US Marines, Norwegian troops, French Foreign Legion test UAVs during ‘Cold Response 2026'

Orb Jawbreaker UAV with Fat Shark FPV goggles used for training purposes by US Marine Corps during exercise Cold Response 2026 in northern Norway. (Janes/Tamara Rozouvan)

The US Marines are testing the Orb Jawbreaker unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV) in Arctic conditions in northern Norway as part of exercise ‘Cold Response 2026', Master Sargeant Patrick Harrington, United States Marine Corps (USMC) told Janes during a static demonstration of equipment on 12 March in Setermoen, northern Norway.

The three-inch blade first person view (FPV) UAV has a 30 cm diameter cage around it. The cage is in part made from plastic parts that are 3D printed, as well as fibre carbon elements. “The drone [UAV] is very cheap and easy to manufacture. They were designed to increase pilot proficiency and to train individuals,” MSgt Harrington said.

Orb Jawbreaker

“The main purpose of the cage is so that mistakes can be made and the drone will not be damaged and it will not cause harm to soldier or equipment,” a US Marine who did not wish to be identified said. “Operators can learn how to fly these in a safe environment.”

One of the sensors on board the UAV is a day camera. The Orb Jawbreaker is operated using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products including a RadioMaster Pocket radio transmitter. A video feed from the camera is fed into a pair of Fat Shark FPV goggles.

The Orb Jawbreaker was developed at John Hopkins University in collaboration with the USMC. MSgt Harrington said that other units in the US armed forces could buy units of the UAV to increase their training pipeline. The system has been used for training throughout 2025, including during offensive and defensive assessment at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina in August 2025.

MSgt