The US Marine Corps has awarded Teledyne FLIR Defense a $42.5-million contract to deliver more than 600 Rogue 1 loitering munition systems as part of the Organic Precision Fires–Light (OPF-L) program. The package includes ground control stations and training kits, with formal fielding expected to begin this summer. Teledyne has already delivered an initial batch valued at $12 million, consisting of 127 Rogue 1 units for testing and evaluation activities.
The OPF-L initiative is designed to give Marine Corps rifle squads and platoons a man-portable, precision strike capability that provides beyond-line-of-sight engagement while keeping troops protected from enemy fire. These lightweight loitering munitions allow Marine units to strike targets from a distance that exceeds traditional direct-fire weapons, while reducing collateral damage in high-threat environments.
Teledyne is currently competing with AeroVironment and Anduril for a potential five-year production contract valued at up to $249 million. AeroVironment is putting forward the Switchblade 300 Block 20, featuring improved endurance and range, while Anduril has entered the competition with its Bolt-M platform. Rogue 1 and Bolt-M systems were designed specifically for OPF-L requirements, while the Switchblade variant offers major upgrades over the baseline model.
Rogue 1 incorporates advanced sensor systems, including electro-optical payloads and FLIR Boson 640+ thermal cameras, supporting day-and-night reconnaissance missions. Its modular payload architecture enables lethal effects such as forward-fragmenting warheads and explosively formed penetrators, while also supporting non-lethal training payloads. The system’s reusable fuzing mechanism allows safe recovery when attacks are aborted, expanding operational flexibility and reducing physical burden on troops.
