PEO Land Systems

Report to Congress on Anti-Drone Weapons

The following is the May 31, 2022, Congressional Research Service In Focus report, Department of Defense Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

From the report

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly called drones, have proliferated rapidly and are available to nation states and to nonstate actors and individuals. These systems could provide U.S. adversaries with a low-cost means of conducting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions against—or attacking—U.S. forces. Furthermore,...

https://news.usni.org/2022/06/01/report-to-congress-on-anti-drone-weapons

GAO Report on Counter-Drone Technologies

The following is the March 15, 2022, Government Accountability Office science and technology summary, Counter Drone Technologies.

From the report

What is it? Uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), or “drones,” have a variety of uses, such as photography, delivering packages, and monitoring crops. However, UAS can also pose significant safety and security risks if they enter airspace around critical U.S. sites without authorization or if used for illegal activities. To reduce these risks, counter-UAS...

https://news.usni.org/2022/03/24/gao-report-on-counter-drone-technologies

Marines Award BAE Systems $184M for 36 More ACVs, As Pacific-Focused Fielding Continues

U.S. Marines with Amphibious Vehicle Test Branch, Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity, drive a new Amphibious Combat Vehicle ashore during low-light surf transit testing at AVTB Beach on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Dec. 18, 2019. US Marine Corps Photo

The Marine Corps this week awarded BAE Systems $184 million for 36 additional Amphibious Combat Vehicles, the company announced today.

The award was made as a contract option to the full-rate production contract signed in...

https://news.usni.org/2021/02/11/marines-award-bae-systems-184m-for-36-more-acvs-as-pacific-focused-fielding-continues

Pentagon’s Counter Small Drone Strategy

The following is the U.S. Department of Defense Counter-sUAS Strategy that was released on Jan. 7, 2020.

From the report

The exponential growth of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) creates new risks for the Department of Defense (DoD). Technology trends are dramatically transforming legitimate applications of sUAS while simultaneously making them increasingly capable weapons in the hands of state actors, non-state actors, and criminals. Small UAS may also pose hazards to DoD operations in...

https://news.usni.org/2021/01/08/pentagons-counter-small-drone-strategy

Marine Corps Awards Full-Rate Production Contract for Amphibious Combat Vehicle After Declaring IOC Last Month

An amphibious combat vehicle operates from USS Somerset (LPD-25). BAE Systems photo.

The Marine Corps’ amphibious combat vehicle is now in full-rate production after the service declared initial operational capability last month.

The Marines this week awarded BAE Systems a $184-million contract for 36 vehicles, the first FRP contract after the program had been in low-rate initial production since June 2018, when the Marine Corps selected BAE Systems as the ACV builder.

“As the ACV enters into...

https://news.usni.org/2020/12/10/marine-corps-awards-full-rate-production-contract-for-amphibious-combat-vehicle-after-declaring-ioc-last-month

Report on Pentagon Counter-Drone Weapons

The following is the Feb. 12, 2020 Congressional Research Service In Focus report, Department of Defense Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

From the report

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly called drones, have proliferated rapidly and are available to nation-states and to nonstate actors and individuals. These systems could provide U.S. adversaries with a low-cost means of conducting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions against—or attacking—U.S. forces. Furthermore,...

https://news.usni.org/2020/02/14/report-on-pentagon-counter-drone-weapons

Marines Took Out Iranian Drone for the Cost of a Tank of Gas

A MADIS anti-drone system is perched on the bow of USS Boxer (LHD-4) during a Strait of Hormuz transit on July 18, 2019. US Marine Corps Photo

Instead of a using an almost-million-dollar Navy missile, Marines splashed a hostile Iranian drone on Thursday for about the cost of a couple of gallons of gas.

During a transit through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf on Thursday, Marines – operating a new electronic warfare system on the deck of USS Boxer (LHD-4) – downed a hostile unmanned...

https://news.usni.org/2019/07/19/marines-took-out-iranian-drone-for-the-cost-of-a-tank-of-gas

Marines’ Anti-Drone Defense System Moving Towards Testing, Fielding Decision by End of Year

M-ATV with GBAD system.
USNI News Photo

The Marine Corps’ counter-drone defense system is transitioning from an urgent operational need (UON) to a formal program of record, but the program is trying to retain its speed and agility as it moves into testing and fielding.

Last year the Marines spun the Ground-Based Air Defense portfolio into its own program office under the Program Executive Office for Land Systems, and this year the office is speeding towards a Milestone C decision by the end of the...

https://news.usni.org/2019/03/11/marines-anti-drone-defense-system-working-towards-testing-fielding-decision-by-end-of-year

G/ATOR Block II Radar Fielded to Artillery Marines, Headed Towards Full-Rate Production

An AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar starts up at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Feb. 26, 2018. The AN/TPS-80 will replace the AN/TPS-63 and reduces set up time from eight hours to 30 minutes for the system. US Marine Corps photo.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Marine Corps fielded its first AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) Block II system to a Marine artillery regiment this month, after having early successes last year with the G/ATOR Block I radars in the air...

https://news.usni.org/2019/02/27/gator-block-ii-radar-fielded-to-artillery-marines-headed-towards-full-rate-production