The U.S. Marine Corps has swiftly integrated First-Person View (FPV) attack drones into its arsenal, moving from zero FPV drones in October to over 3,500 by the following May, with thousands more on the way. This rapid acquisition is part of a larger Pentagon effort to procure over 300,000 small one-way attack drones by 2028, under a $1 billion initiative. The service's aggressive adoption is a direct response to the effectiveness of such technology observed in the war in Ukraine, with Commandant Gen. Eric Smith being a strong proponent of quickly equipping Marines with these drones.
To support this influx of technology, the Marine Corps launched six drone training programs open to all military occupational specialties. A dedicated Marine Corps Attack Drone Team, formed in January 2025 by Maj. Gen. Anthony M. Henderson and Brig. Gen. Simon M. Doran, is based at Marine Corps Base Quantico and works with the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory to integrate these systems. Training focuses on certifying drone operators, attack drone instructors, and payload specialists. By May, the goal is to equip every infantry, reconnaissance, and littoral combat team with these platforms.
The Marine Corps is set to receive 40,000 more drones later this year, presenting significant logistical challenges related to the storage, monitoring, and charging of lithium batteries, which are essential for these small drones. Colonel Jeremie "Hank" Hester highlighted the fire risk associated with ill-maintained or wet lithium batteries. The service is also emphasizing the ability for Marines to modify and repair these "off-the-shelf" drones, many costing under $4,000 per unit, and is exploring autonomy and machine learning integration.
Significant milestones include the issuance of a 90-page drone employment handbook by August 2025 and the Marine Corps' first FPV attack drone strike by joint forces during Exercise Balikatan in the Philippines on April 27. The service also held its Marine Corps Attack Drone Competition in March 2026, demonstrating its commitment to increasing proficiency. This initiative underscores a fundamental shift in military strategy, prioritizing distributed lethality and soldier-level technological empowerment.
