Marine Corps Col. Jeremie “Hank” Hester, director of the Marine Corps Capabilities Development Directorate’s Aviation Combat Element speaks during a panel at GDIT’s Emerge: Battlespace of the Future conference in Washington, D.C., June 2, 2026. (Photo by Isaac Latimer with EPNAC)
“They have their organic weapon systems, and now we're asking them to put another 30 pounds of kit of ground control stations, all the accouterments that go…
A US soldier prepares an interception drone of the American MEROPS counter drone system to launch during tests at the Nowa Deba military training ground, south-eastern Poland, on November 18, 2025. (Photo by Wojtek RADWANSKI / AFP) (Photo by WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
A map shows the Strait of Hormuz on a laptop computer screen in this photo illustration in Athens, Greece, on March 3, 2026. (Photo by Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Anthony Kavanaugh, left, a drone operator with a U.S. Army Unmanned Aerial Systems Mission Assurance team, operates a small-UAS while Ari Snipes, right, a drone operator with a U.S. Army UASMA team, prepares a s-UAS at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C., April 23, 2026. (U.S. Air Force photo by Hayden Hallman)
"There is no 'silver bullet' to address this challenge," said the task force director. "And this pilot program integrates cutting-edge technology into the department's broader counter-drone toolkit."
A U.S. Marine Corps XQ-58A Valkyrie, highly autonomous, low-cost tactical unmanned air vehicle, conducts its second test flight with two U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft assigned to 33rd Fighter Wing, 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Feb. 23, 2023. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. John McRell)
The Marine Corps is targeting 2029 to begin operational testing of its MUX TACAIR drone, while simultaneously exploring how exquisite unmanned systems can be used for other…
A VBAT unmanned aerial system takes off from the flight deck of San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD 27) during counter-small UAS training in the Pacific Ocean, April 4, 2026. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Luke Rodriguez)
Hung Cao, then-undersecretary of the Navy, meets with Capt. John Frye, commanding officer, U.S. Naval Base Guam, Feb. 23, 2026. (U.S. Navy photo by Rey Rabara)
U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Richard Tofte, a rifleman with 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, observes impacts during a live fire platoon attack on range 410 Alpha as part of Service Level Training Exercise 2-26 on Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, April 9, 2026. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Dominic Trujillo)
While details about what the lanes will look like and which counter-UAS systems Marines will employ are scant, the announcement of upcoming training comes as the service…
