Epirus Leonidas

A US solid-state high-power microwave weapon family designed to disable groups and swarms of uncrewed aircraft within a short-range point-defense bubble.

Overview

Leonidas is a high-power microwave (HPM) directed-energy system developed by California-based Epirus for short-range defense against uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), particularly coordinated groups and swarms. Instead of launching a separate interceptor at each target, it directs electromagnetic energy into a volume of airspace to disrupt the electronics of multiple susceptible drones. Epirus describes this as a one-to-many engagement model and positions Leonidas as the microwave layer within a broader counter-UAS architecture rather than as a replacement for missiles, guns or lasers.

The US Army configuration is associated with the Indirect Fire Protection Capability-High-Power Microwave program, or IFPC-HPM. Related configurations include vehicle-mounted, lightweight podded and expeditionary Marine Corps derivatives. The family is intended to protect bases, sensors, communications equipment, logistics points and other forward assets from inexpensive drones whose numbers can impose unfavorable costs on conventional air-defense systems.

Leonidas' central operational trade-off is reach. Public reporting places its effective counter-swarm range at approximately 2 km, making it a point-defense system rather than an area-defense weapon. Technical details such as power output, pulse characteristics, engagement altitude and effective radiated power have not been publicly established.

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