Pacific Ocean. (April 10, 2025): The world is witnessing the destruction of the supposedly mighty Russia military by inexpensive drones you can buy at a hobby store. The proliferation of FPV (First Person View) drones on the battlefield has the Marine Corps full attention. In this photo by Corporal Amelia Kang, Marines assigned to Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit scan for simulated threats, such as missiles or other UAVs, from the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer.

For the Marines, the primary goal is to protect troops down to the squad level by providing a multi-tiered defense against drones. Simply “shooting them down” (Kinetic method) may be expensive overkill or impractical if hundreds of targets are involved because even the best shooters miss.

This is where the newly developed "NightFighter" Counter-Unmanned Aerial System comes in. Developed by Steelrock Technologies, these portable electronic jammers neutralize drone threats by disrupting their radio frequencies and video links. Drones are controlled by radio frequency signals between a transmitter (troops on the ground) and its receiver onboard the UAV. The NightFighter delivers an advanced non-kinetic RF (radiofrequency) blast that severs the communications link controlling the drone.

The WarFighter is two-piece man-portable system comprising a handset and tablet controller linked to electronics housed in an all- weather ‘X-Pack’. Inside the X-Pack is a multi-directional antenna for operating at the system’s lowest frequency. The system is lightweight, easy to use, and can be tailored to the needs of individual squads. They are available in a variety of configurations including portable, handheld, and weapon-mounted versions.

The Marines are aggressively pursuing all options to counter this growing threat to our troops.