In a significant milestone, the U.S. Marine Corps’ Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) was successfully fielded to the 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion (3d LAAB) in Hawaii. Designed to counter drones and other unmanned aerial systems (UAS), MADIS reflects the Marine Corps’ dedication to equipping Marines with capabilities critical for maintaining air dominance and superiority. MADIS is a short-range, surface-to-air system that enables Littoral Anti-Air Battalions to deter and neutralize unmanned aircraft systems and fixed wing/rotary wing aircraft. The Marine Corps is slated to field additional MADIS to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalions units in 4QFY25.
“The rapid rise of UAS, used for surveillance, targeting, and attacks, has made advanced air defense systems like MADIS critical to protecting our Marines and preserving our combat effectiveness. MADIS not only detects, tracks, and defeats aerial threats but also serves as a powerful deterrent, signaling to adversaries that their aerial assets will not succeed against U.S. forces,” said Lt. Col. Craig Warner, Future Weapons Systems Product Manager.
“MADIS is a testament to the Marine Corps’ ability to swiftly respond to evolving threats. Fielding MADIS to 3d LAAB is only the first step. What MADIS is today will not be the same system 12, 24, 36 months from now. The Marine Corps will continue to incrementally improve MADIS capabilities to stay ahead of the threat while providing Marines the system they need to protect themselves,” said Col. Andrew Konicki, Program Manager for Ground-Based Air Defense.
Mounted aboard two Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, the system is a complementary pair. MADIS includes multiple disparate systems, including radar systems, surface-to-air missiles, and command and control elements. In layman’s terms, one detects, and the other attacks. MADIS aligns with the Marine Corps’ Force Design initiative, which focuses on building an agile, technologically advanced force capable of rapid deployment and superior combat effectiveness. The system’s modular and flexible design ensures it can adapt to emerging technologies and threats. During the test, MADIS successfully tracked and hit multiple targets using the Stinger missiles and 30mm cannon.
