Flying, But Not Fused: Closing the Drone Gap in the Marine Corps

Imagine a $30 million drone, capable of seeing for many miles and staying airborne for nearly a day, circling overhead while marines on the ground remain unaware of its presence or potential. This isn’t a hypothetical scenario, it’s a reality plaguing the Marine Corps’ MQ-9A program.After years of development, Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron Three began sustained flight operations from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa in 2023, marking the first deployment of a Marine-operated MQ-9 in the Indo-Pacific. In 2024, Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron One expanded that presence with a deployment to the Philippines. Together, these units now fly

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