Marines test new drone-jamming system aboard USS Makin Island in California drills
Marines on USS Makin Island practiced using the Light Marine Air-Defense Integrated System to detect and jam hostile drones during a training exercise off California.
In an August training exercise off California, Marines attached to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit used the Light Marine Air-Defense Integrated System (L-MADIS) on the deck of USS Makin Island to practice counter-drone tactics. The upgraded L-MADIS package, delivered two months earlier, consists of two lightweight tactical vehicles: one housing radar, optics and a SkyView sensor to detect and track small unmanned aircraft, and the other carrying electronic-warfare gear that jams the drone’s control link.
When a drone’s signal is disrupted, it may crash, hover for easy targeting, or fly back toward its operator, potentially revealing enemy positions. Lt. Gen. Jay Bargeron highlighted the need for such tools, calling one-way attack drones a major vulnerability. Marines like 1st Lt. Adelaide Ortiz and Cpl. Julian Moore emphasized that the system’s effectiveness depends on skilled operators, not just the technology.
Why it matters
Effective drone-jamming protects U.S. forces and ships from emerging low-cost aerial threats.
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