The US Marine Corps has initiated service-level counter-drone training focused on using existing standard-issue weapons to defeat small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS).
The three-day event at Twentynine Palms, California, involved personnel from the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions. Marines trained with rifles, shotguns, and grenade launchers against simulated drone targets.
The exercise included engagements at distances of approximately 20 meters (65 feet), while the simulated drones operated at speeds of up to 90 mph (145 km/h). The training is intended to strengthen Marines’ ability to respond to emerging drone threats using weapons already in their inventories.
