By On February 14, Anduril announced that it integrated its Menace Family of Systems (FoS) — a suite of edge computing and communications solutions — during the U.S. Marine Corps’ Steel Knight exercise. The exercise sought to integrate multi-domain sensor data to improve maritime domain awareness. Anduril provided the software-enabled sensor aggregation platform and family of Edge Computing and Communications nodes. This demonstration supported the integration of strategic data collection and tactical operations, providing warfighters at the edge with real-time access to data and capabilities once confined to centralized command centers.
Traditionally, small tactical units have operated with limited situational awareness, unable to access high-value data streams in a timely manner. Strategic information often passed through slow, top-down processing chains, leaving warfighters without actionable information. Steel Knight changed this paradigm. The Menace FoS enabled seamless data sharing that broke down these barriers, allowing Marines on the ground to access accurate sensor data across multiple domains. This accelerated the decision-making processes for closing complex kill chains in dynamic combat scenarios required on the modern battlefield.
At the heart of this exercise were three expeditionary Menace systems, each tailored to unique operational needs: a command-and-control (C2) shelter, an expeditionary vehicle, and a new man-portable variant. Together, these systems demonstrated their roles in supporting the Marine Corps’ Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) concept. The C2 shelter system was transported via KC-130 and became operational within minutes of being unloaded on the airfield, enabling aviation units to securely plan and execute intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and counter-reconnaissance missions. The expeditionary vehicle system, designed for rapid deployment aboard the MV-22 Osprey, empowered Marines to aggregate and process multi-domain sensor data into actionable information. Complementing these, the man-portable variant, integrated on a maritime reconnaissance platform, delivered rugged communications and computing capabilities, ensuring seamless integration of critical data across the tactical combat network.
Steel Knight marked the first time the Menace FoS operated as a unified network, integrating strategic and tactical nodes into a cohesive data mesh, the Lattice Mesh. Unlike traditional systems that isolate command and control, communications, and operational data into separate silos, Menace unifies these capabilities into an agile, expeditionary and scalable solution. This integration not only reduced logistical complexity but also expedited deployment timelines and enhanced situational awareness, all of which are vital for operations in contested environments.
The exercise demonstrated how warfighters can now conduct mission planning and integrate sensors to achieve real-time maritime domain awareness across austere and disconnected environments — scenarios previously thought too challenging for such capabilities. By proving that complex data aggregation can be executed directly at the tactical edge, Menace redefines what is possible for modern warfare. Whether deployed as a secure facility, mobile platform, or man-portable system, the Menace FoS offers scalable, expeditionary solutions tailored to the evolving needs of the joint force.
Source: Anduril
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