Out of This World

Video by Lance Cpl. Michael Bartman

AUKUS Partnership Kill Web Demonstration

Marine Corps Combat Development and Integration

May 3, 2024 | 1:04

U.S. Marines and service members from Australia and United Kingdom participated in a kill web demonstration on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, May 3, 2024. The trilateral defense and security partnership, also known as AUKUS, amongst the three allies displayed their shared commitment to strengthen deterrence capabilities and promote peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. During a combat training scenario, Marines with Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, Australian and United Kingdom service members, and contractors with AeroVironment, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturer, worked to search, locate and destroy mock enemy tanks, using two inert Switchblade 600 munitions. Switchblade 600 munitions are direct fire loitering munitions systems that rely on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) provided by UAVs. Troops in command operations centers use ISR to detect enemy forces ahead of troops on the ground. Once enemy tanks are detected, rear troops will launch the Switchblade 600 and it will loiter until a forward Marine directs it to the target for a strike. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Lance Cpl. Michael T. Bartman)