Marine Group 5 UAS

Marine Group 5 UAS falls under the Navy's Aircraft Procurement budget activity and aims to procure air vehicles, ancillary equipment, ground support equipment, sensors, networking provision, government furnished equipment, technical publications, and training to address capability requirements identified in the MUX ICD and associated Requirements Clarification document. The program's specific objective is to provide direct support to the Marine Littoral Regiment in peer-to-peer conflict by offering stand-off sensing and Command, Control, Communication, and Computers (C4) capabilities while supporting low-cost stand-in Marine Air-Ground Task Force assets. The procurement of Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) solutions employing a Block 5 MQ-9A airframe is the first element of the MUX Family of Systems (FoS) and will enhance the MLR's domain awareness and survivability.

The program's procurement history includes a production strategy that involves an assisted acquisition by the USAF through an established USAF Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ). The program will fulfill air vehicle quantities previously planned through the transfer of assets from the USAF new production quantities. The delivery schedule is accelerated based on OEM's in production capital assets and includes scheduled asset transfers from the USAF production assets. Additionally, FY24 funding provides for ancillary equipment increase due to the procurement of SATCOM Terminal, Ground Based Sense and Avoid (GBSAA), and Remote Split Operations (RSO) Kit and Equipment required for safety of flight operations. It also supports site standup at designated locations.