The Kaman K1200 (K-Max), an unmanned helicopter, was used extensively by the Marines in Afghanistan before returning to the U.S. last week. Credit: U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Lisa Tourtelot
Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 5 return from familiarizing themselves with the downward thrust of a Kaman K1200, or “K-MAX,” unmanned helicopter during initial testing in Helmand province, Afghanistan, May 22. Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 2 pioneered the first unmanned, mid-flight external cargo hookups, and delivered approximately 6,000 pounds of gear in their first day of testing.