Camp Pendleton, CA. (October 22, 2022): In this photo by Staff Sergeant Connor Hancock, U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Thomas Rexrode launches an RQ-20B PUMA Small Unmanned Aircraft system from a rigid-hulled inflatable boat to test offshore reconnaissance capabilities. Corporal Hancock is a Recon Marine assigned to A Company, 1st Recon Battalion, 1st Marine Division.
Camp Pendleton, CA. (October 22, 2022): During WWII, allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy with very little idea of what they would face when they reached the beach. Intelligence was scarce, save for a few French resistance reports, and assessments of enemy troop positions was sketchy, at best. The Allies were going in blind.
In today’s technological age, American servicemembers no longer depend upon luck and local informants to assess enemy strength before an invasion, they have the PUMA on their side.
Officially named the Pointer Upgraded Mission Ability (PUMA), this unmanned arial vehicle resembles the hand launched balsa wood toys of our youth and it can be deployed from Navy ships or even small inflatables (See photo above) to scout landing sites for trouble. Developed by AeroVironment, the PUMA gathers tactical intelligence, conduct surveillance and reconnaissance, identify targets, maritime patrol, search and rescue, and counter-illicit trafficking missions. The PUMA features a light airframe weighing only fourteen pounds and has a 3-foot wingspan that can easily be assembled and launched by two people.
Once deployed, the drone operates autonomously using a GPS-based navigation system and uses an infrared camera system to capture high-definition imagery day and night, even in heavy weather. The PUMA has a precision recovery system that allows the drone to automatically land into a net on the flight deck of the launching vessel.
With the PUMA, today’s Marines now have a set of “Eyes & Ears” to ensure they have the most advanced, up-to-the-minute intelligence on opposing forces before they go ashore in the future. No doubt, technology like the PUMA will save countless Marines from the types of unpleasant surprises encountered by their World War II forbears.
The Marines depend on technologies like the PUMA to keep them safe from harm. Won’t you do your part to sustain these active duty servicemembers by contributing to Support Our Troops, a national charity that delivered over $40 million of tangible support to America’s military servicemembers last year. Donors should know that 97 percent of every dollar they give is spent on services to the troops. By contributing to Support Our Troops’ Patriot Brigade®, you will join thousands of Americans who make monthly donations to pay for comfort items and recreational programs for our military deployed overseas. Please go to our secure website https://supportourtroops.org/donate to contribute to America’s finest today!