Marine Corps to Expand Drone Arsenal.

AuthorTadjdeh, Yasmin

The Marine Corps is investing money into a variety of new unmanned aerial vehicles, ranging from large systems that can be flown off of amphibious vessels to tiny quadcopters that can fit in the pockets of dismounted troops.

One of the service's most high-profile efforts is known as the Marine Air-Ground Task Force UAS Expeditionary--or MUX--maritime drone. The service envisions using the platform in austere conditions on both land and water, said Col. James Frey, branch head of unmanned aerial systems at the Marine Corps' office of aviation, weapons and requirements.

The UAV--which could be the size of a group 5 system, which include large platforms like the Reaper, Global Hawk and Triton--will have a vertical takeoff and landing capability, he told National Defense in an interview.

"This is unique to DoD as far as having a vertical... takeoff UAS that's of this size," he said. "It's the first time it has been done."

Having a VTOL system will allow Marines to fly the platform from a variety of locations, Frey said.

"It's runway independent, so I do not need to be... someplace with a strip of concrete or asphalt 3,000-feet long," he said. "That's what gives you... independence in the austere locations,... and that's what gives us the flexibility for the expeditionary environment."

The drone will be used for early warning, communications relays, air support, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, he said.

Following a request for information released earlier this year, the Marine Corps is working with 11 different companies that are examining how to develop the airframe and software systems, he said. The service held an industry day in June and officials from both the Marine Corps and Naval Air Systems Command are now visiting their factories. Frey did not disclose which companies are involved.

"This is where we can take their 250-page response to the RFI and answer the hard questions and make sure it's a... [two-way] conversation," he said. "We also get to ask them what are their risks in their proposal, [what are the] ... technology readiness levels of their design, where they are today, where they're going to be in the future and, probably most importantly, is what do they need help on?"

The government can offer assistance with modeling and simulation and designs, he said.

The communication between the services and industry has been "priceless," he said.

The Marine Corps faces a number of challenges as it pursues the program, Frey...

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