A Hawaii-based aviation unit recently conducted the first all-Marine satellite communications launch and recovery as the force aims to grow its drone force and capabilities for future operations. Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron (VMU) 3 “Phantoms,” hit the operational milestone June 20 out of Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Typically, units do launch and recovery missions through line-of-sight communications, but this event used satellite infrastructure to streamline operational reach. The Marine Corps sought to expand its drone fleet, drone operator force, and drone capabilities.
In 2022, the Marines requested $63 million for rapid prototyping, with $20 million allocated to developing payloads for the MQ-9 Reaper drone fleet. By mid-2023, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3 reached operational status with the MQ-9A Reaper primarily used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. As the Corps increases its drone inventory, there is a growing demand for drone pilots and crews. Commandant Gen. Eric Smith told Congress the service needs its own MQ-9 school to train crews.
As of December 2023, the Corps had 100 MQ-9A drone pilots, following the elimination of funding for the MUX program, which aimed to rely on a single drone for various missions. The Corps is now working the MUX concept with existing MQ-9A Reapers through a “family of systems” approach. Shortening vast distances, the Marine Corps recently landed a KC-130J Super Hercules tanker on Peleliu Island, enhancing aerial assets’ access to key locations like Japan, Okinawa, and the Philippines. Todd South, a Marine veteran of the Iraq War, reported on this development.
