US Marines launched a Neros Archer attack drone using first-person-view (FPV) technology from a reconnaissance craft off Okinawa, Japan, during a September 18 maritime trial.
The proof-of-concept activity examined the use of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) aboard maritime platforms to support sea-to-shore operations. The activity was not an operational deployment.
The participating units were 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, and 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division. The former is forward deployed with 4th Marine Regiment under the Unit Deployment Program.
The Archer was launched from a Multi-Mission Reconnaissance Craft-B (MMRC-B), adding a boat-based element to earlier Marine Corps training with the drone ashore. Marines from 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, trained with the Archer at Camp Schwab in May, focusing on reconnaissance and precision-strike applications.
The September event tested whether a mobile maritime platform could provide a dispersed launch point closer to littoral operating areas. Such employment could allow drone teams to reposition between islands or coastal areas rather than operating only from fixed positions ashore.
The MMRC-B is a 40-foot (11-metre) craft intended to conduct reconnaissance and surveillance, while also carrying out target acquisition and interdiction missions. It incorporates low-observable features and can carry up to eight personnel, along with a small inflatable raiding boat.
The craft is also intended to transport personnel and supplies in shallow waters, supporting Marine units operating from austere and dispersed locations. Previous Marine Corps training with the MMRC-B from Naha included long-distance transits, putting small reconnaissance teams ashore, and recovering them among Okinawa’s islands.
Two 40-foot MMRCs were accepted by the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab in 2024 following construction by the Australia-New Zealand partnership Whiskey Project Group. The service has been assessing the design for operations across the First Island Chain, which extends from Japan through Taiwan and the Philippines.
The maritime test follows a Marine Corps order for Archer systems and operator training across the Fleet Marine Force. Neros Technologies said its aircraft contain no Chinese components and hold certification through the Blue UAS program.