Wednesday Nov 20, 2024
EP86: The Real Answer to Drone Swarms: Meet the U.S. Weapon Changing the Battlefield (Epirus Leonidas)
Summary:
In this episode, we focus on the Epirus Leonidas High-Power Microwave (HPM) system, a new weapon developed by the United States to counter the threat of drone swarms. The system uses directed energy to disable electronics, effectively creating a “force field” that can disable multiple drones simultaneously. Unlike traditional kinetic weapons, Leonidas offers cost-effectiveness, scalability, and minimal collateral damage. It is currently being deployed by the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marines and has already been used in Ukraine. The system represents a significant leap in electronic warfare and showcases the U.S.’s commitment to adapting to the evolving battlefield of the future.
Questions to consider as you read/listen:
1. What is the current state of drone technology and its potential impact on the battlefield.
2. How does the Epirus Leonidas system counter drone threats, and what are its strengths and weaknesses compared to other countermeasures?
3. What are the broader implications of the Epirus Leonidas system for the future of warfare, particularly with regards to defense against emerging technologies?
Long format:
The Real Answer to Drone Swarms: Meet the U.S. Weapon Changing the Battlefield (Epirus Leonidas)
TL;DR:
Hyped headlines about China’s CH-7 stealth drones fueling fears of U.S. military inferiority overlook the reality: advanced defenses like the Epirus Leonidas High-Power Microwave system are game-changers. Leonidas can disable drone swarms with precision, cost-effectiveness, and scalability, proving the U.S. remains ahead in countering emerging threats. The battlefield isn’t about who has the flashiest tech—it’s about who innovates smarter, and America continues to lead the way.
Introduction:
Whenever articles such as this:
China Reveals Its New CH-7 Stealth Drone
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/china-reveals-its-new-ch-7-stealth-drone-213726
Henny Penny folks think that this will signal the end of the battlefield and China is “ahead” and that China has a “technological edge” over America. They imagine scenarios of unending Chinese CH-7 Stealth Drones reigning ruin on the US Navy and in Taiwan rendering America impotent.
This is great clickbait!
But… let’s just consider one type of counter to the drone swarms scenario.
The Epirus Leonidas
Information:
The Epirus Leonidas is a directed energy weapon system that uses High-Power Microwave (HPM) technology to disable electronics.
The Epirus Leonidas system essentially functions as an EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) weapon in the sense that it emits high-intensity electromagnetic energy that can disrupt, damage, or destroy electronic equipment. However, there are some important distinctions:
1. Focused Energy:
Unlike a traditional EMP which might affect a broad area indiscriminately, the Leonidas uses directed energy, which can be precisely aimed at specific targets. This minimizes collateral damage to non-targeted electronics.
2. Microwave vs. EMP:
While the term EMP often conjures images of nuclear-induced pulses or large-scale events, High-Power Microwave (HPM) systems like Leonidas operate on similar principles but use microwave frequencies. HPMs are a subset of EMP technology, but they're designed for more controlled, tactical use.
3. Non-Nuclear:
Traditional EMPs are often associated with nuclear detonations, whereas HPM devices like Leonidas are non-nuclear, making them more practical for battlefield use without the catastrophic side effects of nuclear weapons.
4. Operational Range:
The effective range of an EMP from a nuclear detonation could be vast, whereas the Leonidas system has a more localized effect due to its power output and the physics of microwave propagation.
5. Selective Disruption:
The Leonidas system can be tuned to specific frequencies that might affect certain types of electronics, allowing for some selectivity in its effects. Traditional EMPs are less selective in what they disrupt.
So, while the Epirus Leonidas does indeed generate an electromagnetic pulse through its microwave emissions, it's more accurately described in operational contexts as an HPM system due to its focused, non-nuclear, and tactical approach to countering electronic threats.
The Leonidas fires HPM beams to target individual electronics or cover a large area. The HPMs can be steered for precision or adjusted to create a force field effect.
The Leonidas is designed for both static and mobile defense. It can intercept targets in crowded environments, address multiple threats simultaneously, identify and neutralize drone swarms and hit targets with high precision and accuracy.
The Leonidas uses gallium nitride (GaN)-based semiconductors, which can operate at high voltages with low temperatures.
The Leonidas uses digital beamforming to create an invisible "force field" that can disable specific targets while leaving nearby friendly assets unharmed. The Leonidas can also attack an entire area at once by using wide beam mode. The Leonidas can be programmed to create no-fly zones that allow friendly drones to operate while disrupting hostile drones.
Leonidas has a short set-up and take-down time, allowing operators to move it quickly as the threat environment changes. Leonidas' line-replaceable amplifier modules (LRAMs) can be serviced or repaired in less than eight minutes.
Recent contracts suggest a cost of around $2 million per unit for a full system. The primary focus is on the low cost per drone neutralized, rather than the individual system price. Leonidas is designed to take down multiple drones simultaneously, further reducing the per-kill cost.
In January 2023, the US Army awarded Epirus a $66.1 million contract to deliver and support prototypes of the Leonidas. The first four Indirect Fire Protection Capability HPM systems were delivered to the US Army, with the final two delivered in May 2024.
The US Navy is testing Epirus' Leonidas technology to temporarily disable small vessels and outboard motors. The Navy is also testing the technology's effectiveness when deployed on uncrewed autonomous vessels.
The US Marine Corps is receiving the Leonidas Expeditionary, a long-pulse, high-power microwave system that can drop drone swarms with electromagnetic energy. The system is designed to be compact and maneuverable, and will be integrated with the USMC's Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S).
Epirus Leonidas is being used in Ukraine to defend against drone swarms.
The Epirus Leonidas High-Power Microwave (HPM) system provides several advantages over traditional kinetic energy missile kills, particularly in the context of countering unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and drone swarms:
1. Cost Efficiency:
Traditional kinetic interceptors, like missiles, can be very expensive, sometimes costing millions per unit. In contrast, the cost per engagement for the Leonidas system is significantly lower, often described as pennies per kill, due to its non-kinetic method of operation which doesn't require physical projectiles.
2. Unlimited Magazine:
Unlike missile systems that have a finite number of interceptors, the Leonidas system can engage targets repeatedly without needing to reload. Its energy-based approach means it can theoretically operate as long as it has power, offering an "unlimited magazine" for continuous operation against multiple threats.
3. Area Denial and Swarm Defeat:
The Leonidas can create a wide-area effect where it can disable multiple drones at once, making it particularly effective against swarm attacks. Traditional missile systems typically engage one target at a time, which might not be as effective against mass drone incursions.
4. Reduced Logistical Burden:
The system's design allows for quick setup and takedown, which means less logistical support for deployment and redeployment. Traditional missile systems often require more extensive support for munitions logistics, maintenance, and resupply.
5. Safety and Minimal Collateral Damage:
The Leonidas uses microwave energy which is safer for humans and less likely to cause unintended damage compared to the explosive force of missiles. It selectively disrupts electronic devices, reducing collateral damage to surrounding areas or friendly assets.
6. Flexibility and Modularity:
The system can be integrated onto various platforms, from fixed installations to mobile units like vehicles or even drones. This flexibility allows for its use in different terrains and operational environments where traditional missile systems might be less adaptable.
7. Low Probability of Interception:
The Leonidas operates with low emissions, making it less detectable to enemy electronic warfare measures, which is an advantage in scenarios where stealth or low observable operations are required.
8. No Physical Debris:
After engaging a target, the Leonidas leaves no physical debris, unlike missiles which can produce shrapnel or unexploded ordnance, posing risks to civilians or friendly forces in the aftermath.
9. Scalability and Upgradeability:
Through software updates, the lethality and capabilities of the Leonidas can be enhanced or adjusted without hardware changes, providing a forward-looking solution that can evolve with new threats.
These advantages make the Leonidas system particularly suited for scenarios where cost, logistics, and the ability to counter mass threats are critical considerations over traditional kinetic solutions.
Leidos's Time Integrated Gigawatt Electromagnetic Response (TIGER):
This is a man-portable, battery-powered High Power Microwave (HPM) system focused on countering small UAS (Group 1 & 2). It's designed to operate in concert with other counter-UAS systems like jamming, lasers, or kinetic effects.
Conclusion:
While sensational headlines about the latest technological advancements from foreign adversaries may grab attention, they often overlook the robust and rapidly evolving defensive capabilities that counter such threats. The Epirus Leonidas High-Power Microwave system is a prime example of how the United States is not only keeping pace with emerging challenges like drone swarms but actively shaping the battlefield of the future.
With its cost-effective, precision-focused, and scalable design, Leonidas represents a significant leap in electronic warfare. By neutralizing drone swarms and other electronic threats with unparalleled efficiency, it demonstrates that the narrative of America being technologically outmatched is far from accurate.
Ultimately, systems like Leonidas reaffirm that the balance of power on the modern battlefield is not determined by any single piece of technology but by the ability to adapt and innovate. In this arena, the U.S. continues to lead, proving that for every offensive development, there is an equally, if not more, formidable defensive solution waiting in the wings.
Sources:
https://www.army-technology.com/projects/leonidas-high-power-microwave-hpm-system-usa/
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