New Microwave Technology Can Disable Drone Swarms, Other Electronic Threats

By Vicky Uhland, Seapower Correspondent 

In a warfighting world increasingly focused on swarming, uncoordinated unmanned systems across both air and sea, there’s a need for defense approaches that are effective against all types of electronic threats. 

Epirus (Booth 346) is demonstrating its Leonidas Electronic Protection counter-UAS systems, which use a high-power microwave platform that’s built for the Sixth Domain — a battlespace that relies on robotic and autonomous electronic threats that can overwhelm legacy warfighting defenses.  

“Leonidas goes beyond drone threats and targets anything with electronics that’s vulnerable to a microwave pulse,” said Andrew Wargofchik, Epirus’ director of marketing and communications. 

Leonidas’s scalable systems range in size from inches to feet and can defend borders, fixed installations and critical infrastructure. They offer mobile coverage for convoys and expeditionary forces, and integrate directly into vehicles and aerial systems and across ship classes.    

Leonidas’ microwave technology uses line-replicable amplifier modules (LRAM), tailored to fit different mission profiles and range requirements. They operate off a small generator or internal batteries and never need a recharge, and have unlimited magazine depth. In addition, Wargofchik said Leonidas systems need only one or two operators and because innovations can be made through software updates, the hardware doesn’t have to leave the battlefield.