The US Marine Corps’ 2nd Marine Division (2nd MARDIV) has concluded several days of integrated training and demonstrations with US defence technology company Perennial Autonomy.
The exercise, held at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) in Twentynine Palms, California, focused on testing and evaluating a range of autonomous drone platforms from Perennial Autonomy.
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Among the systems assessed were the Bumblebee V1 quadcopter for reconnaissance, the Hornet mid-range strike drone, and the Merops AS-3, which is designed to intercept one-way attack drones such as the Iranian Shahed-136.
According to DVIDS Hub, the training took place while the division headquarters supported the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Warfighting Exercise at Twentynine Palms.
The UXS Center of Excellence (COE), the division’s hub for uncrewed systems, was able to capitalise on the MCAGCC’s range facilities for hands-on drone operation and evaluation.
2nd MARDIV air officer colonel Thomas Short said: “[The] 2nd Marine Division is the first Marine Corps unit to work directly with Perennial Autonomy. This experience was invaluable as the Division looks to receive these drones in the future and work with Perennial Autonomy testing and collecting data before they are actually implemented as weapons systems.”
During the demonstrations, Marines flew the Bumblebee V1 and Hornet drones, utilising them for reconnaissance tasks, attack simulations, and payload delivery trials.
Another key highlight involved the Merops interceptor, which reportedly has over 4,000 successful drone interceptions in Ukraine.
The Merops system was successfully tested against one of Perennial Autonomy’s Hornet drones during the event.
Short also stated the Department of War is expected to receive Perennial Autonomy drones in the coming weeks.
In May, company representatives met with Marine Corps Commandant General Eric Smith to discuss system integration and refinement for Marine Corps applications.
The division’s efforts align with broader initiatives within the Marine Corps to enhance force modernisation and naval integration through adoption of advanced unmanned systems.
The training was supported by the II Marine Expeditionary Force Office of Science, Technology and Experimentation.
The 2nd MARDIV will continue to refine its tactics and procedures for both employment and countering of small unmanned aerial systems, aiming to remain ready for evolving battlefield threats.
Based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, the 2nd Marine Division supports expeditionary, crisis response, and large-scale combat operations as part of the broader Marine Air-Ground Task Force.
