Anduril Makes AI-Enabled Mobile Counter Drone Weapon for US Marines

By Jim Morris, Warrior Vice President, News   

The Marine Corps has awarded Anduril a $200 million contract to build an anti-drone system for Marine air defenses. 

   Anduril’s weapon is formally known as a Counter Unmanned Aerial System Engagement System. The company says it is designed to provide “cutting-edge, expeditionary CUAS capabilities to protect the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) from evolving air threats.”  

   The system includes Anvil, Anduril’s autonomous, kinetic interceptor that designed to defeat small and medium-sized drones. It will be powered by Lattice, described as an open command-and-control operating system that uses artificial intelligence, sensor fusion and computer vision to streamline decision-making.  Earlier this year, Lattice was showcased at Central Command’s Operation Desert Guardian exercise at Fort Drum, N.Y. Anduril says the exercise demonstrated how quickly the system could be adpted for operational use.   

   Engineers are using a modular, open-architecture approach, a “software-first” philosophy that will allow the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) to rapidly upgrade when new technologies become available. 

   “By leveraging advanced AI and autonomy, Anduril’s CES will provide the Marines will a robust and scalable solution to counter evolving drone threats, ensuring greater protection and operational effectiveness on the battlefield,” said Chris Brose, Anduril’s chief strategy officer. 

   Anduril says that its new system will be an improvement for MADIS, allowing it to defeat both drones and fixed-wing/rotary-wing aircraft.  

   The Marines already have deployed Anduril’s Sentry Towers at installations across the US. The fixed-site system is designed to detect, track and defeat small and medium sized drones. Marines will use the new system at the forward edge of the battlefield.