MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. —

The proliferation of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems presents a significant tactical challenge for modern military forces. As adversaries across the globe increasingly mature and employ low-cost sUAS for reconnaissance, surveillance, and attack missions, it is imperative for the Marine Corps to enhance its capability to counter these threats in a dynamic, contested, and distributed environment.

This year, the Marine Corps will field dismounted counter-sUAS capabilities across the entire MAGTF, which will allow deployed Marines to effectively conduct self-defense against threat sUAS. The Marine Corps will maintain operational superiority and safeguard Marines, maritime forces, and the Joint Force against this evolving threat in diverse operational environments.

The technologies being fielded will allow Marines to detect, track, identify, and defeat adversary sUAS with both kinetic and non-kinetic means.

These systems will be lightweight, easy-to-use, easy-to-train, military occupational specialty agnostic, and to the maximum extent possible use weapon systems organic to individual units. 

Small UAS pose significant risks due to their agility, low signature, and ease of employment. These systems can disrupt operations, compromise security, and destroy critical assets, and result in loss of life. The Marine Corps must therefore prioritize the development and integration of organic CUAS solutions, consisting of both mounted and dismounted capabilities, that provide a comprehensive protection against these emerging threats. Effective countermeasures are essential for safeguarding personnel and critical assets ensuring mission success. 

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. 

This decentralization of defensive measures aligns with the Marine Corps’ emphasis on maneuver warfare and dispersed operations, ensuring that all elements of the MAGTF can operate effectively in all environments. 

Furthermore, continuous evaluation and adaptation of these systems will be crucial to keep pace with evolving sUAS technologies and tactics. By addressing this need, the MAGTF will enhance its defensive posture, safeguard its operational integrity, and ensure mission success in an increasingly complex threat environment. 

By CD&I Staff | Marine Corps Combat Development Command

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. —

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. – On Jan. 3, 2025, the Commanding Generals of Training Command, Maj. Gen. Anthony M. Henderson, and the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, Brig. Gen. Simon M. Doran, established the Marine Corps Attack Drone Team in response to the rapid proliferation of armed first-person view drone technology and tactics.

A Neros Archer first-person view drone sits on a case during a demonstration range at Weapons Training Battalion on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, March 7, 2025. The Marine Corps Attack Drone Team used the Neros Archer FPV drone to engage targets on the range to showcase the drone’s capabilities on the battlefield. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joshua Barker)

The creation of MCADT comes in response to the rapid proliferation of armed first-person view drone technology and tactics observed in modern conflicts, particularly in Eastern Europe. As emerging threats continue to evolve, the Marine Corps is prioritizing the integration of FPV drone capabilities to enhance lethality and operational effectiveness across the Fleet Marine Force.

“MCADT is committed to rapidly integrating armed first-person view drones into the FMF, enhancing small-unit lethality and providing organic capabilities that warfighters currently lack” said Maj. Alejandro Tavizon, headquarters company commander at Weapons Training Battalion and officer in charge of MCADT. “By leveraging emerging technologies and refining drone employment tactics, we are ensuring that Marines remain agile, adaptive, and lethal in the modern battlespace.”

MCADT will be based at WTBn-Quantico under Training Command, fostering close collaboration with the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory. This placement builds on 124 years of expertise from the Marine Corps Shooting Team (MCST), which has long facilitated the Corps’ culture of marksmanship and paved the way for the development of this program. The Shooting Team’s legacy in precision weapons and the capabilities of the WTBn-Quantico Precision Weapons Section further enhance MCADT’s mission.

The team’s mission is to integrate lessons from modern combat; represent the Marine Corps in inter-Service, national, and international competitions; and, through iterative training and competition, provide input to the development of cutting-edge FPV drone capabilities to enhance warfighting effectiveness. MCADT will:

– Develop and refine armed FPV drone training for Marines across the Total Force.
– Inform service-level requirements to ensure the rapid fielding of cutting-edge FPV technologies.
– Enhance individual and unit lethality through hands-on instruction during competitive training events.

“Today’s battlefield is changing rapidly, and we must adapt just as quickly. The Marine Corps Attack Drone Team will ensure that our warfighters remain at the forefront of precision drone employment, providing a critical advantage in future conflicts.” Maj. Alejandro Tavizon, Weapons Training Battalion Headquarters Company commander and officer in charge of MCADT

MCADT will serve as the Marine Corps’ subject matter experts on FPV drone employment and represent the Corps in inter-service, national, and international competitions. The first of these will be the U.S. National Drone Association’s Military Drone Crucible Championship, held from June 30 to July 3, 2025, in Florida. Competing against units like the 75th Ranger Regiment, MCADT will execute tactical missions using FPVs and small UAS in realistic scenarios designed to simulate modern combat. The competition will feature tactical inserts and full mission profiles designed to implement the ‘hunter-killer method’ using both small, unmanned aircraft systems and FPVs, incorporating a variety of flight control options, such as radio frequency, fiber-optic, and artificial intelligent-enabled, which will enhance operational effectiveness.

Following the competition, MCADT will share insights to refine tactics and further improve operational effectiveness. In April 2026, MCADT will host a final championship and selection event at Marine Corps Base Quantico, coinciding with the Marine Corps Marksmanship Competition Championships. Top drone operators will be selected to augment MCADT for future competitions.

MCADT’s impact extends beyond competition. FPV drones offer squad-level lethality up to 20 kilometers for under $5,000, compared to more expensive weapons systems with less capability. This provides a cost-effective and scalable solution for modern combat.

MCADT is already employing several USMC program of record and non-program of record small UAS and FPV controlled drones, through assistance from MCWL and their dedication to the partnership to MCADT. Each of these drones offers distinct capabilities, and the MCADT will use them, as well as additional drones to be received in the coming weeks, to effectively complete their missions.

The Competition-in-Arms Program will expand to incorporate drone competitions within the existing Marine Corps Marksmanship Competition series. The MCADT will run competitions throughout FY26 in conjunction with the MCST. These events will provide opportunities to continuously refine and enhance the skills needed to effectively operate these new precision weapons, ultimately increasing the lethality of Marines and Marine units across the FMF.

“Right now, our focus is on rapidly building proficiency by sending Marines to a variety of training courses and increasing hands-on familiarization,” said Tavizon. “Our goal is to ensure they can not only operate these systems effectively but also integrate them seamlessly into a team. This means mastering primary platforms, having redundancy with backup systems, and getting the necessary repetitions to employ payloads with precision under real-world conditions.”

The establishment of MCADT marks a significant advancement in modernizing Marine Corps capabilities, equipping Marines with cutting-edge drone technology that enhances lethality at extended ranges, all at a fraction of the cost of current long-range weapon systems. Through continuous training, competitions, and collaboration, MCADT is already shaping – and will continue to shape – how the Corps locates, closes with, and destroys our nation’s adversaries.

By Cpl Joshua Barker | Marine Corps Training and Education Command