Epirus tested its high-power microwave system Leonidas in a live-fire demonstration in Indiana, saying the system disabled all 61 drones involved and knocked down a swarm of 49 in one salvo without kinetic explosions.
The test drew representatives from the US Department of Defense, other government agencies and nine allied countries.
Leonidas uses high-power electromagnetic pulses to jam or destroy onboard electronics, and Epirus says its gallium nitride–based design is more compact, scalable and software-defined than older magnetron-based HPM systems.
Company executives argued the system offers a lower-cost “one-versus-many” solution to swarming drone threats, while acknowledging power, range and potential nearby electronic disruption remain operational challenges.