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The Marine Corps is seeking new rifle-mounted electronic warfare attachments, advanced optics, and buckshot-like ammunition to help troops counter small drones after the use of drone warfare has skyrocketed.
What’s going on: In a contract opportunity posted on sam.gov, the Marines revealed that they were seeking “to solicit potential solutions from industry on Dismounted Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (CUAS) systems to support “every” Marines’ ability to conduct self-defense against unmanned aerial systems.
What they’re looking for: The Marines are seeking a passive detection system that can identify unmanned aerial systems (UAS) using acoustic or radio frequency (RF) detection. The system should be body-worn with minimal impact on primary mission equipment. Possible components include a handheld tablet, bracelet, earpiece, and/or glasses that receive alerts, warnings, and notifications from external sensors like radars and passive detection systems.
Additionally, they require methods to neutralize small drones, which include:
Non-kinetic solutions: Directional RF and/or Global Positioning System (GPS) jammers, ideally mountable on an organic rifle.
Kinetic solutions: A rifle or rifle optic capable of tracking and defeating small UAS, along with enhanced ammunition for existing firearms.
Why now: The use of small drones, many of which can be purchased by civilians for recreational use, in modern war has significantly impacted the Ukraine conflict, leading to many countries rapidly developing technologies to counter them. Both Ukrainian and Russian forces have utilized these drones for reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeted strikes. The relatively low cost and ease of deployment have allowed widespread use, from monitoring troop movements to delivering explosive payloads.
