Epirus Leonidas High-Power Microwave System

History

Epirus Leonidas is a United States high-power microwave directed-energy system developed to counter unmanned aerial vehicles, including groups and swarms of drones. It uses weaponized electromagnetic interference to disrupt electronic systems rather than relying on a kinetic interceptor. Pasted text

Leonidas has been demonstrated in selective, multi-target, and counter-swarm engagements. The system has also been integrated with U.S. Army command-and-control infrastructure so that it can operate with external sensors and other counter-drone systems.

Development

Epirus unveiled Leonidas in 2020. The original configuration was a towed system. In October 2021, Epirus and General Dynamics announced work to integrate Leonidas onto the Stryker armored vehicle for a mobile short-range air-defense role.

Epirus developed a first-generation Leonidas system with internal research and development funding in 2022. In February 2022, the company also unveiled Leonidas Pod, a version intended to be carried by a heavy-lift unmanned aircraft.

On 23 January 2023, Epirus received a $66.1 million U.S. Army contract through the Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office for four Leonidas prototypes under the Indirect Fire Protection Capability-High-Power Microwave program. The first prototype was delivered on 1 November 2023, and all four had been delivered by March 2024.

During 2024, Leonidas technology was adapted for additional configurations. The smaller Leonidas Expeditionary Directed Energy Counter-Swarm system was unveiled in September 2024 for mobile forces. Leonidas H2O, described as approximately one-third the size of the original system, was tested in a U.S. Navy exercise against small boat motors.

By early 2025, two Army high-power microwave prototypes had been deployed to the U.S. Central Command area for evaluation in an operational environment. Epirus unveiled a newer Leonidas version in July 2025. The company stated that this version was expected to more than double the operational range and lethality of the 2022 system while retaining the same form factor.

Counter-swarm demonstration

On 26 August 2025, Leonidas was demonstrated at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, against 61 drones in five operationally relevant scenarios. The system disabled all 61 targets. The final engagement involved a 49-drone swarm containing two representative drone types, which was defeated with a single pulse of high-energy electromagnetic interference.

The demonstration also included attacks from different directions, selective engagement of one drone while leaving a nearby drone unaffected, a precision engagement intended to bring a target down within a predefined safe zone, and simultaneous engagement of three drones at different ranges.

Operation Jailbreak Falcon Fury

During Operation Jailbreak Falcon Fury in 2026, Epirus integrated Leonidas into a wider U.S. Army command-and-control network. The event was intended to demonstrate interoperability among counter-drone sensors, weapons, and software from different suppliers. Leonidas demonstrated its ability to receive information through the network and operate in conjunction with sensors and other systems.

Design

Leonidas is a high-power microwave directed-energy weapon intended primarily for counter-UAS missions. Instead of physically striking a drone with a projectile or missile, it directs electromagnetic energy at electronic systems. The system can be used against individual targets or multiple drones within an engagement area.

The system uses gallium nitride transistor technology rather than magnetron vacuum tubes. Its software-defined architecture allows its electromagnetic output to be controlled for different engagement requirements. Demonstrations have shown both selective targeting and one-to-many engagements against groups of drones.

High-power microwave engagement is particularly suited to counter-swarm missions because a single electromagnetic engagement can affect multiple electronic targets. Leonidas has demonstrated the ability to redirect its beam between groups approaching from different directions and to engage multiple targets at different ranges.

Program status

Leonidas has progressed through prototype delivery, operational evaluation, live-fire counter-swarm demonstrations, and integration with broader U.S. Army counter-drone command-and-control architecture. Four Army prototypes had been delivered by March 2024, and at least two were deployed for operational evaluation by early 2025.

The July 2025 Leonidas configuration represents a further development of the system. Its stated objective is to provide more than twice the operational range and lethality of the 2022 generation without increasing the basic form factor.

Variants

• Leonidas: Original high-power microwave counter-UAS system, initially presented in a towed configuration.
• Leonidas Stryker integration: Mobile configuration developed with General Dynamics for integration on the Stryker armored vehicle.
• Leonidas Pod: Air-carried configuration unveiled in February 2022 for use with a heavy-lift unmanned aircraft.
• Leonidas ExDECS: Expeditionary Directed Energy Counter-Swarm version unveiled in September 2024 for mobile forces.
• Leonidas H2O: Smaller configuration used in U.S. Navy testing against small boat motors. It was described as approximately one-third the size of the original system.
• Leonidas 2025 configuration: Updated system unveiled in July 2025 and expected to provide more than twice the operational range and lethality of the 2022 generation in the same form factor.

Operators

• United States Army: Received four Leonidas prototypes under the Indirect Fire Protection Capability-High-Power Microwave program. Some prototypes were subsequently deployed for operational evaluation.

Specifications (Leonidas 2022 first generation)

General characteristics

• Type: high-power microwave directed-energy counter-UAS system
• Primary role: defeat of individual unmanned aircraft and drone swarms
• Original configuration: towed system
• Power electronics: gallium nitride transistor technology

Engagement characteristics

• Effect: weaponized electromagnetic interference against electronic systems
• Targeting: software-defined selective and multi-target engagement
• Counter-swarm capability: demonstrated simultaneous defeat of multiple drones, including a 49-drone swarm with one pulse during the August 2025 demonstration