At the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Expeditionary (MUX) industry day, senior officers were on hand to brief potential bidders on how the drone will become the eye for the Upgunned Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) in future.
Graphic: NAVAIR
“Think about the ESG, the Amphibious Ready Group, the large-deck amphib: even if it’s upgunned with a set of [surface warfare] assets with Aegis radars, we are still missing an airborne early warning capability. And therefore, in the fight of the future, we are going to be tied to the carrier strike group,” Brig. Gen. James Adams, director of the capabilities development directorate at Marine Corps headquarters, was quoted as saying.
He added that the MUX is expected to spend eight hours on station at 350 nautical miles away from the ARG. He is willing to trade for a cruise speed of around 175 kts to gain extra capabilities.