The U.S. Army is expanding its efforts to counter emerging threats by investing in breakthrough technologies. Among them, microwave weapons now stand at the center of a new initiative designed to address the growing use of drones on contemporary battlefields. On July 17, 2025, the Los Angeles-based technology firm Epirus announced a $43.5 million contract with the Army for the development of a new generation of microwave systems, designed to disable entire drone swarms with a single pulse.
Leonidas is a next-generation High-Power Microwave (HPM) system developed by Epirus, specifically designed to neutralize a wide range of electronic threats, starting with drones and drone swarms (Picture source: Epirus)This high-power electromagnetic pulse technology had already been tested in previous operational trials.
During an exercise conducted on April 30, 2025, at Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui in the Philippines, the Epirus system demonstrated its ability to neutralize multiple drones simultaneously in a tropical environment. According to Captain Bray McCollum, cited in a U.S. Army release, the exercise confirmed the system’s effectiveness under demanding climate conditions, which constitutes a necessary step toward operational readiness.
Leonidas is a next-generation High-Power Microwave (HPM) system developed by Epirus, specifically designed to neutralize a wide range of electronic threats, starting with drones and drone swarms. Built on gallium nitride (GaN)-based solid-state technology and utilizing long-pulse high-energy emissions, Leonidas relies on a fully software-defined architecture.
This allows for continuous performance optimization without the need for hardware changes, by adapting range and efficiency through each software update. The system is modular and available in several configurations, including a fixed installation, a mobile version that can be mounted on vehicles, and a pod format suitable for airborne or ground-based platforms. This flexibility gives it high operational adaptability across various deployment environments.
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