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.
AloJapan.com