US Marine Corps Turns to AI-Powered Bullfrog as Drone Threats Expand
The prototype deal is valued at about $6.2 million, and the system can fire 850 rounds a minute to counter small drones.
- On Monday, Allen Control Systems announced the Marine Corps selected the Bullfrog M240 autonomous weapon system to integrate into its Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System through a prototype Other Transaction Agreement contract.
- Drone warfare from Ukraine to the Middle East has exposed a critical economic imbalance in air defense, where Iran's Shahed drones cost around $35,000 compared to around $4 million for some interceptors, prompting Pentagon development of scalable counter-drone technology.
- Unlike typical AI-controlled counter-drone systems, Bullfrog units provide AI, computer vision, and precision aiming robotics to adapt existing military firearms; the M240 variant weighs 300 pounds without ammunition, fires up to 850 rounds per minute, with a cost-per-kill as low as $10, according to ACS.
- Operating in tandem across two Polaris MRZR all-terrain vehicles—one serving as command unit and the other outfitted with electronic warfare—the Marines become the third service branch to adopt Bullfrog after the Army and Navy.
- The contract's initial value of roughly $6.2 million positions it within the Marine Corps' broader $1.27 billion fiscal 2027 Ground Based Air Defense budget request, following Bullfrog's successful validation at Camp Atterbury, Indiana in August 2024 before more than 30 Pentagon officials.
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The automatic turret uses passive sensors and conventional weapons, flanked by electronic warfare, to shoot down low-cost targets
The Marines' new AI gun can track and target people, even though it's marketed as anti-drone
The Marine Corps has selected Allen Control Systems' Bullfrog M240 robotic weapon station for integration into its Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or L-MADIS. The initial prototype contract is worth $6.2 million.Read Entire Article
US Marines' latest anti-drone toy is an AI turret that uses regular machine guns
The US military is adding autonomous gun-based counter-drone systems intended to reduce its reliance on expensive interceptor missiles. They also have the potential to kill humans. Defense robotics firm Allen Control Systems (ACS) announced a deal with the US Marine Corps on Monday to get its Bullfrog autonomous weapon system attached to the Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System (L-MADIS) expeditionary counter-drone platform. L-MADIS consis…
U.S. Marine Corps taps a AI-powered gun against cheap drones
A robotic gun mount built by a Texas firm just landed a spot on one of the Marine Corps’ most important counter-drone vehicles, giving Marines a way to turn an ordinary machine gun into an autonomous, AI-guided weapon. Allen Control Systems announced that the Marine Corps selected its Bullfrog autonomous weapon station for the service’s […]
Marine Corps selects new robotic weapon system for L-MADIS integration
The AI-powered robotic weapon, which weighs roughly 300 pounds and is capable of firing 850 rounds-a-minute, can detect and neutralize small unmanned aerial systems, Allen Control Systems said.
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