THE PENTAGON — Forward-deployed Marines are using a new system to protect U.S. troops from the threat of cheap and lethal unmanned aerial vehicles, the service told USNI News last week. The Marine Corps’ Ground-Based Air Defense (GBAD) Counter-UAS system was developed over the last two years to detect, identify, track and defeat small unmanned aircraft are that are putting forward forces at risk, said Lt. Col. David Sousa, who works in the office of the deputy commandant for combat development and integration. “A couple of years ago the Marine Corps started heavily pursuing a counter-UAS capability. We’ve utilized drones