MQ-72C Logistics Drone: AI-Powered Resupply for Contested Zones Takes Shape

Dateline: Melbourne, FL – May 14, 2025

The U.S. Marine Corps’ vision for autonomous aerial resupply in challenging environments is advancing significantly with the MQ-72C Logistics Connector program. Developed by Airbus U.S. Space & Defense from the proven UH-72 Lakota helicopter airframe, the MQ-72C is being equipped with sophisticated digital systems and artificial intelligence through strategic partnerships with L3Harris Technologies and Shield AI, aiming to revolutionize how critical supplies reach frontline forces.

This initiative, primarily driven by the Marines’ Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) program, seeks to field an unmanned aerial system (UAS) capable of operating in contested and austere areas, minimizing risk to personnel while ensuring responsive logistical support.

The MQ-72C: A “Risk Worthy” Logistics Workhorse

Leveraging the nearly 500-unit operational legacy of the UH-72 Lakota, the MQ-72C is designed as a “risk worthy” asset. This lower anticipated acquisition cost, compared to manned platforms, makes it a strategically ‘risk worthy’ asset. In high-threat scenarios where the loss of an aircraft is a distinct possibility, commanders can employ the MQ-72C for critical missions without jeopardizing expensive manned aircraft or, more importantly, the lives of aircrews.

Key specifications for the MQ-72C highlight its “middle-mile” tactical logistics capability:

Range: Over 350 nautical miles
Cruise Speed: 135 knots
Operating Altitude: Up to 20,000 feet
Payload: Capable of carrying standardized military cargo like Joint Modular Intermodal Containers (JMICs) and Naval Strike Missile (NSM) containers, with a Maximum Take-Off Weight of 8,378 lbs.

The core mission is uncrewed expeditionary logistics – autonomously delivering ammunition, food, medical supplies, and other materiel directly into areas where traditional, manned supply lines would be highly vulnerable.

Strategic Tech Partnerships: L3Harris and Shield AI

The advanced capabilities of the MQ-72C are being enabled by crucial collaborations:

L3Harris Technologies: Announced on May 14, 2025, L3Harris is providing an “advanced digital backbone” and integrated command and control (C2) nodes for the MQ-72C. This leverages L3Harris’s extensive experience in systems integration and Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA). MOSA is critical for allowing rapid incorporation of third-party hardware and software, enhancing versatility and future-proofing the platform against obsolescence. This digital foundation is essential for managing the complex data flow and mission systems of an advanced autonomous aircraft.
Shield AI: This California-based defense AI company is integrating its Hivemind AI pilot software into the MQ-72C. Hivemind is designed to enable aircraft to operate autonomously, even in GPS-denied or communications-degraded environments. This AI is key to the MQ-72C’s ability to navigate complex, contested airspace and perform missions with minimal human intervention, freeing up personnel for other critical tasks and reducing the cognitive load on operators who might otherwise need to manage multiple unmanned systems simultaneously. Initial trials of the MQ-72C with autonomous capabilities were successfully completed in October 2024, with further development and testing of more advanced autonomy levels planned over several years.

The Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) Program

The MQ-72C is being developed under the U.S. Marine Corps’ ALC program, managed by Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). The ALC initiative aims to provide uncrewed platforms that can resupply Marines within an enemy’s weapon engagement zone without putting personnel at risk or requiring a large operational footprint. Airbus is currently in the second year of the ALC Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA) Rapid Prototyping Program for the MQ-72C, a pathway designed to expedite the fielding of critical capabilities.

Implications for Modern Warfare and the Space Coast

The MQ-72C represents a significant step towards realizing robust, autonomous aerial logistics. This capability is crucial for future multi-domain operations, particularly in anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) scenarios envisioned in potential peer conflicts. It directly supports evolving concepts like the USMC’s Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) – a strategy involving small, mobile, and hard-to-target Marine units operating within an adversary’s reach – which rely on dispersed forces needing resilient, less predictable supply lines.

While the primary development and manufacturing of the MQ-72C airframe by Airbus U.S. Space & Defense and Shield AI’s work are not Florida-based, L3Harris’s significant presence on the Space Coast (with its Melbourne headquarters and extensive Palm Bay operations) means local expertise in systems integration, digital engineering, and potentially C2 systems could be leveraged. Furthermore, L3Harris’s deep expertise in areas like secure data links, sensor integration, and resilient networking—much of which is centered in its Space Coast facilities—is directly applicable to enhancing the MQ-72C’s capabilities. This involvement in a forward-looking program showcases the high-caliber technology integration work characteristic of Brevard County’s defense industry. The operational testing and eventual deployment of such systems will also rely on the ranges and expertise resident in Florida.

The MQ-72C program, through these strategic industrial collaborations, is not merely an incremental improvement but a significant move towards achieving the autonomous logistics capabilities deemed vital for future force effectiveness.

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