
US marines held a ceremony for the fielding of MADIS systems in December 2024. (US Marine Corps 3d Marine Division)
The US Marine Corps (USMC) has fielded an unspecified number of Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) vehicles to its first new air-defence unit, the service announced earlier this month.
The marines' 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion (LAAB) based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii was the first unit to receive the first number of MADIS ground-based air-defence (GBAD) systems, according to a 13 December press release. Over 2025 the service will field seven systems to four different units, Morgan Blackstock, USMC spokesperson, told Janes on 23 December.
The seven systems will be fielded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd low-altitude air-defence (LAAD) battalions in addition to Air Control Training Squadron (ACTS) by the fourth quarter (Q4) of fiscal year (FY) 2025, Blackstock said in an email.
“Due to operational security, we cannot disclose the specific number of systems fielded at the battalion level,” Blackstock said. The system is made up of two Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, Mk 1 and Mk 2. Together, they are equipped with electronic warfare sensors and effectors, a Stinger surface-to-air missile, an M240 machine gun, and a 30 mm cannon.
The system uses RPS-42 produced by RADA Electronic Industries for its radar capability to track unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), while the Common Aviation Command and Control System controls the effectors and targeting data for fires.
In a photograph released by the US Department of Defense (DoD) on 12 December, the 3rd LAAB can be seen hosting a promotion ceremony in front of four vehicles, indicating that the battalion has at least two MADIS vehicles.
This fielding represents a slight delay, as the USMC told Janes
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