for Marines. What started as a friend’s off-handed comment and a handshake, turned into one Marine’s passion impacting thousands.

Story by LCpl Javier Santillan

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa

Posted in Additive Manufacturing, Drone, Guest Post, USMC | Comments Off on 2nd Marine Logistics Group Develops First Marine Corps NDAA Compliant 3D Printed Drone