US Marine Corps selects Kongsberg XM914 turret for MADIS air defense program


According to information released by the Janes defense website on July 8, 2020, the U.S. Marine Corps has selected the XM914 RWS (Remote Weapon Station) developed by the Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace for its MADIS (Marine Air Defense Integrated Future Weapons System) INC 1 project.
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MADIS Marine Air Defense Integrated System consists of two variants Mk1 and Mk2 weapon systems. (Picture source USMC)


The U.S. Marine Corps program MADIS Inc 1 is comprised of two vehicles, one Mk1, and one Mk2. This system will provide new and improved capability to mitigate the risk of attacks from Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Fixed Wing (FW)/Rotary Wing (RW) aircraft while maintaining pace with maneuver forces. Specifically, Inc 1 provides Marine Air-Ground Task Force commanders short-range ability to detect, track, identify, and defeat aerial threats.

MADIS Inc 1 focuses on the integration of command and control software with emerging and existing components integrated onto the Marine Corps’ Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) Heavy Guns Carrier (HGC) Variant. These vehicles, complimentary in capability, are the Mk1, which includes a counter FW/RW aircraft and non-kinetic C-UAS capability, and the Mk2, which includes a detection, kinetic and non-kinetic C-UAS capability.

The MADIS Mk1 includes a turret-launched Stinger missile, multi-functional EW capability, direct fire weapon, Electro Optical Infra-Red (EO/IR) optic, and a shoulder-fired Stinger missile for dismounted operations. The MADIS Mk2 (C-UAS variant) includes a multi-function EW capability, 360-degree radar, direct fire weapon, EO/IR optic, and supporting C2 communications suite.

The XM914 Remote Weapon Station of Kongsberg will consist of a 30 mm × 113 mm cannon, a 7.62 mm and the possibility to integrate the STINGER MANPADS missile. The turret is based on the CROWS (Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station) technology which is alraedy in service with the U.S. Army. The CROWS XM914 system has similar features to many major components and sub-systems of CROWS. It will use technology from Kongsberg’s Medium Caliber Turret 30mm x 173mm system.

The Marine Corps funds a number of C-UAS systems through its Ground-Based Air Defense (GBAD) program office. For example, in 2019, the Corps completed overseas tests of the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS), which employs jamming and guns. The system can be mounted on MRZR all-terrain vehicles, Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, and other platforms. In July 2019, Marines aboard the USS Boxer (LHD-4) used MADIS to neutralize an Iranian UAS that was deemed to be within “threatening range” of the ship. As part of GBAD, the Marine Corps is also procuring the Compact Laser Weapons System (CLaWS), the first DOD-approved ground-based laser.