U.S. Marines Field Tempest Counter-UAS Vehicle for Mobile Protection Against Drone Threats.

The U.S. Marine Corps is fielding ten V2X Tempest counter-UAS vehicles under a $19.06 million contract to provide maneuver units with a mobile missile-based defense against Class 2 and Class 3 drones. The procurement adds a distributed kinetic layer that can operate alongside existing Marine air-defense and electronic-warfare systems while limiting exposure through rapid repositioning.

Tempest combines a Can-Am 4x4 platform with two AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles and a RADA RPS-42 radar, allowing crews to receive external targeting data, engage priority unmanned threats and relocate after launch. The contract also covers software management, spares, training and support services through August 2027, supporting integration of the system into the Marine Corps' wider counter-UAS network.

Related News: U.S. Marines Order 10 Tempest Counter-UAS Vehicles to Boost Mobile Drone Defense

The V2X Tempest counter-UAS vehicle displayed at AUSA 2025 combines a Can-Am 4x4 platform with two AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles and a RADA RPS-42 radar. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The acquisition itself is not new. The Pentagon announced on August 11, 2026, a $19.06 million award to Vertex Modernization and Sustainment for ten Tempest vehicles, with contract completion scheduled for August 10, 2027. The initial package includes software management, spare parts, ancillary equipment, training, and related services. The September confirmation mainly clarifies the transition from a demonstrated capability to a system intended for sustained operational support within the Marine Corps.

In a statement issued on September 8, 2026, V2X confirms that the award is an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract covering Tempest vehicles, maintenance support, software management, spares, training, and associated engineering services. The company presents the system as a response to an urgent requirement to protect maneuver forces against evolving drone threats. The announcement therefore directly confirms the manufacturer's support package, while the contract award and initial vehicle quantity were already disclosed in August.

From a technical perspective, Tempest uses a relatively simple architecture. The configuration presented by V2X is based on a Can-Am 4x4 all-terrain vehicle from the Maverick X3 family, two AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles, and a RADA RPS-42 Multi-Mission Hemispheric Radar mounted on the upper section. The use of a commercial chassis prioritizes mobility and deployment speed over ballistic protection. The observed radar configuration consists of a single panel oriented toward a specific sector, making external targeting data from other sensors relevant to the system's employment.

The AGM-114L uses an active millimeter-wave radar seeker and can operate in Lock-on Before Launch and Lock-on After Launch modes. Its commonly cited engagement range of approximately 0.5 to 8 km should not automatically be treated as the guaranteed Tempest envelope against unmanned aircraft, as actual performance depends on altitude, trajectory, detection conditions, and engagement geometry. Autonomous guidance after launch allows the vehicle to begin moving without maintaining laser illumination or remaining in position until impact.

This architecture shapes the tactical employment of Tempest. The vehicle can remain under cover, receive an alert from an external radar or command network, move briefly to a firing position, acquire the target, and launch before relocating. Survivability relies more on speed, dispersion, and reduced exposure time than on armor protection. With only two ready-to-fire missiles, however, Tempest is not intended to absorb a saturation attack on its own. It is better suited to engaging Class 2 or Class 3 unmanned aircraft considered important enough to justify the use of a Hellfire, while smaller FPV drones can be addressed through electronic warfare, guns, or lower-cost interceptors.

For the Marine Corps, this division of roles is central to the system's relevance. MADIS already provides a broader mobile air-defense capability combining sensors, command-and-control functions, electronic warfare, and kinetic weapons, while the service is fielding additional counter-drone systems in parallel. Tempest adds a lighter missile effector that can be distributed with maneuver formations without reproducing the complete MADIS architecture. The software management element included in the contract is therefore operationally relevant, as the system's effectiveness will depend in part on its ability to receive external tracks and operate within a wider engagement network.

At the international level, the procurement forms part of the broader adaptation of Western armed forces to lessons from Ukraine and to high-intensity scenarios considered for the Indo-Pacific. Drone warfare increasingly requires layered defenses combining electronic attack, gun systems, and guided interceptors, while placing additional pressure on ammunition stocks, sensor networks, and mobility. Tempest reflects a U.S. approach based on available components, a commercially derived platform, and distributed employment. For allied forces, the concept shows how existing effectors can be integrated into mobile counter-UAS architectures without waiting for the development of an entirely new weapon system.

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.