Image: Anduril
The U.S. Marine Corps has awarded defence technology company Anduril a $23.9 million contract to supply over 600 Bolt-M loitering munition systems under the Organic Precision Fires-Light (OPF-L) program.
Deliveries will commence in February 2026, according to Anduril, marking a significant expansion of the program following successful initial testing. The contract runs through April 2027 and includes ground control equipment and supporting hardware alongside the weapon systems themselves.
Program Background and Testing
The OPF-L program aims to equip dismounted Marine rifle squads with man-portable precision strike capabilities. These systems allow Marines to engage targets beyond line of sight without requiring fire support from external assets.
Anduril’s selection follows 13 months of intensive evaluation. The company delivered more than 250 Bolt-M systems during the testing phase, which validated the platform’s performance across safety, environmental, and operational requirements.
The system demonstrated what Anduril described as category-leading range, endurance, and payload capacity during hundreds of test flights. Multiple target sets were engaged successfully throughout the evaluation period.
Operational Deployment Timeline
The first operational Marine units will receive Bolt-M systems in summer 2026. Marines will train on and integrate the loitering munitions into tactical formations, providing organic precision strike capabilities at the squad level.
This represents a shift in how infantry squads can engage distant threats. Previously, such engagements typically required coordination with artillery, aviation, or other supporting arms.
The OPF-L program reflects broader Marine Corps modernization efforts following Force Design 2030 reforms. Those reforms emphasize distributed operations and increased lethality for smaller units operating across contested environments.
Production Scaling
Anduril has invested in expanding production capacity to meet program demands. The company’s Bolt production facility now manufactures more than 100 complete systems monthly.
Production rates are expected to exceed 175 systems per month across all Bolt variants by the end of 2025. Anduril refined its manufacturing processes across design engineering, supply chain management, quality control, and operations.
The company recently demonstrated its production capabilities by delivering over 300 Bolt systems to an unnamed customer within five months of contract award. That accelerated timeline validated Anduril’s manufacturing approach and capacity to scale rapidly.
Industry Context
The contract award positions Anduril as a growing player in tactical loitering munitions, a rapidly expanding segment of the defence market. These weapons blur traditional distinctions between drones and missiles, providing extended loiter times and precision engagement capabilities.
Several allied militaries have shown interest in man-portable loitering munitions following their effectiveness in recent conflicts. The systems offer infantry units unprecedented strike range without logistics-heavy fire support requirements.
Anduril’s Bolt-M competes in a market that includes established defence contractors and newer technology firms. The USMC’s selection validates the company’s approach of rapid development cycles and scaled production typical of commercial technology sectors.
The initial operational fielding in 2026 will provide critical feedback as the Marine Corps continues evaluating how loitering munitions integrate into distributed maritime operations concepts.
Source: Anduril Press Release
