By Guest Column Staff Sgt. Ryan Sammet——Bio and Archives--January 18, 2024
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The Marines of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) field an array of counter unmanned aerial systems (CUAS) that allow the 24th MEU to adapt, overcome, and prevail over constantly changing small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) threats and challenges. During Realistic Urban Training (RUT), Marines with the 24th MEU implement and fine tune their CUAS capabilities.
sUAS continue to decrease in price, making it easier to weaponize and flood the battlespace with them. The innovation of sUAS continues to change tactical operations. During RUT, 24th MEU Marines enhance their abilities to detect, track, identify, and defeat sUAS threats.
“The need is great for CUAS systems in the battlespace,” said 1st Lt. Daniel Butler, a low altitude air defense (LAAD) officer with 2nd LAAD detachment, 24th MEU. “We keep the Marines on the ground safe from small aerial threats, often before they even know they were there.”
The 24th MEU is equipped with the Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System (L-MADIS). The L-MADIS can inform the Marines on the ground of the presence of enemy UAS and protect them from unwanted aerial reconnaissance or ordnance.
“The L-MADIS system is a great tool to counter enemy UAS capabilities,” said Butler. “It is specifically tailored to counter commercial off the shelf drones that have been retrofitted to serve a military purpose.”
Through the duration of RUT, the LAAD Marines from the 24th MEU work with the aviation and ground combat elements of the MEU. By operating the L-MADIS the Marines are able to establish a counter sUAS posture, consisting of the following procedures:
Detect: The on-board sensors scan the airspace for any anomalies in the vicinity of protected troops, equipment, or locations. Once contact is made, operators are notified with audio and visual cues.
Track: The target is tracked along its flight path to monitor the unidentified target where operators can better understand the intent of the object in question.
Identify: Through optical sensors the operators examine the target to identify if the track is a sUAS. If a sUAS is identified, the L-MADIS team notifies the proper command and control elements to decide if the sUAS is a threat to troops or equipment.
Defeat: Once in range, the L-MADIS will jam the communications between the sUAS and the operator.
Like any other air defense system, the L-MADIS is one tool in the 24th MEU’s arsenal to conduct CUAS. It mitigates threats by disrupting the electronic signals between the unmanned system and its controller.
“Air defense systems are employed based on the principles of mass, mix, mobility, and integration,” said Butler. “That’s why it’s so important to employ the L-MADIS with other air defense systems. It paints a full picture of the battlespace, where we can detect, track, identify, and defeat enemy UAS in austere locations.”
Just like the 24th MEU, the L-MADIS is expeditionary and can be deployed at a moment’s notice. The L-MADIS and its operators are a necessary tool to counter the everchanging threats the MEU may face.
At the conclusion of RUT, the 24th MEU is one step closer to being certified as deployable, and ready to support geographic combatant commanders as the Nation’s premier crisis response force. RUT provides the 24th MEU the opportunity to operate in unfamiliar environments, integrate units of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, and train towards being designated as special operations capable.
(U.S. Marine Corps story by Staff Sgt. Ryan Sammet)
"The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement."
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