MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. —U.S. Marines with II Marine Expeditionary Force, alongside U.S. naval forces, and partners from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL), tested new defenses against swarming drones during the Technology Operational Experimentation Event (TOEE) “Wave Breaker”, from Jan. 26, 2026, to Feb. 6, 2026.
During the experiment, Marines from 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, formed a defensive "Blue Cell" tasked with protecting a high-value naval vessel and critical airfield runways from a simulated, large-scale drone attack. The event’s core purpose was to establish a rigorous process for testing emerging technologies in harsh, real-world maritime conditions, directly responding to the evolving character of war.
One key technology was provided by the SDL, which brought its Counter Air for the Office of Naval Research system (CAirO). It integrates radars, cameras and computer vision systems to detect, track and engage hostile drones, boats and aircraft.
“Without these kinds of warfighter-driven experiments, systems risk failing to meet the demands today's Marines and U.S. naval forces face in contested littorals,” said Nate Jensen of the SDL. “We gain direct insight into how operators expect our capabilities to perform, ensuring we develop the right solutions rather than the wrong ones.”
By assessing new capabilities in a realistic environment, the Wave Breaker exercise directly forges the future of naval operations. This hands-on integration is the ultimate test of advanced technology, ensuring our forces become more lethal and resilient.
“This is exactly what prepares us for Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) and keeps us at the front edge of modernization”, said 1st Lt. Leandro Ma, a scout platoon commander for 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines. “By having small forward units test this new technology, it pushes decision-making down to the individual Marine. We get hands-on experience and learn how to best use these assets based on the commander's intent.”
Exercises like Wave Breaker are a tangible example of II MEF’s deliberate effort to optimize the force for future conflict. This commitment to pairing warfighters with emerging technologies against next-generation threats is fundamental to its mission: preparing a globally deployable, combined arms force ready to deter aggression, prevail in competition, and decisively defeat our Nation's adversaries. This forward-looking approach guarantees that when the call comes, it is Marines are ready to dominate any battlefield, anywhere in the world.