U.S. Army Deploys M-LIDS in India to Integrate Counter-UAS Defense With Long-Range Precision Fires.

The U.S. Army has deployed M-LIDS to India for the first time as the 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force joins Yudh Abhyas 2026, bringing mobile counter-UAS defenses into the bilateral exercise. The deployment links counter-drone protection with long-range precision fires and digital command-and-control training, expanding the scope of U.S.-Indian land-force interoperability.

M-LIDS combines two Oshkosh M-ATV vehicles with electronic warfare systems, FAAD C2, surveillance sensors and kinetic effectors including the XM914 30 mm cannon and Coyote Block 2 interceptor supported by KuRFS radar. The exercise will culminate in a combined live-fire event integrating U.S. and Indian long-range and precision fires, testing how counter-UAS protection and networked strike capabilities can operate within the same tactical architecture.

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A U.S. Army M-LIDS counter-drone system pictured at Fort Hood illustrates the mobile C-UAS capability now deployed to India for the first time during Yudh Abhyas 2026. (Picture source: US DoD)

The U.S. Army describes the arrival of M-LIDS as the first deployment of this type of counter-drone system to India under the broader Operation Pathways framework. It does not represent an announced transfer or Indian procurement of the system, but rather a U.S. operational deployment for bilateral training. M-LIDS is therefore being introduced into an environment where both armies are simultaneously working on networked fires and coordination between their command structures. Available information does not specify how many M-LIDS systems are involved or the exact configuration deployed.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, in information published on September 10, 2026, M-LIDS is operating in India alongside the 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force. In its current configuration, the system is based on two Oshkosh M-ATV vehicles operating as a paired set. One carries Moog’s Reconfigurable Integrated Weapons Platform, which can accommodate the XM914 30 mm automatic cannon for engaging small unmanned aircraft. The second vehicle carries surveillance, electronic warfare, and associated detection equipment. Leonardo DRS serves as the lead system integrator. The architecture also uses the Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control system, or FAAD C2, which fuses air tracks and links sensors with effectors to shorten the detection-to-engagement sequence.

M-LIDS combines several layers of defense. The Ku-band Radio Frequency Sensor, or KuRFS, uses an active electronically scanned array and provides 360-degree coverage to detect and track small aerial targets. It can operate with the Coyote Block 2, a rail-launched kinetic interceptor using an initial rocket booster followed by turbine propulsion for drone interception. Depending on configuration, the architecture also incorporates electro-optical and infrared sensors, direction-finding equipment and networked IP radios. Publicly available data does not provide a confirmed engagement range for the system currently deployed in India.

At the tactical level, this combination can be used to protect command posts, artillery positions, logistics nodes and assembly areas exposed to reconnaissance drones and loitering munitions. The system can address a threat through electronic warfare when the opposing control link remains vulnerable, or employ a kinetic option when disruption is insufficient. The 30 mm cannon provides a close-range engagement capability, while Coyote adds another interception layer. This mix also gives commanders more options for managing engagement costs when facing larger numbers of relatively inexpensive drones. The mobility of the M-ATV platforms allows the protection package to move with the units it supports.

The participation of the 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force gives the exercise a broader operational dimension. The formation is designed to integrate long-range precision fires, intelligence, cyber capabilities, electronic warfare, and other effects within a common architecture. During Yudh Abhyas 2026, the final training phase is expected to test the digital coordination of U.S. and Indian fires, a process that depends on compatible communications, target-data exchange, fire-control procedures and airspace coordination. The presence of M-LIDS adds a defensive layer around command posts and firing units operating within this connected environment.

For Washington and New Delhi, this combination points to a more technically integrated phase of cooperation between their land forces. India continues to preserve its strategic autonomy, while the United States is developing a more distributed Indo-Pacific posture in which partners are expected to exchange data and coordinate effects under pressure without necessarily operating identical equipment. Training with M-LIDS and a Multi-Domain Task Force does not in itself create an alliance-style military structure, but it exposes both armies to procedures associated with high-intensity operations. In a security environment shaped by the expanding use of drones and competition in long-range strike capabilities, Yudh Abhyas 2026 shows U.S.-Indian interoperability extending into counter-UAS defense, deep fires, and command resilience, with implications for regional deterrence and potential coalition operations.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in Security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.