MARV-EL passes performance evaluation for uncrewed aerial resupply
Marines examine the two Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) systems under evaluation. (Photo: US Navy)
The system will now move on to data analysis and rapid prototyping, so it can be deployed as fast as possible.
The Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) system, an uncrewed aerial resupply system, has passed its US Navy and US Marine Corps (USMC) Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System program office (PMA-263) performance evaluation at the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.
The evaluation put the system through its paces for three weeks to ensure it met USMC standards in terms of medium aerial resupply. That meant it went through payload testing, software evaluation, navigation checks, and tests both on the ground and in the air.
Requirements for the MARV-EL system state that it should be capable of transporting more than 150kg approximately 50nm with fully autonomous take-off, landing and waypoint navigation.
Related Articles
Uncrewed defence systems set to hyperscale with launch of Arsenal platform
First Unmanned Air Warfare Centre installed for Stingray operations
MARV-EL was initiated in February 2022 when a capability document for medium autonomous aerial delivery was signed. PMA-263 requested white paper submissions from vendors and evaluated 26 proposals on ways to deliver MARV-EL.
Kaman Aerospace and Leidos were each selected in January 2023 to develop and deliver one prototype system to demonstrate air vehicle capability at the end of the 18-month period of performance.
The programme office’s next step is to complete the analysis of the data collected during Yuma flight testing, then select a vendor to enter a formal rapid prototyping Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA) programme to continue development and conduct formal developmental testing.
“PMA-263 is dedicated to deploying this much needed unmanned logistics capability in support of Marine Corps Force Design objectives”, said Tom Matthews, PMA-263 deputy program manager.
“The PMA-263 team were able to execute a plan that enabled competition, rapid prototyping, and flight test demonstrations within a two-year time frame”.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply System (JTAARS) / Medium ULS-A [USMC]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
![Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)]()
Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)
Cummings Aerospace presented its turbojet-powered Hellhound loitering munition at SOF Week 2025, offering a man-portable solution aligned with the US Army’s LASSO requirements.
-
![SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale]()
SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale
PDW has revealed its Attritable Multirotor First Person View drone at SOF Week 2025, offering special operations forces a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from Ukraine.
-
![SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions]()
SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions
Teledyne FLIR is highlighting the emerging requirements for 'recoverable and re-usable' loitering munitions across the contemporary operating environment during this week’s SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida.
-
![SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America]()
SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America
High-performance maritime industry player Kraken Technology Group, based in the UK, has used the SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida this week to debut its K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessel (USV) to the North American market.
-
![Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military]()
Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military
Red Cat and Palladyne AI recently conducted a cross-platform collaborative flight involving three diverse heterogeneous drones.
-
![Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures]()
Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.
