U.S. Marines New Air Defense System MADIS Debuts in Balikatan 25 Boosting Philippine US Defense Cooperation.

According to information published by the U.S. Department of Defense on April 19, 2025, U.S. Marines from the 3d Littoral Anti-Air Battalion’s Ground-Based Air Defense Battery (GBAD) will conduct live-fire training with the newly fielded Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) during Exercise Balikatan 25 in the Philippines. This marks the first deployment of MADIS to the country, representing a significant step in expanding U.S.-Philippine defense cooperation and reinforcing the U.S. commitment to enhancing regional security and air defense capabilities in the Indo-Pacific. Scheduled to run from April 21 to May 9, 2025, Balikatan 25 is designed to improve interoperability, joint operational effectiveness, and strategic deterrence in response to evolving regional threats.
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The Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) consists of two complementary JLTV-mounted vehicles: the MADIS Mk1, equipped with Stinger missiles and a 30mm cannon for engaging fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, and the MADIS Mk2, featuring advanced radar and command-and-control systems for countering unmanned aerial threats. (Picture source: U.S. DoD)

For the first time, U.S. Marines from the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment (3d MLR), 3rd Marine Division, will deployed the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) to the Philippines, where it will be operated by the Ground-Based Air Defense (GBAD) Battery of the 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion (3d LAAB) of the U.S. Marine Corps. The MADIS will be featured in live-fire drills as part of the Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) event—one of six Combined Joint All-Domain Operations (CJADO) activities scheduled during Exercise Balikatan 25. These exercises are being conducted in close coordination with the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC), highlighting joint efforts to enhance integrated air defense capabilities.

MADIS, or Marine Air Defense Integrated System, is a mobile, maneuverable, short-range air defense platform developed to provide the Marine Corps with a modernized Ground-Based Air Defense (GBAD) capability. Tailored to support expeditionary bases and maneuver units, MADIS offers protection against aerial threats, including fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, and increasingly common unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

The MADIS system is mounted on a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) and consists of two variants per operational section—MADIS Mk1 and MADIS Mk2—working as a complementary pair. The Mk1 vehicle is configured to neutralize traditional aerial threats such as rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft. It is armed with Stinger missiles and a 30mm cannon. The Mk2 vehicle, on the other hand, is optimized for counter-UAS missions and houses the RPS-62 S-band radar system along with command and control functions for the entire section. This radar allows for early detection, identification, and tracking of incoming aerial threats, supporting coordinated defensive operations between the two vehicles.

Together, these components provide a layered, networked, and highly mobile air defense solution capable of operating in diverse terrain, including littoral and archipelagic regions like the Philippines. Their integration into U.S. Marine Corps doctrine reflects a broader modernization effort aimed at improving force protection and enhancing battlefield survivability.

The deployment of MADIS to the Philippines aligns with the Philippine Marine Corps’ own coastal defense modernization objectives, ensuring greater situational awareness and airspace control. During Balikatan 25, MADIS-equipped Marines will train alongside their Philippine counterparts, who will provide perimeter security and demonstrate their own counter-drone systems. These joint drills are designed not only to refine tactical responses to emerging aerial threats but also to validate the operational effectiveness of MADIS in realistic combat scenarios.

Exercise Balikatan—meaning “shoulder-to-shoulder” in Tagalog—is an annual bilateral training event that underscores the enduring alliance between the United States and the Philippines. Beyond improving military interoperability, it supports strategic deterrence in a region facing rising tensions and the proliferation of asymmetric threats, including drones and missile technologies.

As the Indo-Pacific becomes an increasingly contested strategic theater, the presence of cutting-edge systems like MADIS signals a proactive posture by the U.S. and its allies to ensure airspace dominance and the protection of forward-operating units. For both nations, this collaboration represents a shared commitment to security, sovereignty, and the ability to respond rapidly and decisively to emerging regional challenges.