Against the backdrop of growing tensions in the South China Sea, the U.S. Marine Corps demonstrated its evolving air defense capabilities during Exercise Balikatan 25. On April 27, Marines from the 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion executed a live-fire engagement using the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS), striking drone targets with precision through the XM914 30mm chain gun.
Exercise Balikatan, the flagship bilateral training between U.S. and Philippine forces, has always been a platform for demonstrating joint readiness and evolving military technology. However, this year, the focus sharpened dramatically on integrated air and missile defense (IAMD), particularly in countering unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) — a fast-growing threat in modern conflict scenarios.
The Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) represents a critical evolution in the Corps’ ability to defend against aerial threats. The system combines sensors, electronic warfare equipment, and direct-fire weaponry into a mobile package, capable of operating alongside Marine units in austere environments.
At the core of MADIS’s lethality is the XM914 30mm chain gun. Designed for rapid engagements, the XM914 delivers high-precision firepower capable of disabling or destroying drones, helicopters, and low-flying aircraft. The live-fire event at Leovigildo Gantioqui not only confirmed the system’s effectiveness but also signaled a broader shift in the Corps’ approach to layered air defense in the Indo-Pacific theater.
“Emerging threats demand an agile, integrated response,” said Col. Michael J. Brooks, commander of the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment. “MADIS gives our Marines a critical edge, enabling us to counter enemy reconnaissance and attack platforms before they can threaten our forces.”
Unmanned aerial vehicles have transformed the battlefield. No longer the sole domain of major powers, commercial and military-grade drones are now widely available to state and non-state actors alike. Cheap, expendable, and increasingly capable, drones have emerged as a primary threat vector in modern conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East.
Recognizing this shift, the U.S. Marine Corps has prioritized counter-UAV capabilities in its force design initiatives. MADIS is a centerpiece of that strategy, blending kinetic and non-kinetic tools to detect, jam, and destroy UAVs. The system’s radar and electronic warfare suite allow Marines to disrupt drone control signals, while the XM914 ensures a kinetic option remains at hand if electronic measures fail.
During the Balikatan live-fire exercise, multiple drone targets were engaged and neutralized, demonstrating not only the accuracy of the XM914 but the seamless integration of MADIS’s layered defenses. Marines tracked, identified, and engaged UAVs in realistic scenarios replicating potential Indo-Pacific conflict conditions.
This year’s Balikatan exercise took on heightened significance. Regional tensions have been rising sharply, with China continuing to assert expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea — actions deemed illegal under international law by a 2016 tribunal ruling. In response, the United States and the Philippines have sought to bolster their mutual defense capabilities.
“Balikatan” means “shoulder-to-shoulder” in Tagalog, and this year’s event embodied that spirit more than ever. Over 17,000 combined U.S. and Philippine troops participated, marking one of the largest iterations of the exercise to date. The training focused heavily on interoperability, island defense operations, cyber warfare, and now, increasingly, integrated air and missile defense.
Lt. Gen. William M. Jurney, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, emphasized the strategic importance of these drills: “Our ability to train side-by-side ensures we remain ready to respond to any threat. The integration of systems like MADIS into exercises like Balikatan reinforces our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
The deployment of advanced systems like MADIS to the Philippines is not incidental. It reflects a larger U.S. strategic pivot toward the Indo-Pacific, where new security challenges demand adaptive, expeditionary solutions. In particular, China’s rapid militarization of artificial islands and its increasingly aggressive naval posture have galvanized U.S. and allied efforts to bolster regional deterrence.
The 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR), part of the newly restructured III Marine Expeditionary Force, plays a central role in this strategy. The MLR concept focuses on distributed operations across maritime key terrain, leveraging small, highly mobile units capable of long-range fires and advanced air defenses like MADIS.
“MADIS fits perfectly within the littoral regiment model,” said Maj. Travis Mahoney, a MADIS platoon commander. “We’re designed to be fast, lethal, and hard to find. Our systems must be just as expeditionary and resilient as we are.”
The Balikatan exercise provided critical operational lessons for the Marine Corps as it refines its counter-UAV doctrine. Marines operated MADIS in unfamiliar terrain, under simulated electronic warfare conditions, and against realistic threat profiles.
One key takeaway: the importance of rapid sensor-to-shooter timelines. In a distributed environment, UAVs can quickly relay targeting information to enemy missile systems. Neutralizing drones within seconds, rather than minutes, could mean the difference between a successful defense and catastrophic losses.
MADIS’s integration with other platforms, such as the Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) and the Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S), proved vital. These systems together formed a kill chain that allowed Marines to detect, decide, and destroy threats with remarkable speed.
Looking ahead, the Marine Corps plans to continue evolving MADIS with enhancements like directed energy weapons (lasers) and improved electronic warfare payloads. The goal: to maintain overmatch against a rapidly innovating adversary ecosystem.
For the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Balikatan 25 offered not only a showcase of U.S. technology but an opportunity to advance their own air defense capabilities. Philippine troops observed MADIS operations closely, gaining insights that could inform future acquisitions and doctrinal development.
“The lessons learned from this exercise are invaluable,” said Lt. Col. Jerico De Villa of the Philippine Army. “As we modernize our forces, understanding how to counter aerial threats is critical to defending our sovereignty.”
The AFP’s modernization program already includes efforts to enhance its air defense network, including plans to acquire radar systems, surface-to-air missiles, and potentially mobile air defense solutions similar to MADIS.
While Balikatan is a military exercise, its implications are deeply political. The publicized use of MADIS during the event sends a clear signal to allies and adversaries alike: the U.S. and the Philippines are serious about countering emerging threats and maintaining stability in the region.
“This isn’t about provocation,” said Dr. Alyssa George, an expert on Indo-Pacific security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “It’s about deterrence. By demonstrating capability and interoperability, the U.S. and the Philippines are reinforcing a rules-based international order.”
Still, reactions from Beijing were swift. China’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing “grave concern” over U.S.-Philippine military activities, accusing Washington of “stoking tensions.” The Philippines, for its part, has reiterated that Balikatan is a defensive exercise aimed at enhancing regional security.
The integration of MADIS into Exercise Balikatan 25 marks a watershed moment in the U.S. Marine Corps’ evolution toward modern air defense. As threats grow more complex and the Indo-Pacific remains a flashpoint of strategic competition, the need for agile, resilient, and lethal capabilities has never been greater.
Marines from the 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion showed that with systems like MADIS, they are not only ready for today’s challenges but also positioning themselves for tomorrow’s battlespace. The live-fire success at Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui was not just a training milestone — it was a message: in the skies over the Pacific, the Marines are watching, ready, and capable.
