Purple Cargo UAS

Gen. James Amos, the president's nominee for commandant of the Marine Corps, has given a nod to making the Cargo Unmanned Aerial System a joint project.

In written responses to questions from Congress submitted prior to a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on his nomination, the Cargo UAS was included on a list of projects Amos thinks could benefit from joint Army/Marine Corps involvement, along with indirect fire assets, command and control programs, intelligence programs and unmanned aerial systems in general.

The Army announced last month that it plans to include the Cargo UAS in an upcoming joint capability technology demonstration, which could be transitioned into a quick-reaction capability.

Meanwhile, the Office of Naval Research is examining launching a Cargo UAS program of record as a long-term solution. Thomas Heffern from the Marine Corps UAS capabilities office said in July that such a program would likely involve the Navy, Army and Air Force.