U.S. Marines Integrate V-BAT Drone Into Routine Amphibious Operations in Pacific.

Marines with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit have begun operating the V-BAT vertical takeoff unmanned aircraft from USS Portland during Pacific deployments with the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group. The evolution signals a shift in how U.S. amphibious forces extend surveillance, targeting, and decision-making reach in maritime and littoral environments where traditional air assets may be limited or contested.

During recent operations in the Pacific, the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit successfully conducted V-BAT unmanned aircraft launches from USS Portland (LPD 27), integrating the system into routine amphibious shipboard operations as part of the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group. The training reflects a growing emphasis on using compact, vertical takeoff drones to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance, and targeting support for Marines and Navy commanders operating in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area, particularly in scenarios where distributed forces must detect, track, and respond to potential maritime and littoral threats without relying on large, deck-intensive aircraft.
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A V-BAT unmanned aerial system sits on the flight deck of USS Portland (LPD 27) in the Pacific Ocean on January 31, 2026 (Picture source: US DoD)

The U.S. Navy on January 31 released imagery showing Marines, Sailors, and DOW contractors with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducting V-BAT unmanned aircraft operations aboard USS Portland (LPD 27) in the Pacific Ocean. The launch took place as the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock operated with the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations, where integrated training events are focused on improving lethality, coordination, and overall warfighting readiness, according to Navy and Marine Corps statements.

The 11th MEU’s afloat training environment is built around realistic constraints: limited space, limited time, and the constant requirement to integrate aviation, surface maneuver, and command-and-control (C2) in motion. Within that framework, the V-BAT offers a practical answer to a persistent amphibious problem, namely how to generate reliable intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) without tying up scarce rotary-wing flight hours. The aircraft’s vertical takeoff and landing design allows it to operate without catapults, arresting gear, or a long runway, which fits the tempo and geometry of amphibious ships whose flight decks must support helicopters, MV-22 operations, and logistics movements simultaneously.

The platform seen in the Pacific is the V-BAT unmanned aerial system (UAS), developed by Shield AI in collaboration with Martin UAV. It uses a ducted-fan vertical takeoff and landing architecture that combines the flexibility of rotary-wing operations with the cruise efficiency of fixed-wing flight. In practical terms, the aircraft lifts vertically from a small deck spot, then transitions into wing-borne flight for extended range and endurance, before returning to a vertical recovery profile. This dual-mode concept is one reason the V-BAT is increasingly associated with expeditionary and shipboard missions, where flight deck space is constrained and launch and recovery cycles must remain simple and repeatable.

The aircraft’s footprint requirement is notably compact, with launch and recovery possible in an area as small as 6 m x 6 m, which aligns with shipboard handling constraints and allows the UAV to operate without specialized deck infrastructure. In terms of size, the system measures 2.74 m in length with a 2.96 m wingspan, making it small enough for flexible stowage and rapid repositioning aboard amphibious ships. Its modular payload architecture supports mission tailoring, and the platform is rated to carry payloads up to 11.3 kg, enabling a mix of ISR and electronic payload options depending on operational priorities.

The V-BAT is powered by a 288cc two-stroke electronic fuel injection (EFI) engine. This engine is compatible with both heavy fuel such as JP-8 and a gasoline-oil mix, an attribute that matters in forward-deployed settings where fuel standardization and logistics resilience are operational priorities rather than minor conveniences. Performance figures underline the aircraft’s role as a persistent ISR asset rather than a short-range quadcopter substitute: publicly stated speeds include a maximum dash speed of 157 km/h and a cruising speed around 98 km/h. Endurance is commonly cited at up to 10 hours at approximately 45 knots with a standard payload, giving the MEU the ability to sustain long dwell times over areas of interest without constant sortie regeneration.

The V-BAT’s payload flexibility is central to its military utility. It can carry electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) sensor packages for day and night observation, but it is also designed to integrate more advanced mission payloads such as synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for wide-area surveillance and detection in degraded weather. Other payload categories include hyperspectral sensors for specialized mapping and assessment tasks, as well as electronic warfare (EW) and signal intelligence (SIGINT) packages intended to detect, classify, or disrupt hostile emitters. This breadth matters for amphibious forces because it turns a single compact air vehicle into a multi-role collection platform, capable of shifting from basic reconnaissance to more contested-spectrum missions depending on threat conditions.

The V-BAT is typically operated by a single operator through a Kutta Tech Ground Control Station (GCS), supporting mission planning and real-time flight control through a moving-map interface and point-and-click tasking. Communications architecture includes a 2.4 GHz video downlink and 900 MHz spread-spectrum modems for two-way data transfer. The system’s emphasis on autonomous flight and autonomous transitions between vertical and horizontal modes reduces workload, particularly during shipboard recoveries where timing, deck movement, and safety margins leave little room for manual complexity.

Operating the V-BAT from USS Portland highlights a broader integration issue: amphibious forces are adapting to a battlespace where sensing and data distribution matter as much as the physical movement of landing forces. A MEU is designed to be a rapid-response formation, but speed alone is no longer enough. In a Pacific operating environment, where distances are large and potential adversaries field layered air defense and long-range fires, commanders require a clearer picture of the maritime and littoral space. That requirement pushes ISR closer to the edge, and it favors systems that can be launched frequently without degrading the readiness of manned aircraft.

The presence of DOW contractors in the evolution underlines another operational reality: expeditionary drone operations still depend on specialized technical support, particularly during early fielding phases and integration periods. This is not unusual for new systems entering high-tempo naval environments, where safety, deck procedures, electromagnetic discipline, and maintenance routines must be refined quickly. Over time, the goal is typically to reduce contractor dependency, but the near-term benefit is accelerated operational learning and faster incorporation into MEU-level training cycles.

The training event aboard USS Portland signals how U.S. amphibious forces are preparing for an Indo-Pacific security environment shaped by long-range surveillance competition, contested maritime corridors, and the steady militarization of sensing networks. As regional actors expand anti-access and area-denial architectures and increase the density of sensors, drones, and missiles, amphibious forces face greater pressure to operate with discretion while still maintaining awareness. The integration of shipborne VTOL UAVs such as the V-BAT reflects an effort to preserve freedom of maneuver, sustain deterrence patrols, and generate actionable ISR while limiting operational friction on flight decks already tasked with multiple aviation roles. For allies and partners, it points to a future in which smaller distributed platforms contribute to coalition maritime situational awareness, while for potential adversaries, it reinforces the message that U.S. expeditionary forces are adapting their reconnaissance and targeting methods to remain credible in a contested Pacific theater.