MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII KANEOHE, Hawaii — During the week of September 14, 2026, Program Manager Ground Based Air Defense (PM GBAD) completed a New Equipment Training (NET) and fielding of the Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System (L-MADIS) to 1st Low Altitude Air Defense (LAAD), reaching a program milestone and also setting a new standard in acquisition delivery.

In today’s battlespace, the presence of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) is no longer a future concern – it’s a persistent threat. The L-MADIS system was developed back in 2019 when there was a great need for our Marines to boost their expeditionary capabilities. Since then, L-MADIS has evolved into a fully operational program of record, providing critical capabilities that ensure our warfighters remain with the unfair advantage they need.

Modern warfare demands continuous adaptation; the latest technological advancements integrated into L-MADIS directly reflect operational feedback, ensuring our Marines stay ahead of emerging, aerial threats. As a system of systems, L-MADIS’s multisensory capability sees, hears, and feels around the areas deemed most important for Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) commanders, allowing them to posture formations inside critical or lethal areas where they can’t see. L-MADIS’s on the move short range detection, tracking, identifications and Radio Frequency-defeat of small UAS, Fixed Wing, and Rotary Wing aircraft, enables the fleet to rapidly prosecute aerial threats and expand layered defenses in depth.

The NET began in August 2026 and continued until September, ending with the systems delivery. The Marines participating in the NET began their training in a classroom environment, receiving instruction and guidance from subject matter experts, logisticians, and officers.

“We’re talking about in the classroom, actually developing the Marines and the architecture of the system with them, [using] PowerPoints, as well as other standard classroom procedures, working with our instructor team, which is phenomenal, and then actually taking them from that, you know, crawl walk run method to actually employing the system out in the field” explained Maj. Ryan Aukerman, PM GBAD’s team lead for L-MADIS.

This was the first time 1st LAAD received the L-MADIS, and although some of the group was familiar with similar systems like the FIM-92 Stinger missiles, L-MADIS introduced a new spin on familiar capabilities to this group.

“You know, everyone learns differently, but I will say the knowledge that I have now compared to what I had when I started the NET is tremendously different,” said Cpl. Zachary Buschermohle, section leader and platoon guide for 2nd platoon, 1st LAAD.

“The capabilities, how to start the systems, how each system works together, and overall, completing the mission. It’s pretty cool to see.”

In these environments Marines are able to provide their candid, verbal feedback to their instructors and system stewards to ensure the capabilities of the system fit their needs and they’re properly digesting their new learning. The classroom portion of the NET also includes a written feedback portal the instructors take with them to their working groups.

“Each day we’ve got our instructor teams gaining the actual physical feedback from the reporting forms that they have inside the classes. So, you get that written feedback. And then again, at the end of the course, we have the Marines go back through, consolidate, and then do a hot wash,” explained Aukerman. “So that they can actually deliver, ‘okay, what did we see then, what do we know now, and how is that developed over the course?’ And we actually get a package back from the Marines, which then follows into fielding.”

Hearing the demands of today’s battle and the operational needs of the fleet set PM GBAD on a path to successfully execute the delivery of 15 systems in the span of six months, closing the fiscal year setting an impressive standard in the acquisitions realm. The accomplishment in terms of timing is an absolute testament to the L-MADIS’s teams’ commitment to rapidly delivering to the fleet.

“We look at programs like L-MADIS inside GBAD, which is lethal because of the speed with which we deliver,” said Aukerman.  “This is the new standard. We can do this, we’ve proven we’ve done this, and we’re going to continue to do it over and over again.”

The L-MADIS program will continue the drumbeat of rapid delivery. Throughout FY27 L-MADIS is postured to close out their fielding in the next six months with full operational capability in sight – a critical capability milestone. Going forward, the program expects to further the systems integrations, testing, and validation.

“What’s coming for L-MADIS is additional sensor suite, a continuous iteration and loop of engineer change proposals, which is essentially adding of capability, and an iterative process with feedback from the Marines, and the users, and the professionals here at PAE Marine Corps, as well as a new kinetic defeat mechanism, with which we’re building design right now,” said Aukerman.

Modern warfare demands continuous adaptation, technological advancement, and speed. The L-MADIS program serves as an example of the Marine Corps recognizing this requirement and getting it into the hands of the warfighter.

By Helena Yared, PAE Marine Corps, Oct. 28, 2026