A few days ago, the U.S. Marine Corps’ (USMC) 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion conducted live-fire training against unmanned aerial systems using the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS), a ground-based air defense capability developed in recent years and recently deployed.
The 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion (3d LAAB) is a specialized unit of the U.S. Marine Corps focused on amphibious and littoral warfare operations, based in Oahu, Hawaii. This location holds strategic importance for the United States as it enables deployment across the Indo-Pacific region, fostering strategic partnerships with allied nations. In this context, the 3rd LAAB’s Ground-Based Air Defense Battery operates the MADIS anti-drone system, which arrived at the unit in mid-December 2024, a year after it was tested in live-fire exercises at the Yuma Proving Ground in the southwestern United States.
The MADIS is the result of development by Kongsberg Protech Systems USA and represents a key component of the USMC’s plans to establish a layered defense network against the increasing use of drones on modern battlefields. The program has reportedly been underway since 2018. According to Colonel Andrew Konicki, the officer in charge of the USMC’s Ground-Based Air Defense Program Office, the new system is a foundational step in equipping U.S. Marines with such systems. However, for now, it remains a short-range system.
The proliferation of UAS (unmanned aerial systems) is currently one of the greatest threats to military units, as they are used for surveillance, target selection, and attacks. Regarding the known capabilities of the system, reports indicate that the new MADIS excels in enabling operators to detect and track enemy targets, then decide between kinetic options (such as missiles like the Stinger or gunfire) or a more cost-efficient approach of signal interference between the drone and its pilot. This is made possible by each system unit comprising two JLTV vehicles, one specifically equipped for target acquisition and the other for neutralization measures.
Given this, the MADIS, as a highly mobile, short-range air defense system, is also a modern concept that reinforces the strategy of providing better capabilities to support the Marines stationed in the Pacific and allied and partner nations in the region. The system’s flexibility allows the unit to extend airspace coverage to detect and defend against threats without requiring a joint force.
Colonel John G. Lehane, commander of the 3rd Littoral Marine Regiment, highlighted the importance of the MADIS capability, stating, “The deployment of MADIS to the 3rd Littoral Marine Regiment enhances our collective lethality and provides remarkable tactical flexibility given the system’s reach, range, and mobility.”
Notably, previous testing of the system includes an exercise conducted a year ago with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) as part of Realistic Urban Training (RUT). During that exercise, the new Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System (L-MADIS) demonstrated its effectiveness in detecting drones using onboard sensors, which scan the airspace for anomalies.
Furthermore, while additional MADIS systems are expected to be delivered to the USMC’s Low Altitude Air Defense Battalions over the next fiscal year, the force plans to continue improving the capabilities of the current model thanks to its modular design. For example, a smaller variant is currently under development for use by Marine Corps Expeditionary Units.
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