III Marine Expeditionary Force commander Lt. Gen. Roger Turner speaks to reporters after the closing ceremony of Resolute Dragon 26 at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, June 30, 2026 (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes)
CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa — Marines on Okinawa have begun fielding three new missile systems that provide the backbone of a critical island defense network as the Marine Corps continues its shift to littoral warfare.
The 12th Marine Littoral Regiment’s new Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, or NMESIS, and the Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or MADIS, provided the backdrop for a ceremony Tuesday marking the end of this year’s Resolute Dragon exercise.
III Marine Expeditionary Force in June also deployed the Medium-Range Intercept Capability, or MRIC, mobile air defense system, according to a Sunday news release. A June 24 photo shows the system in use on Guam during the multinational Valiant Shield exercise, which concludes Wednesday.
Lt. Gen. Roger Turner, left, commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force, shakes hands with Lt. Gen. Seiji Toriumi, commander of Japan's Western Army, after speaking with reporters at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, June 30, 2026. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes)
A launcher for the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, or NMESIS, at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, June 30, 2026. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes)
All three systems are key components of the Marines’ Force Design modernization, which emphasizes littoral regiments designed to operate on islands within range of enemy fire.
MADIS arrived at Hansen on June 10, and NMESIS on June 16, 3rd Marine Division spokeswoman 1st Lt. Hannah Ladd said by email Tuesday. Neither were in use during Resolute Dragon, she added.
However, regimental Marines drilled with the systems for the first time on Ishigaki Island during last year’s Resolute Dragon in September.
The missile systems strengthen III MEF’s “capacity to integrate with joint and allied forces,” by sharing targeting data across networks, regiment commander Col. Richard Neikirk told reporters after the ceremony. He declined to say how many systems the regiment has.
MADIS, armed with Stinger missiles, a 30 mm cannon and 7.62 mm machine gun, is designed to counter low-flying aircraft and armed drones.
The 12th Marine Littoral Regiment shows off its Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or MADIS, foreground, alongside the launcher for its Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, or NMESIS, at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, June 30, 2026. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes)
U.S. Marines with III Marine Expeditionary Force employed the Medium-Range Intercept Capability system, or MRIC, on Mason Range, Guam, June 24, 2026. (Benjamin Catindig/U.S. Marine Corps)
The system is designed as a pair of joint light tactical vehicles “where one detects and the other one attacks,” Neikirk said. It can target both unmanned and traditional aerial threats, he added.
NMESIS mounts Naval Strike Missiles on joint light tactical vehicles to target ships at sea. Each system includes three launch vehicles, one leader vehicle and one command and control vehicle, according to a Marine Corps fact sheet.
Both systems “give our maneuver forces unmatched sea denial and low-altitude air defense capabilities tailored specifically for the complex littoral environment,” Neikirk said.
MRIC incorporates technology from Israel’s Iron Dome, according to a July 2022 news release from Marine Corps Systems Command. This includes the SkyHunter, the U.S. version of the Tamir missile, which has a range of 2½ to 44 miles, according to manufacturer Raytheon.
The 12th Marine Littoral Regiment shows off its Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or MADIS, at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, June 30, 2026. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes)
The Marine Corps plans to equip three MRIC batteries by 2028, according to its Force Design update in October. In September, Raytheon was awarded a $412.5 million contract to build the systems.
“Our modernization efforts and forward posture send a clear message to the region,” III MEF commander Lt. Gen. Roger Turner said in the release. “By enhancing our defensive capabilities with the MRIC, we are strengthening our ability to stand with our allies and partners.”
During the ceremony, Turner underscored the strong relationship between the Marine Corps and the Japanese army to an audience of about 100 Marines and Japanese soldiers.
“With each iteration of Resolute Dragon, I am reminded that our greatest strategic advantage is not a weapon system, but it is our unbreakable trust between our people,” he said. “Because of your hard work, the U.S.-Japan alliance is stronger, more integrated and more prepared to protect the region.”
