The U.S. Marine Corps has awarded Anduril Industries a $200 million, five-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to develop and deliver a Counter-UAS Engagement System (CES) as part of its Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) programme. The CES aims to bolster the Marine Air Ground Task Force’s defences against a spectrum of air threats, particularly unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
The CES, a critical component of the MADIS block upgrade program, is designed to provide advanced C-UAS capabilities that address the challenges posed by evolving drone threats. Central to this system is Anduril’s Anvil, a kinetic interceptor tailored to neutralise Group 1 and Group 2 drones. Anvil employs autonomous onboard computing and sensors for precise targeting, offering a low-collateral solution to dynamic threat environments.
The CES will also utilise Anduril’s Lattice operating system, an open-architecture platform integrating sensor fusion, artificial intelligence and edge computing. This system allows for streamlined threat detection, tracking and response, enabling Marines to make rapid decisions in high-tempo operations. According to Anduril, this modular approach supports continuous upgrades, ensuring the system evolves to counter emerging threats.
Operational implications for the Marine Corps
The MADIS CES aims to improve the Marine Corps’ ability to counter a broad spectrum of aerial threats, including drones, fixed-wing aircraft and rotary-wing systems. The contract also allows for ongoing Engineering Change Proposals (ECPs), enabling swift integration of new capabilities as they are developed.
Chris Brose, Chief Strategy Officer at Anduril Industries, discussed how the systems’ capabilities will aid with the Marine Corp’s operational needs:
“By leveraging advanced AI and autonomy, Anduril’s CES will provide the Marines with a robust and scalable solution to counter evolving drone threats, ensuring greater protection and operational effectiveness on the battlefield.”
Anduril’s previous work with the Marine Corps, including the deployment of its fixed-site Sentry Towers for detecting and defeating UAS threats, has influenced the CES design. These installations have provided a testbed for refining the technologies now incorporated into the MADIS CES, which is intended for use in forward-deployed and expeditionary environments.
Pat Morris, VP of Air Defense at Anduril, stated:
“We are proud to support the Marine Corps in this vital mission and look forward to continued collaboration in delivering critical capabilities to the warfighter.”
Broader impacts
This contract is the latest effort by the Marine Corps’ to advance its expeditionary air defence systems, with Epirus having recently been contracted to deliver its Leonidas system. The integration of autonomous systems, open architectures and continuous updates reflects a shift toward more adaptable and scalable defence strategies.
While Anduril’s CES is expected to deliver notable enhancements to counter-drone capabilities, its effectiveness in addressing the full range of modern aerial threats will likely depend on continued innovation and real-world operational feedback.
