Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Payloads (MIP)

The Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Payloads program is designed to enhance the capabilities of the U.S. Marine Corps by developing, integrating, and sustaining advanced sensor payloads for unmanned aircraft systems. Its primary goal is to address intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability gaps and support the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) in mission accomplishment. This initiative aligns with the Force Design 2030 strategy, focusing on improving the operational effectiveness of Marine Littoral Regiments (MLR) and Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU) in environments characterized by Great Power Competition.

A key objective of the UAS Payloads program is to provide modular, low-cost aerial sensing technologies that ensure Maritime Domain Awareness for MLRs and MEUs. These technologies are crucial for executing Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO), where maintaining awareness of adversaries in communication-degraded environments is essential. The program incorporates advanced technology enablers such as artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) and precision geolocation to enhance automated recognition, identification, tracking, and targeting capabilities.

The program also focuses on developing a range of sensor modalities including Signals Intelligence/Electronic Warfare Support (SIGINT/ES), Synthetic Aperture Radar/Moving Target Indicator (SAR/MTI), and Wide Area Surveillance/Wide Area Motion Imagery (WAS/WAMI). These sensors are designed to operate across various spectrums—electromagnetic, chemical, nuclear—and domains—visual, radar—to provide comprehensive threat detection with minimized risk to personnel. The integration of these technologies supports accelerated battlespace awareness and targeting processes critical to the Joint Forces Maritime Component Command's operations.

Additionally, the UAS Payloads program emphasizes collaboration with various government agencies and industry partners to leverage high Technology Readiness Level projects. This collaboration facilitates the transition of strategic and tactical sensors into operational payload suites for unmanned systems. The program's phased approach ensures thorough testing and evaluation before full integration into field operations, supporting long-term sustainment and continuous improvement of UAS capabilities within the Marine Corps' ISR Enterprise.