U.S. Marine Corps drone and counter-drone development

The U.S. Marine Corps is advancing its unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and counter-drone capabilities through hardware procurement, autonomous integration, and tactical testing.

Under the Denied Area Sprinter-Hellfire (DASH) program, the Marine Corps has awarded a $19 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to V2X, Inc. (formerly Vertex Modernization and Sustainment) for Tempest counter-drone vehicles. Built on a Can-Am Maverick X3 chassis, these highly mobile vehicles utilize dual missile launchers and radar to detect and engage Class 2 and Class 3 drones. This initial order of 10 vehicles represents one-fifth of the 50 systems originally intended for procurement.

Simultaneously, the service is pursuing the High-power Microwave Autonomous Vehicle Operational Capability (HAVOC) program. An $11 million contract with Epirus will provide an autonomous vehicle utilizing a high-energy microwave effector on the Epirus ExDECS platform. Designed to neutralize drone swarms via electromagnetic pulses, the system features an antenna with three times the power of previous iterations and is capable of operating in diverse weather, including monsoon environments. Delivery is expected in early 2027.

Developments in collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) continue to progress. Following successful April 2026 tests in southern California, the missionized XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrated electronic warfare capabilities and beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) command and control while flying alongside USMC F-35 and F/A-18 jets. The testing, led by the Expeditionary Maritime Aviation-Advanced Development Team, included a runway-independent launch and an autonomous return to the recovery point. Control was successfully transitioned from a ground station to an Autonodyne human-machine interface, allowing a Marine operator to manage the drone via a BLOS datalink.