Marines Make History With First Attack Drone Live-Fire Series in South Korea

Aug. 6, 2026 | By Marine Corps Capt. Brennen Yancey, 3rd Marine Division |

Marines assigned to the 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, successfully concluded the Marine Corps' first series of live-fire first-person view attack drone flights yesterday in South Korea.  

This historic training series marks a significant milestone in force modernization, demonstrating the Marine Corps' ability to field emerging technologies in the Western Pacific rapidly. The series featured two distinct training events: an inaugural range conducted July 30 by the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, and a second iteration carried out yesterday by the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment. Both are forward-deployed units to the Pacific region under the unit deployment program.

Throughout the training series, Marines used the Neros Archer drone to execute precise anti-armor and antipersonnel explosive strikes. With an effective range of approximately 20 kilometers, this technology extends the tactical influence of small units far beyond traditional squad-level infantry weapons, allowing Marines to conduct precision strikes from positions of relative safety.  

"Training with these FPV drone systems with deployed Marines, on a live-fire range and in a unique environment allows us to get one step further toward integrating it into real-world operations," said Marine Corps 1st Lt. Evan Brace, 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion company executive officer. "We learn what works, and most importantly, what needs to be worked on and refined, so that when the time comes to use the Neros Archer on the battlefield, we have perfected the craft."  

This training increases the 4th Marine Regiment's tactical proficiency with drones in offensive and defensive scenarios, extending traditional marksmanship into the unmanned domain. Small drone platforms like the Neros Archer give Marines at the squad and platoon level a modern, cost-effective alternative to many larger firing platforms that are not organic to smaller units.

"Equipping our Marines with FPV attack drones give us a useful tool that provides an additional kinetic option for us to use," Brace said. "This capability allows units down to the fireteam level to possess organic, precise fires capable of shaping their battlespace."  

Conducting this live-fire series on the Korean Peninsula required a comprehensive safety and airspace structure. The 4th Marine Regiment worked in close coordination with the 2nd Infantry Division, 8th Army, and the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade to establish the necessary regulatory frameworks in conjunction with South Korea. Before each live-fire execution, Marines conducted rigorous dry-fire safety rehearsals and built-in procedural checks to validate protocols for high-explosive drone training iterations.  We are not just upgrading our tactics, we are building a faster, smarter and deadlier team capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with our South Korean allies, ready to dominate any modern battlefield."

Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Ismael Bamba, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Korea senior enlisted leader

"Many of the obstacles we encountered before conducting this training, since it was the first of its kind here in [South] Korea, were overcome through a mission-focused mindset and through close cooperation and coordination with our [South] Korean allies," Brace said.  

By rapidly adapting to the demands of the future operating environment and validating these systems alongside the joint force and regional allies, the 4th Marine Regiment continues to ensure that the 3rd Marine Division remains a highly capable, ready and survivable forward-deployed force, uniquely postured to safeguard regional stability. This training aims to enable and expand opportunities for future joint and allied FPV attack drone training.

"The Neros Archer live-fire training proves that when we hand cutting-edge attack drones to our young Marines, they rapidly adapt, turning small units into highly lethal, self-sufficient precision strike forces," said Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Ismael Bamba, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Korea senior enlisted leader. "By mastering this technology, we are not just upgrading our tactics, we are building a faster, smarter and deadlier team capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with our South Korean allies, ready to dominate any modern battlefield."  

There will always be countless firsts when implementing any new technology, Brace said.  

"This training is significant because it is the first series of FPV attack drone flights conducted by U.S. Marines in South Korea," he said. "I'm proud that my team of professionals and I are able to play a small part in moving the needle forward when it comes to employing this emerging technology."

AF releases SSIP results to DOD contractors

By Senior Airman Hailey Haux, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Command Information / Published July 14, 2015

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Today, the Department of the Air Force announced its top performing industry partners for 2015. This is the second annual ranking released as part of the Defense Department's Superior Supplier Incentive Program.

SSIP is designed to incentivize contractor performance by identifying suppliers with the highest rankings in terms of cost, schedule, performance, quality, and business relations. Its publication is intended to incentivize suppliers to improve performance.

"The feedback the department provides to industry through the Superior Supplier (Incentive) Program is intended to allow our suppliers to benchmark their major business units against other firms,” said Frank Kendall, the under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics. “It lets the leadership and employees of the best performing firms know that their work is high quality and appreciated, and it helps the firms that have more room to improve know where they need to focus their efforts."

SSIP uses performance data gathered through the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System to rate the 25 largest companies doing business with each of the three services based on contract obligations, and categorizes their business segments into one of three performance tiers, with "Tier I" being the best.

Last year was the first year the SSIP was brought to life as part of Kendall’s Better Buying Power initiative. The Air Force joined the other services in releasing results that validated and in some cases, surprised industry.

“I (would) say the first year was very successful,” said Bobby Smart, the deputy assistant secretary for Acquisition Integration. “We gained industries’ attention, but we also gained their confidence that we’re trying to create an environment to communicate with them and set up a series of metrics that we could all measure and understand to gauge their performance against their competitors and continually improve.”

SSIP has several objectives in order for it to be successful: improve productivity, publicly acknowledge performance and provide incentives, and continuously improve suppliers’ performance.

Broken into three tiers, 45 business sectors were rated based on a set of metrics established by the Army, Navy and Air Force.

“We got with the Army and Navy and have started to standardize how we are implementing the program so that all the comparisons across the entire Department (of Defense) are the same,” Smart said. “That has been a real, in my mind, important lesson we have learned in the first year, and a lesson that we are trying to apply to make the program better and fairer so (suppliers) understand what it is that we are measuring against.

“I believe, over time, we will have a better assessment of our companies when we start to see trends,” Smart said. “It’s really hard just in the first year to look at how the companies ranked and know if that’s really a true assessment of the contribution they are making. If we look at trends over time, we will have a better view of how our companies are performing.”

Once the foundation is set, Smart said he hopes the program will continue to grow as time goes on, to include other contracts.

“In a time of stable or declining budgets, we have to come up with ways to incentivize our industry partners in a positive way, so they have a priority of maximizing our defense dollars,” Smart said. “In today’s environment, we absolutely have to convey to them that we must maximize the productivity from every defense dollar that we have and our contractors know that, and I think that’s why they have embraced this in such a positive way. It’s a win-win for the companies and for the Department of Defense.”

New DoD Agency Focuses on Improvised Threats

By Terri Moon Cronk

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, July 13, 2015 – Because it takes a network to defeat a network, the Defense Department today debuts its newest agency to stay at the forefront of improvised threats.

DoD’s Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Agency, or JIDA, is built from what had been the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization. It is a combat support agency in the office of the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, Army Maj. Gen. Julie A. Bentz, the agency’s vice director, told DoD News. JIDA has a new, expanded mission to reflect the new name, she said.

JIDA Has Broader Mission

“DoD broadened JIEDDO’s mission set to include the improvised threat,” Bentz explained. “Our job was always to counter the improvised explosive device, and this new mission set asks us to look at the next IED.” The nation’s adversary is an adaptive one, Bentz said, adding that the next generation of IED will be an improvised threat. “The department has given us an increased latitude to go after those innovative networks, because it takes a network to defeat a network,” she said.

JIDA Works in a Network

As a network, JIDA is a community of action, and will work with such organizations as the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and across all communities that are affected by an improvised threat, the general said. JIDA’s network also includes coalition forces, partner nations and other U.S. agencies, she added.

The team approach brings the necessary authorities and capabilities to use each one’s strengths “to go after an adversary who knows how to exploit the seams between our capabilities,” Bentz explained. “The closer we stitch our abilities and leverage our authorities, the tighter a network we become to go after their network,” she added.

Patterns Lead to New Devices

JIEDDO learned early that as it defeated a device, “the next device was in front of us,” Bentz said. “But if we went upstream, [we] started noticing there were similar patterns and similar signatures that helped us understand there was a network of materials, people, tactics, techniques and procedures all coming together to build that IED.”

JIDA will continue that effort, she added. “Those same networks that build the IEDs are the same networks that will continue building improvised threats,” she said. The IED will continue to be a threat to U.S. and coalition forces worldwide, Bentz acknowledged.

“It is a threat that’s not going away anytime soon, unfortunately,” she said.

MILITARY CONTRACTS May 14, 2010

DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

BAE Systems Information Technology, Inc., McLean, Va. (HHM402-10-D-0013); General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc., Chantilly, Va. (HHM402-10-D-0014); Lockheed Martin Corp., Gaithersburg, Md. (HHM402-10-D-0015); Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Fairfax, Va. (HHM402-10-D-0016); Science Applications International Corp., San Diego, Calif. (HHM402-10-D-0017); Systems Research and Applications Corp., Fairfax, Va. (HHM402-10-D-0018); BC Fed Group, LLC, Reston, Va. (HHM402-10-D-0019); CenTauri Solutions, LLC, Alexandria, Va. (HHM402-10-D-0020); Enterprise Information Services, Inc.m Vienna, Va. (HHM402-10-D-0021); Red Arch Solutions, Inc., Columbia, Md. (HHM402-10-D-0022); and Worldwide Information Network Systems, Inc., Seabrook, Md. (HHM402-10-D-0023) have each been awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract supporting information technology (IT) requirements across the Defense Intelligence Enterprise and the greater intelligence community. The Solutions for the Information Technology Enterprise (SITE) contract is designed to enable streamlined execution; simplify purchase requests; standardize acquisition documentation; improve enterprise program management for customers; provide better reporting capability; improve contracting performance and data integrity; and make the agency's overall IT acquisition processes more efficient. The SITE contract will have a ceiling of $6.6 billion over five years. Competition among the listed firms for task orders under the SITE contract vehicle will begin this summer. The SITE contract vehicle will replace the multiple awards for the Defense Intelligence Agency's Department of Defense Intelligence Information System Integration and Engineering Support Contracts and replace the Air Force's longstanding Intelligence Information, Command and Control, Equipment and Enhancements single-award contract vehicle. The Defense Intelligence Agency is the contracting activity.

NAVY

Navmar Applied Sciences Corp., Warminster, Pa., is being awarded a $49,730,224 cost-plus-fixed-fee Phase III Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project under Topics N92-170, entitled "Laser Detection and Ranging Identification Demonstration," and N94-178, entitled "Air Deployable Expendable Multi-parameter Environmental Probe." This Phase III award provides for the research, development and production of surveillance, reconnaissance, detection, classification and targeting systems for the Department of Defense, Navy, and Air Force. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Md. (30 percent), Yuma, Ariz. (30 percent), Afghanistan (30 percent), and Warminster, Pa. (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2015. This Phase III SBIR contract was competitively procured using SBIR Program Solicitation under Topics N92-170 and N94-178. Contract funds in the amount of $1,400,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, N.J., is the contracting activity (N68335-10-C-0045).

Pacific Ship Repair & Fabrication, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $15,848,931 firm-fixed-price contract under a multi-ship solicitation for a 75-calendar-day post-shakedown availability of Military Sealift Fleet Support Command dry cargo/ammunition ships USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE 9) and USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE 10). The ships' primary mission is to deliver ammunition, provisions, stores, spare parts, potable water, and petroleum products to the Navy's carrier strike groups and other naval forces at sea. This shakedown availability is primarily for ship alterations, including: lube-oil-tank, second-deck-cargo and galley modifications; cargo hold overhead insulation; and deck air compressor and radar installation. Naval Sea Systems Command (PMS 325) provided funding to accomplish approved alterations during the post-shakedown availability. The contracts include options which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $18,874,191. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed within 75 calendar days once work begins for each ship. Contract funds in the amount of $8,083,580 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured on a set-aside for small business basis, with four offers received. The solicitation was posted to the Military Sealift Command, Navy Electronic Commerce Online and Federal Business Opportunities Web sites. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Fleet Support Command, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting authority (N40442-10-C-3020 for the USNS Matthew Perry; N40442-11-C-3000 for the USNS Charles Drew).

Rite-Solutions, Inc., Pawcatuck, Conn., is being awarded a $15,406,804 cost-plus-fixed fee contract for a Phase III Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) - Combat System of the Future to perform research, development and engineering services. Rite-Solutions, Inc., shall continue the formulation of system-level design; software and hardware development; systems engineering; commercial off-the-shelf product procurement; hardware/software integration; test and evaluation; installation; and life cycle support to integrate manpower reduction, command and control automation, and cost reduction technology into submarine platforms during new construction, overhaul, and modernization periods. Rite Solutions will apply unique humans systems integration processes leading to command decision modules and supporting infrastructures, command and control center configurations, and other technical support work for Navy submarines, surface, and air platforms. Work will be performed in Middletown, R.I., and is expected to be completed by May 2015. This Phase III SBIR contract was competitively procured using SBIR Program Solicitation under Topic Number N05-149. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-10-C-6258).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a maximum $8,699,778 firm-fixed-price, sole-source corporate contract for control indicators. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Air Force. There was originally one proposal solicited with one response. The date of performance completion is Aug. 15, 2011. The Defense Logistics Agency (DSCR-ZEB), Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the contracting activity (SP0400-01-D-9406-XE01).

MILITARY CONTRACTS May 5, 2010

AIR FORCE

Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $96,744,354 contract which will provide miniature air launched decoy low rate initial production contracts for a 24-month effort to include operational test and evaluation. At this time, $89,817,202 has been obligated. 692 ARSS/PK Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8682-10-C-0007).

Wyle Laboratories, Inc, Huntsville, Ala., was awarded a $13,744,106 contract which will provide for the research, test, development, and delivery of system requirements for the Reliability Information Analysis Center. At this time, $500,000 has been obligated. 55 CONS/LGCD, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., is the contracting activity (HC1047-05-D-4005).

ATK Tactical Systems, W.Va., was awarded a $9,689,059 contract which will provide for a nose-mounted proximity sensor used on M117 and MK-80 series general purpose bombs, including the Joint Direct Attack Munitions. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 784 CBSG/PK, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8681-06-C-0009).

Alion Science and Technology Corp., Chicago, Ill., was awarded a $13,542,075 contract which provides for the Weapons System Technology Information Analysis Center which will provide research, technical analyses, and testing that enable electronic warfare capability planning, development, acquisition, and sustainment. At this time, $235,110 has been obligated. 55 CONS/LGCD, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., is the contracting activity (SP0700-99-D-0301).

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., Poway, Calif., was awarded a $7,070,000 contract which will provide for a revision to the ground control station modernization program and will improve pilots/sensor operator ergonomics through a cockpit hardware architecture that will be upgradable to network warfare capabilities. Money will be obligated incrementally. 703 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8620-05-G-3028).

NAVY

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Ill., is being awarded a $79,239,035 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of AN/AAQ-24(V)25 NexGen Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures Infrared (IR) Missile Warning Subsystem (MWS) sensors and IR processors for the H-53 and H-46 helicopters. This contract provides for the procurement of 487 NexGen MWS sensors and 99 NexGen MWS processors, including associated technical data. Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows, Ill. (50.6 percent); Goleta, Calif. (20.9 percent); Lewisburg, Tenn. (9.2 percent); Ontario, Canada (5.2 percent); Saxonburg, Pa. (4.5 percent); Tipp City, Ohio (2.1 percent); Fort Walton Beach, Fla. (1.5 percent); Deer Park, N.Y. (1 percent); Westford, Mass. (1 percent); and various locations throughout the United States (4 percent). Work is expected to be completed in June 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.301-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-10-C-0036).

Eagan, McAllister Associates, Inc., Lexington Park, Md., was awarded a $73,376,702 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N65236-07-D-6881) for tactical command and control integration services for command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to an estimated $533,118,433. Work will be performed in Charleston, S.C. (63 percent); Lexington Park, Md. (25 percent); and Norfolk, Va. (12 percent), and is expected to be completed by April 2011. If all options are exercised, work could continue until April 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity.

Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure, Inc., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded an $18,434,609 firm-fixed price, estimated indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for environmental services at Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), Southwest area of responsibility (AOR). The maximum dollar value, including the base period, four option periods, and two award option periods, is $136,833,371. Work will be performed primarily at NAVFAC Southwest in San Diego, Calif., and the NAVFAC Southwest AOR, including California (90 percent), Arizona (2 percent), Utah (2 percent), Colorado (2 percent), New Mexico (2 percent), and Nevada (2 percent). Work is expected to be completed by April 2017. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online Web site, with two proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N62473-10-D-4009).

Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Conn., is being awarded a $6,369,677 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-09-C-2100) for common missile compartment special tooling design engineering services. The work will be performed in Groton, Conn., and is expected to be completed by August 2011. Contract funds not will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion and Repair, Groton, Conn., is the contracting activity.

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Olgoonik Technical Services, LLC*, Anchorage, Alaska, is being awarded a maximum $13,177,216 firm-fixed-price, total set-aside, sole-source contract for fuel management services. Other location of performance is Mississippi. Using service is Air Force. The date of performance completion is Sept. 30, 2013. The Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., is the contracting activity (SP0600-10-C-5037).

Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., is being awarded a maximum $9,199,905 firm-fixed-price contract for snow removal vehicles. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Air Force. There were originally two proposals solicited with one response. The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM500-01-D-0066-0056).