The U.S. Marine Corps has formally accepted the first full-rate production Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS), marking a pivotal transition from prototype development to an operational, line-unit capability. The announcement, made by Program Executive Officer Land Systems and reported via the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS), signals a major milestone in the Corps’ effort to modernize its Ground-Based Air Defense (GBAD) forces amid the rapid proliferation of drones and low-flying aerial threats.
Developed as the centerpiece of a revamped GBAD portfolio, MADIS is designed to counter the kinds of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and low-altitude aircraft that have challenged conventional air superiority in recent conflicts. By transforming two Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs) into a mobile, networked “drone hunter” team, the system provides Marine maneuver units with organic, short-range air defense that can move and fight alongside infantry and artillery. Its entry into full-rate production represents a clear shift away from ad hoc, man-portable solutions toward an integrated, vehicle-mounted air-defense capability optimized for expeditionary and littoral operations.
The production MADIS configuration consists of a complementary pair of Oshkosh Defense-supplied JLTVs that together form a single Ground-Based Air Defense section. Each vehicle is optimized for a distinct role within the air-defense mission. According to the U.S. Marine Corps, the Mk1 variant is mounted on the Oshkosh-built JLTV and equipped with a Kongsberg RS6 remote weapon station. This includes an XM914E1 30×113 mm cannon, a co-axial 7.62 mm machine gun, and an integration kit for Stinger air-to-air missiles, giving the Mk1 the primary responsibility for engaging fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.
The Mk2 vehicle, also based on the JLTV platform, is dedicated to the counter-UAS mission. It integrates a suite of sensors and mission systems, including a radar from the RPS-42 family, electro-optical and infrared sensors, electronic warfare capabilities, and the command-and-control architecture for the entire MADIS section. Working in tandem, the two vehicles enable Marines to detect, classify, track, and engage aerial threats while stationary or on the move. Response options range from non-kinetic electronic disruption of small drones to kinetic intercepts using missiles or the 30 mm cannon.
Beyond its weaponry, the full-rate production MADIS incorporates a range of software and sensor upgrades over earlier prototypes. These include refined targeting algorithms, improved cueing between sensors and shooters, and tighter integration with the JLTV’s mobility systems. Together, these enhancements allow a faster and more reliable closing of the kill chain against small, low-observable drones that often exploit terrain clutter and fly below traditional radar coverage. The system’s modular, open architecture is also designed to accommodate future upgrades, from alternative radar systems to directed-energy or other non-kinetic effectors, ensuring MADIS can evolve alongside emerging threats.
To prepare Marines to operate the new capability, crews have completed New Equipment Training and live-fire exercises at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California, where the first full-rate systems were introduced. Earlier low-rate initial production vehicles underwent extensive testing at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, successfully demonstrating the ability to detect, track, and engage multiple unmanned aerial targets using both Stinger missiles and the 30 mm cannon under realistic conditions.
Operational integration has also advanced rapidly. The 3d Marine Littoral Regiment and the 3d Littoral Anti-Air Battalion have employed MADIS during live-fire training in Hawaii and during Exercise Balikatan in the Philippines. These events demonstrated the system’s ability to deploy from amphibious platforms, rapidly establish air-defense coverage at austere island sites, and protect dispersed forces without reliance on additional joint enablers.
Strategically, MADIS is a cornerstone of Force Design 2030 and the Marine Corps’ broader effort to rebuild ground-based air defense after years in which low-altitude air threats were considered a lesser priority. The system replaces a force structure centered on dismounted Stinger teams and legacy truck-mounted launchers that required operators to expose themselves to engage targets. By embedding sensors, weapons, and electronic warfare suites within armored, highly mobile JLTVs, MADIS significantly improves survivability for Low Altitude Air Defense battalions and provides Marine Air-Ground Task Forces with a dedicated shield against threats ranging from commercial quadcopters to armed helicopters.
MADIS also integrates with other Marine and joint systems, including the G/ATOR radar and the Medium Range Intercept Capability, contributing to a layered air and missile defense architecture. This networked approach allows small, expeditionary Marine units to operate independently while still plugging into a broader joint defense framework when available.
At the geostrategic level, the move to full-rate production underscores the Marine Corps’ focus on contested regions such as the Indo-Pacific, where adversaries increasingly combine anti-access/area-denial systems with large numbers of unmanned platforms. Recent exercises in Hawaii and the Philippines have highlighted how MADIS-equipped units can protect forward bases, coastal sensors, and long-range fires elements from low-cost drone swarms or surprise rotary-wing attacks.
For regional allies, MADIS deployments during joint training offer a tangible demonstration of U.S. commitment to sustaining credible air defense even in dispersed, small-unit operations. The collaboration with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and other industry partners also reflects a broader NATO-wide shift toward mobile short-range air defense, driven by lessons from Ukraine and other modern conflicts.
The transition of MADIS into full-rate production therefore represents more than the introduction of a new vehicle. It marks a structural change in how the Marine Corps intends to protect its forces in a drone-saturated battlespace. By pairing sensing, electronic warfare, and kinetic effects on a highly mobile JLTV platform, MADIS turns each section into a self-contained hunter of low-altitude threats—one designed to move with the fight rather than remain tied to fixed sites.
