Every second counts: Royal Marine drone specialists cut Malloy launch time to minutes
Royal Marines drone specialists have developed new ways to rapidly train inexperienced troops to launch uncrewed logistic sorties undetected by the enemy.
Personnel from Malloy Flight, a unit within Delta Squadron, 48 Commando, have refined their tactics with the Malloy T-150 Uncrewed Air System (UAS), enabling a newly trained drone team to prepare and launch its drones within three minutes during the day and five minutes at night.
An octocopter heavy-lift drone capable of lifting 68kg, the uncrewed air system has proved immensely valuable in taking supplies such as food, water, fuel and ammunition over complex terrain.
Refuelling the fight
The five-day exercise at Spadeadam Training Area took place during Exercise Strike Warrior, a UK-led Nato exercise that marked the first time since the war in Afghanistan that all elements of the UK Commando Force operated together.
Airborne day and night, the drones were flown beyond visual line of sight to deliver critical supplies to commandos on the frontline.
Rehearsing logistical supply drops in areas with heavy surveillance, the exercise highlighted the importance of evolving drone battlefield tactics, drawing lessons from the war in Ukraine.
"Malloy matters to the commando on the ground because it means that they don't have to carry as much equipment," explained Major Rhys Adkins, Officer Commanding of Delta Squadron.
"They sometimes don't even have to be there, or they can have an effect 12 times their number with one uncrewed system.
"It means that we can do more with less and use our people in a better place or in an alternative area and keep them safer whilst being more lethal.
Maj Adkins added that the capability directly aligns with the direction set out by the First Sea Lord, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins.
"It fits within the hybrid navy concept and going forward into the warfighting headmark for 2029, but arguably we're proving that the capability works now.
"Ready to go where we need at a moment's notice," he added.
Clear for takeoff
Following two years of joint trials and development with the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, the Malloy T-150 was cleared for frontline operations in 2025.
Since then, it has undergone various operational trials, including delivering supplies from HMS Prince of Wales to HMS Dauntless during the Carrier Strike Group deployment in the Indo-Pacific.
More recently, they were tested in much colder climes – as low as -28°C – during an exercise in Norway.
The quadcopter carried out a number of sorties, including transporting 81mm mortars, General Purpose Machine Guns, ammunition, blood and even a bomb disposal robot.
It also assisted mortar troops from 40 and 45 Commando, flying the barrel, tripod and base plate for their 81mm mortars to their new firing lines, along with ammunition.
While it won't nullify the need for yomping – the traditional Royal Marine term for long-distance, high-load tactical marching – the Malloy T150 will drastically change what the commandos have to carry while doing it.
From training to real-world relief
For the Royal Navy, the Malloy was used to show how supplies could be delivered from ship to shore, as HMS Trent underwent disaster relief training in the Caribbean.
Transporting more than 240kg of supplies from the ship to Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands, the trial demonstrated how the drone could deliver medical supplies, emergency equipment and other essentials to communities where storm damage has made access difficult.
Related topics
Join Our Newsletter
