The US Marine Corps has tested the low-rate initial production model of the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) in Arizona.
Held at the Yuma Proving Ground, the test validated two MADIS platforms in a live-fire trial with simulated battlefield scenarios against launched drones.
Each was mounted aboard Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, with the first acting as a detector and the other for neutralization.
The agency wrote that the demonstration concluded with the weapons being able to track and defeat multiple targets using Stingers and a 30-millimeter cannon.
“MADIS can complete the entire kill chain, and we witness that during this event,” Ground Based Air Defense Program Manager Andrew Konicki stated.
“The importance of countering [unmanned aerial system] threats cannot be overstated. We see it all over the news. MADIS is the key. We’re excited to get this out to Marines.”
MADIS Air Defense
MADIS is a future short-range, surface-to-air defense weapon that can deploy electronic warfare capabilities and Stinger missiles.
It is designed to provide low-altitude air defense battalions with enhanced lethality against fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and drones.
Furthermore, MADIS incorporates radar and command and control components to sustain monitoring of potential threats.
The system will be manufactured into two variants. The Mk1 will include the default munitions, while the Mk2 will have an additional command, control, and communications suite.
Mk 1 and 2 will form a complementary pair and operate as a “building block” of the corps’ ground-based air defense.
Additional Tests Expected
More MADIS live-fire tests will be facilitated to complete equipment training, system verification, and initial operational evaluation before the system’s fielding.
The US Marine Corps 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion is the first team set to receive MADIS after its development.
”We’ve taken multiple disparate commercial off-the-shelf and government off-the-shelf technologies and put them together,” Konicki said.
“This is a capability the Marine Corps has never had, and it was a challenge for the acquisition community. This test event shows we met that challenge.”