In a breakthrough demonstration of unmanned aerial combat systems, U.S. Marines with the Advanced Infantry Training Battalion (AITB), School of Infantry–East, conducted a live-fire combined arms exercise at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. The event demonstrated the lethality of the Mjolnir payload system delivered by unmanned aerial systems (UAS), marking a milestone in merging small drones and lethal payloads on the battlefield.
The July 3, 2025, exercise featured the use of weaponized drones — including the Marine Corps-fielded SkyRaider quadcopter and the Neros Archer FPV drone — in coordinated strikes alongside traditional assets such as mortars and the Javelin missile system, the Marine Corps said.
The exercise — the first instance of a UAS delivering live lethal munitions at Camp Lejeune — was part of a larger series of experiments to increase lethality and advance UAS integration across Marine Corps infantry units. It also followed calls by Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, to increase vigilance and defend against lethal drone systems.
In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee in February 2025, Guillot said that in addition to missile and long-range bomber threats from longtime U.S. adversaries — including the Chinese Communist Party, North Korea and Russia — technologies such as UAS have added a new challenge amid efforts to defend the homeland. “Small, uncrewed aircraft systems … proliferate the open market; and in the hands of malign actors, pose a growing threat to safety and security,” he said.
As an example, Guillot said that 350 UAS detections were reported across more than 100 U.S. military installations last year. About half of U.S. installations fall under U.S. Code Section 130i, meaning they are considered “covered” installations and are allowed to defend themselves from UAS incursions. Guillot recommended that all military bases be covered under Section 130i.
During the live-fire exercise, the SkyRaider — typically used for reconnaissance — dropped the Mjolnir munition during a simulated company-level assault. Marines combined the drone’s capabilities with mortar fire and Javelin missile strikes, highlighting the potential of mixed arms tactics, the Marine Corps said.
The Mjolnir can carry 500 grams of explosives capable of dispersing ball bearings in a directional blast. It can be activated either through point detonation or an aerial burst, the latter triggered by lidar laser technology for optimal timing.
The idea to pair the Mjolnir with the SkyRaider originated during a visit from Maj. Gen. Anthony Henderson, commanding general of Training Command, to AITB, the Marine Corps said. Maj. Jessica Del Castillo, commanding officer of the Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems School, proposed the concept, which quickly gained support and led to the live-fire test.
“I did the heavy planning leading up to the Mjolnir drop: getting the interim flight clearance approved, doing that kind of work prior to the event, and then ensuring the safety structure was in place for the live drop,” Del Castillo said in a Marine Corps news release.
Marines also employed the Neros Archer FPV drone in a direct strike role, fitted with an anti-personnel charge and a Kraken Electronic Safe and Arming Device. Staff Sgt. Ryan Welch piloted the drone within 5 meters of the target before detonating the device, sending a devastating shotgun-like blast of steel ball bearings, the Marine Corps said.
Maj. Matthew Johnson, operations officer for AITB, underscored the significance of the event: “Seeing all that come together in a tactical evolution that is making the warfighters on the battlefield a little bit more lethal … exciting thing to be a part of and to watch.”