The U.S. Marine Corps has determined four Tier 1 specifications for the development of a ship-based large unmanned aircraft platform for potential fielding by Marine Air Group Task Forces in 2026, Seapower Magazine reported Thursday.
Capt. Christopher Harrison, a Marine Aviation spokesman, told Seapower in an email the MAGTF Unmanned Aerial System Expeditionary program will primarily seek early warning, electronic warfare, communications relay and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance features.
“The potential to conduct strike capability and logistics at ranges complementary to those of MV-22 and F-35 will be explored as secondary functions,” 1st Lt. Sam Stephenson, a media officer of Marine Corps Combat Development Command, was quoted as saying by the publication.
USMC narrowed down the list of MUX requirements after the service branch conducted research and sought input from the aerospace sector.
The report added that USMC collaborates with Naval Air Systems Command to facilitate the initial phase of the development effort through a series of prize challenges.
NAVAIR looks to issue as many as eight prize challenge winners.
