POTD: Counter-UAS on the M4 - U.S. Army Trains at Fort Magsaysay
During Exercise Salaknib at Fort Magsaysay in the Philippines, Pfc. Victor Salazar of the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, was photographed employing a counter-UAS device integrated directly onto his M4 carbine. Fort Magsaysay is the largest military reservation in the Philippines and serves as a key training area for the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The images come from the Joint Pacific Readiness Center Exportable Exercise (JPMRC-X) instruction held on May 8, 2026, and it's a good snapshot of where small-unit C-UAS training is heading.
The integration of drone-defeat capability at the individual soldier level reflects a shift that has been accelerating since the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East made it clear that UAS threats are no longer a concern reserved for specialized units. Getting that capability onto a standard M4 and into the hands of a private first class during a multinational exercise in the Indo-Pacific says something about how seriously the Army is taking the dismounted C-UAS problem.
Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center-Exportable (JPMRC-X) brings together U.S., Philippine, and partner forces to work through realistic scenarios focused on interoperability and multi-domain tactics, and C-UAS instruction fits naturally into that framework, given the regional threat environment.
Photo by Spc. Christopher Moorehead, U.S. Army.
Ex-Arctic Ranger. Competitive practical shooter and hunter with a European focus. Always ready to increase my collection of modern semi-automatics, optics, thermals and suppressors. TCCC Certified. Occasionaly seen in a 6x6 Bug Out Vehicle, always with a big smile.
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When you write articles please at least in the first mention of an acronym spell out what it means. Not all of us have served in the military or even the recent military. I derived UAS means something about drones but I still have no clue what exactly it means.
UAS is not a military-specific acronym
Unmanned Aerial System.
I agree with your point about explaining acronyms. It used to be taught in Journalism 101 and enumerated in various writing style books. Perhaps we can teach AI to include it.