Pentagon's Microwave 'Drone Swarm Killer' Leonidas Passes Crucial Tests

Pentagon's New Microwave Weapon Declared a Drone Swarm Killer

In a significant leap forward for counter-drone technology, the U.S. military is actively testing a revolutionary microwave weapon designed to neutralize swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Epirus, a prominent defense contractor, recently showcased its potent "Leonidas" microwave system at Camp Atterbury. The demonstration, attended by U.S. military personnel and allied representatives from the Pacific region, highlighted the system's impressive capabilities.

Leonidas: A Game-Changer in Drone Warfare

During a two-hour demonstration, the Leonidas system successfully disabled 49 drones simultaneously. Andy Lowery, CEO of Epirus, emphasized that this groundbreaking technology transcends military applications, envisioning its use in safeguarding civilian infrastructure like stadiums, ports, and airports. The urgent need for such advanced defenses is underscored by the pervasive use of drones in contemporary conflict zones. In Ukraine, drones have proven instrumental in both defensive and offensive operations, including strategic strikes deep within enemy territory. Similarly, the Red Sea has witnessed the deployment of drones and unmanned surface vessels by Houthi forces against commercial shipping and Israel. Iran's use of drones to target U.S. bases in the Middle East further amplifies these concerns among American military strategists, who fear that drone swarms could overwhelm U.S. bases in the Pacific, jeopardizing strategic defenses within hours.

Addressing the Limitations of Current Defenses

Existing anti-drone measures face considerable challenges. The cost-effectiveness of employing missiles against small, inexpensive drones is a major drawback. Laser systems, while precise, are typically limited to engaging single targets at a time. Interceptor drones also struggle with managing more than a handful of threats concurrently. Even electronic warfare (EW) systems are becoming less effective as drones evolve to operate autonomously, bypassing GPS and radio communications. The innovative Leonidas system bypasses these limitations by emitting invisible energy waves that disrupt the internal electronics of drones. This targeted energy surge causes short circuits in the drones' controllers, burning out their circuit boards and rendering them inoperable.

Technical Prowess and Future Prospects

The Leonidas installation, resembling a garage-door-sized metal plate mounted on a trailer, houses dozens of gallium nitride amplifiers. Sophisticated software orchestrates the phased-array antenna, precisely shaping and directing the microwave beam. This advanced design allows the system to switch between targets or engage multiple threats concurrently without physical turret rotation. Epirus engineers are conducting rigorous testing of the technology in controlled environments. Senior Systems Engineer Tyler Miller explained, "Sometimes, if we turn a drone 90 degrees, another engine fails first. The microwaves penetrate regardless of angle. Even copper shielding won't save a drone when antennas, propeller shafts, and seams leave tiny gaps for energy to leak through." The Leonidas system boasts the capability to cover a wide area, approximately 60 degrees, engaging numerous drones simultaneously. Recognizing its potential, the Pentagon has awarded Epirus significant contracts totaling $83 million since 2023. The Leonidas system is undergoing field trials, including live-fire exercises in the Philippines.

Naval Applications and the Race for Dominance

While U.S. Army officers express optimism about Leonidas, they acknowledge the ongoing need for integration into broader defense architectures that include sensors and kinetic engagement systems. The U.S. Navy has also developed its own iteration of this technology. In collaboration with the Office of Naval Research, Epirus created ExDECS (Expeditionary Counter-UAS Directed Energy System), specifically tailored for marine infantry and naval combat scenarios. A prototype has been delivered to the U.S. Navy's Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, Virginia, where it is being tested against a range of threats, from drones to explosive-laden unmanned surface vessels. During pier-side trials, engineers successfully used microwaves to disable the outboard engines of drone boats similar to those employed by Houthi forces in the Red Sea. "Drone warfare is rapidly changing the battlefield," stated Andy Lowery. "Systems like ExDECS give Marines a decisive advantage, neutralizing multiple electronic threats at once with a single system – what we call a 'one-to-many' capability."

Venture Capital Fuels Innovation

The integration of directed energy systems like Leonidas into ground combat vehicles such as the U.S. Army's Stryker, along with other manned and autonomous platforms, is a key focus. Venture capital-backed companies, including Epirus and Anduril, are accelerating the development of such systems by leveraging private investment to secure contracts. Epirus has already raised approximately half a billion dollars, including a substantial $250 million round earlier this year, in preparation for mass production. Meanwhile, China has also introduced its microwave weapon system, dubbed "Hurricane." As Tyler Miller aptly noted, the threat posed by drones is escalating to a level comparable to that of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Epirus is also actively developing smaller versions of Leonidas, envisioning their deployment on Stryker combat vehicles or even on drones themselves, a testament to the relentless innovation in this critical defense domain.