Marines to get new drone-killing microwave weapon designed for expeditionary ops
The Leonidas Expeditionary system is being developed for the Expeditionary Directed Energy Counter-Swarm (ExDECS) initiative.
By
Jon Harper
September 23, 2024
Epirus is slated to provide a new drone zapper to the Marine Corps before the end of the year, the company announced Monday.
The high-power microwave weapon prototype, known as Leonidas Expeditionary, is being developed under a $5.5 million contract as part of the Defense Department’s Expeditionary Directed Energy Counter-Swarm (ExDECS) initiative.
The Office of Naval Research, Marine Corps Warfighting Lab and Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office (JCO) are also involved in the effort, according to a press release.
The U.S. military is looking for more cost-effective tools for defeating enemy drones, especially those launched in waves or swarms. Some officials believe that high-power microwaves could fit the bill.
https://defensescoop.com/2024/09/23/marines-microwave-weapon-hpm-epirus-leonidas-expeditionary/
