The U.S. Marine Corps is accelerating plans to equip frontline units with a new class of portable strike drone built for anti-armor missions. The program, called Organic Precision Fires–Medium (OPF-M), targets a growing battlefield gap: giving small, dispersed Marine teams the ability to hit armored threats at standoff distances without relying on larger platforms.

Marine Corps Systems Command has opened industry outreach through a Request for White Paper, with responses due May 26, as it looks to move quickly from concept to fielding.

Lightweight anti-armor drone

At its core, OPF-M focuses on mobility and reach. The Marine Corps wants a system that can travel roughly 15 miles while remaining light enough for two dismounted Marines to carry.

“Marines will employ OPF-M at the tactical level to enable engagement of armored targets beyond the range of direct fire weapons while minimizing collateral damage and exposure to enemy direct and indirect fires during distributed operations,” a Request for White Paper from Marine Corps Systems Command states.

The drone must stay airborne for at least 20 minutes before impact. Its payload should destroy armored vehicles or at least disable their movement. The Corps has capped system weight at under 35 pounds, with the ground control unit limited to 20 pounds.

These requirements reflect a shift toward expeditionary warfare, where units move fast and operate independently.

Autonomy with human oversight

The OPF-M design blends automated functions with operator control. The Marine Corps wants automatic target tracking, enabling the drone to follow moving targets on its own.

Still, lethal decisions will remain human-controlled. OPF-M “shall be a Man in the Loop system,” the RFW specified.

Operators will guide missions using pre-set or updated waypoints. The system will also allow control to transfer between different units during operations. This handoff capability supports wide-area missions without losing continuity.

Such features highlight the Corps’ focus on flexible command structures in contested environments.

Scalable future capabilities

Although OPF-M begins as an anti-tank solution, the Marine Corps is already looking beyond that role. The system could evolve into a multi-mission platform.

For example, drones could be equipped for “maritime targets, drones, personnel formations, advanced sensor packages, electromagnetic effects, and other types of payloads,” the document states.

Future upgrades may also improve survivability in contested environments. These include operating without GPS, using frequency hopping to counter jamming, and enabling one operator to manage multiple drones.

The Corps has also asked industry to outline production timelines. Companies must estimate delivery schedules for 50 munitions and 10 control systems, along with manufacturing capacity through FY2031.

The initiative builds on broader U.S. military adoption of loitering munitions. The Army recently awarded AeroVironment a $186 million contract for its Switchblade systems, including variants designed for armored targets.

The company has also introduced the MAYHEM 10 platform, expanding into electronic warfare and reconnaissance roles. With OPF-M, the Marine Corps aims to push similar capabilities down to the smallest tactical units, reshaping how Marines engage armored threats on future battlefields.