US Marines based in Japan have wrapped up the Marine Corps’ first Attack Drone Competition, an event that focused on precision, speed, and control rather than traditional marksmanship. From Dec. 3 to 12, Marines from the 3rd Marine Division under III Marine Expeditionary Force trained and competed at Camps Hansen and Schwab in Okinawa.
The event brought first-person-view attack drones directly into the hands of Marines, marking a shift in how the Corps prepares for future battlefields where unmanned systems play a growing role.
Training for modern battlefields
According to the US Indo-Pacific Command, the competition was designed to push Marines beyond basic drone use and into real operational scenarios. The Marines trained with the Neros Archer attack drone, a small unmanned system that extends battlefield awareness and strike capability far beyond the Marines’ physical position.
“The Marine Corps Attack Drone Competition allows Marines to test and improve their drone skills alongside the top operators in the Marine Corps, enhancing their confidence and capabilities on the battlefield,” said Sgt. Grant Doran of the Marine Corps Attack Drone Team in Quantico, in a Marine Corps news release.
Doran added that the event also supports long-term readiness.
“It also lets us train the people who will be taking over our positions in the future. Other branches were also able to bring their top operators in, so we can share our tips and tricks to increase lethality across all services,” he said.
Marine officials say the Neros Archer drone gives small units a much longer reach. The system can extend battlefield awareness by up to 20 kilometers, allowing Marines to strike targets while staying out of direct danger.
“It just extends our reach into the battlefield,” Lt. Col. Diann Rosenfeld, a spokeswoman for the 3rd Marine Division, told Stars and Stripes. “We have the Marines operating here, and if the target’s over there, let’s keep our Marines safe in the defensive position and launch a drone to hopefully eliminate that target.”
During the final phase of the competition, Marines carried out live demonstrations, striking targets on a training range using explosive-laden drones under strict safety controls.
By the end of the competition, Marines were certified as attack drone operators, instructors, and payload specialists. This means the 3rd Marine Division can now conduct attack drone training independently on Okinawa, without relying on outside units, and continue building its own pool of qualified personnel to support future operations.
The rise of AI and unmanned combat
The Marine Corps’ push into drone warfare is mirrored by efforts in the private sector to strengthen US air defense using artificial intelligence.
In 2024, OpenAI teamed up with defense contractor Anduril to enhance the US military’s counter-unmanned aircraft systems (CUAS). The partnership aims to combine OpenAI’s AI capabilities with Anduril’s autonomous defense systems to more accurately detect, assess, and intercept hostile drones.
Anduril provides data from its autonomous air systems to train AI models for real-time threat response, while OpenAI contributes advanced AI technology to speed decision-making in high-pressure situations. The collaboration highlights how AI and drone technology are converging to reshape both offensive and defensive capabilities.
The military AI market is exploding, with global defense spending on artificial intelligence set to reach roughly $35 billion by 2035 as nations race to integrate autonomous systems, advanced analytics, and battlefield AI.