USMC Helicopter Squadrons
$12.00
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Embroidered
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25-49: $6.00 each
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Official VMU-3 Phantoms Southern Cross Shoulder Patch — Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3 Embroidered Patch
The Phantoms navigate by the Southern Cross—VMU-3, projecting unmanned aerial reconnaissance and strike power across the vast distances of the Indo-Pacific from Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3 (VMU-3), the "Phantoms," is the Marine Corps' forward-deployed unmanned aerial vehicle squadron, activated on 18 September 2020 at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, and assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. The Phantoms operate the General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper, providing persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and precision strike capability across the Indo-Pacific theater—the Marine Corps' priority region under Force Design 2030.
This Southern Cross shoulder patch incorporates the constellation Crux—the Southern Cross—a navigation reference that has guided mariners and warriors across the Southern Hemisphere for centuries. For VMU-3, the Southern Cross symbolizes the squadron's mission of operating across the vast Pacific Ocean, where the distances between potential operating areas span thousands of nautical miles and the ability to maintain persistent surveillance over remote maritime terrain is critical to the Marine Corps' Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) concept.
VMU-3 is part of the Tactical Training Exercise Control Group (TTECG) at MCB Hawaii, integrating unmanned aerial systems into the Marine Corps' evolving warfighting concepts for contested maritime environments. The MQ-9A Reaper provides over 27 hours of endurance per sortie, carrying the Multi-Spectral Targeting System sensor suite and precision-guided munitions including AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and GBU-12/GBU-38 bombs. The Phantoms work alongside manned aviation, ground combat, and logistics elements of III MEF to provide the persistent ISR and strike capabilities that Stand-In Forces require to operate inside an adversary's weapons engagement zone.
Perfect For: VMU-3 Phantoms members and veterans, Marine Corps UAS operators, MAG-24 and 1st MAW personnel, III MEF service members, MCB Hawaii Marines, MQ-9A Reaper community members, and Indo-Pacific defense strategy enthusiasts.
Guided by the Southern Cross—the Phantoms of VMU-3, the Marine Corps' eyes in the Pacific sky, watching and waiting across the world's largest ocean.
If you want to swap patches on/off gear, choose hook & loop (velcro). If you’re attaching permanently to uniforms or fabric, choose sew-on. If you want quick application on compatible fabric, choose iron-on / heat seal (when offered). Backing options are shown on the page and update based on the variant you select.
Size is shown on the product page and updates with the variant you select (example: 3"). If you’re mounting on a hat or small panel, choose smaller sizes; for plate carriers and display boards, larger sizes fit better.
If the product is officially licensed, it will say “Officially Licensed” in the title and/or in the product details. If it doesn’t, it’s still a legitimate product—just not part of a licensed program.
Yes. If you see a note like “bulk reruns available,” that means we can support group orders or reruns. If you don’t see it, contact us with the unit/squadron and quantity and we’ll confirm options.
Yes—custom solutions are available (patches, name tags, lanyards, apparel). Use the custom request page and include artwork, size, backing preference, and quantity.
