Drones Killing Marines: Marines Seek ‘Bucketshot-Like’ Anti-Drone Device
The Marines are seeking weapons and ammunition that can detect drones and knock them out of the air with a “gun-like” capability.
The Marine Corps Systems Command issued a July 15 request for information to industry. Asking for technical documents on how developers can provide detection, defense and attack methods to counter drone threats at the platoon and squad level.
The Marine Corps has one of the smallest task forces in the service, with 13 to 15 Marines. Depending on the unit. A typical Marine platoon includes up to three squads.
In February, the Marines began working on anti-drone technology to protect the installations, following a request from the Marine Corps. The equipment would also allow operators to jam and seize drones without destroying them.
The Marines are looking for equipment and ammunition mounted on weapons. That can detect and fire drones into the sky with a “gun-like” capability.
Marine Corps Systems Command issued a request for information to industry on July 15, asking for technical documents on how developers can provide detection, detection, defense and attack methods to counter drone threats in Marine Corps platoons and squads.
The Marine Corps has one of the smallest task forces in the service, with 13 to 15 Marines, depending on the unit. A typical Marine platoon includes up to three squads.
In February, the Marines began working on counter-drone technology to protect the installations, following a request from the Marine Corps. The equipment would also enable operators to jam and seize drones without destroying them.
Marines want $200 million for powerful drone-killing machines
The service uses the Marine Corps Lightweight Air Defense Integrated System (L-MADIS). Which uses two all-terrain vehicles to combine jamming technology with conventional firepower. Such as Stinger missiles, to combat drones.
However, both solutions are designed for handling larger threats and need to be either mounted on a vehicle or fixed in place.
Marines at the squad and platoon levels must carry their own equipment. To detect, defeat, and destroy Group 1 and Group 2 drones weighing up to 20 pounds and flying below 1,200 feet.
Group 2 drones weigh between 21 and 55 pounds and can fly up to 3,500 feet.
According to the call, the new capabilities the Corps wants will include detection and tracking equipment using acoustic or radio frequency detection. Marines will wear these sensors and could include wearable tablets, bracelets, headphones or glasses to “receive alerts, warnings and notifications from external sensors.”
The same platoon-level capabilities could be mounted on vehicles, masts or tripods as needed.
On the offensive side of counter-drone technology, the Marines want this separate team to have directional RF or GPS jammers that can be mounted on rifles.
But to neutralize threats at the platoon and squad level. They are looking for an optics-and-rifle combo that can track drones and use “enhanced ammunition” for weapons. They already have grenade launchers in their inventory, which are 5.56mm, 7.62mm, .50 caliber, and 40mm “bullet types.”
Weapons that use these ammunition configurations include the M72 Infantry Automatic Rifle, M240 Machine Gun, M2 Machine Gun, M320 and M32 Grenade Launchers, and the Mk 19 Automatic Grenade Launcher.
