Marines tap Service Engineering for man-portable uncrewed aircraft for battlefield resupply of ammunition
Summary points:
- U.S. Marines order 31 TRV-150C drones for tactical battlefield resupply in a $9.8 million contract.
- The TRV-150C UAV carries up to 150 pounds over 44 miles at nearly 70 mph, supporting logistics, defense, and disaster relief.
- Developed by Survice Engineering and Malloy Aeronautics, the portable quadcopter is part of a growing Marine Corps logistics program.
PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md. – U.S. Marine Corps logistics experts needed small uncrewed aircraft to resupply warfighters on the battlefield. They found their solution from The Survice Engineering Co. LLC in Belcamp, Md.
Officials of the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., announced a $9.8 million order to Survice Engineering earlier this month for 31 TRV-150C Tactical Resupply Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
Survice Engineering is a partner to Malloy Aeronautics Ltd. in Berkshire, England, which manufactures the TRV-150 -- a medium-size uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) able to lift a 150-pound cargo payload as far as 44 miles at speeds close to 70 miles per hour.
The TRV-150 can deliver ammunition, weapons, food and water, medical supplies, and other crucial equipment to Marines on the battlefield. The quadcopter UAV is 6.7 feet wide, 8.7 feet long, and 3.5 feet wide. One person can carry the UAV in a special carrying case.
Battlefield resupply
The TRV-150, designed for battlefield resupply, is a U.S. Marine Corps program of record under NAVAIR PMA-263. The uncrewed aircraft is for intra-installation logistics; base security and defense; search and rescue; disaster relief and humanitarian aid; aerial survey and detection; and island clean-up and invasive species control.
The portable UAV can operate in all weather, and has a removable battery. The Marines first commissioned the UAV for battlefield use in 2022.
On this order Survice Engineering will do the work in Harford County, Md., and should be finished by April 2026. For more information contact Survice Engineering online at www.survice.com; Malloy Aeronautics at www.malloyaeronautics.com/index.html; or Naval Air Systems Command at www.navair.navy.mil.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
