The US Marine Corps has established the Marine Corps Robotics Integration Group (MCRIG) to supervise training and standardization of small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and counter-drone solutions across the force.
MCRIG will operate under the Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California.
It will develop centralized curricula, instructor certifications programs, and training materials for Group 1 and Group 2 UAS, as well as related countermeasure operations.
Under the US military’s classification system, Group 1 drones weigh less than 20 pounds (9 kilograms) and operate at altitudes of up to 1,200 feet (366 meters), while Group 2 systems weigh up to 55 pounds (25 kilograms) and can fly as high as 3,500 feet (1,067 meters).
“The battlefield continues to demonstrate that small unmanned aircraft systems are no longer niche capabilities; they are indispensable tools for reconnaissance, precision strike, force protection and survivability,” said Maj. Gen. Mark Clingan, commanding general of Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command.
He added that MCRIG will help ensure the Marines “are prepared to employ and defeat these systems in future conflicts.”
Working With Drone, Counter-Drone Teams
MCRIG will work alongside the Marine Corps Attack Drone Team and the newly established Marine Corps Counter Drone Team, which are responsible for evaluating emerging technologies, testing tactics, and assessing evolving threats.
Lessons and validated tactics developed by the two units will be incorporated into formal training programs and distributed through regional hubs across the Fleet Marine Force.
“The Marine Corps Attack Drone Team and the Marine Corps Counter Drone Team are designed to move at the speed of technology,” said Col. Charles Anklam III, commanding officer of Weapons Training Battalion.
“This partnership allows us to remain agile to the constantly changing threat, innovate quickly, and provide the fleet with consistently reliable, credible, and operationally relevant information to increase lethality and survivability.”
