US Marine Corps – Counter-Drone TrainingThe US Marine Corps has launched service-level training designed to improve troops’ ability to defeat small drone threats using weapons already available to frontline personnel.The three-day training activity at Twentynine Palms, California, involved personnel from the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions. Participants trained against simulated small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) using standard weapons such as rifles, shotguns, and grenade launchers.The exercises recreated close-range drone encounters, with Marines engaging simulated aerial targets from distances of approximately 20 meters (65 feet). The targets were also operated at speeds reaching about 90 mph (145 km/h).The training is intended to familiarize troops with practical counter-drone responses using equipment already carried by conventional units.
