Ground Based Air Defense

MISSION

To field and sustain fully integrated ground to air defense solutions that detect, track, defend and defeat the enemies' air threat that seek to harm or kill Marines and other high value assets.

VISION

To deliver the most capable equipment, at the right time, that provides Marines an advantage over the enemy in combat effectiveness and lethality.

PROGRAMS

Ground Based Air Defense (GBAD)

A-MANPADS provides close-in, low altitude, surface-to-air fires, and command and control in defense of the MAGTF vital areas. A-MANPADS consists of a Fire Unit Vehicle (FUV), Section Leader Vehicle (SLV) and the Stinger missile as the primary weapon system. The FUV is the mobile firing component of the GBAD system, with the capability to transport Stinger missiles and possessing a turret-mounted M-240B/M2 machine-gun. The SLV is the C2 component. Both the FUV and SLV will transition to the JLTV platform.

Marine Air Defense Integrated Future Weapons System (MADIS/FWS)

Ground-based air defense future weapons system is designed to modernize Low Altitude Air Defense Battalions (LAAD Bn), by providing increased capability and lethality to meet evolving and future threats. MADIS will consist of two variants. The MADIS Mk1 includes a turret-launched Stinger missile, multi-functional EW capability, direct fire weapon, Electro Optical Infra-Red (EO/IR) optic, and a shoulder-fired Stinger missile for dismounted operations. The MADIS Mk2 (C-UAS variant) includes a multi-function EW capability, 360-degree radar, direct fire weapon, EO/IR optic, and supporting C2 communications suite. The Mk1 and Mk2 form a complementary pair and are the basic building block of the LAAD Battalions’ GBAD capability.

media & releases

DJIBOUTI (Sept. 12, 2018) U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Ariel Cecil, the Low Altitude Air Defense officer in charge assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 166 Reinforced, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, explains the importance of the Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System during Theater Amphibious Combat Rehearsal (TACR) 18. Led by Naval Amphibious Force, Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, TACR integrates U.S. Navy and Marine Corps assets to practice and rehearse a range of critical combat-related capabilities available to U.S. Central Command, both afloat and ashore, to promote stability and security in the region. U.S. 5th Fleet and coalition assets are participating in numerous simultaneous exercises as part of the greater Theater Counter Mine and Maritime Security Exercise to ensure maritime stability and security in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Francisco J. Diaz Jr./Released)

Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System

L-MADIS at Native Fury 20

Marines set up CLaWS

Stinger Missile training

PM GBAD News

Back to the Future: MRIC and the rebirth of the Corps’ air defense capability

As global tensions continue to rise, the Marine Corps once again finds itself at the forefront of a strategic transformation—shifting its focus from a decades-long, land-locked War on Terror to addressing increasing great power competition in the South China Sea.

Marine Corps successfully tests Medium Range Intercept Capability Prototype

The Marine Corps’ Medium-Range Intercept Capability prototype successfully hit several simultaneously-launched cruise missile representative targets during the live-fire test at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico June 30, 2022. The MRIC prototype provides Marine Corps point defense in an expeditionary package. The system is just one of several initiatives critical to Force Design 2030, addressing an emergent capability gap for the Marine Corps. Program Executive Officer Land System’s Ground-Based Air Defense program oversees the system.

Detect, track, identify, defeat: I-CsUAS works to defend against drones, small unmanned aircrafts

The battle to keep Marines and their critical assets safe is constantly evolving. As technology advances, so does the need to field more cutting-edge equipment to counter threats, such as those posed by small unmanned aerial systems. With these challenges in mind, Program Executive Officer Land Systems is fielding the Installation-Counter small Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Known as I-CsUAS, the system is designed to protect Marine Corps installations by detecting, identifying, tracking and defeating small Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

Marine Corps at the forefront for ground-based lasers

A drone-killing, directed energy weapon prototype is now in the hands of Marines. The Compact Laser Weapons System—or CLaWS—is the first ground-based laser approved by the Department of Defense for use by warfighters on the ground.