Epirus, a US company specializing in directed energy, unveiled its Leonidas C-UAS system last Monday at the Association of United States Army (AUSA) 2023 exhibition in Washington, D.C.

The Leonidas is a next-generation high-power microwave (HPM) C-UAS system with the power and precision to neutralize a single system in close-quarters combat or disable multiple threats across a wide area.

According to the company, Epirus’ approach to directed energy allows for unmatched counter-electronic effects, dramatically reducing the size and weight of the system and enabling greater operator control and safety.

The said system demonstrated lethality against a broad range of UAS and electronic systems and achieved UAS-swarm defeat at multiple US Government-sponsored tests.

Leonidas uses solid-state, software-defined high-power microwaves to disable electronic targets. Digital Beamforming capability enables pinpoint accuracy, so that operators disable solely threats. All Leonidas systems utilize the latest solid-state technology from Epirus to substantially reduce the size, weight, and power of the system.

Leonidas takes the traditional HPM design from a boxcar to a pickup truck, enabling better maneuverability as well as the ability to be vehicle-mounted or rapidly towed into the field of action.

Further, Leonidas utilizes solid-state Gallium Nitride (GaN) power amplifiers that give the system deep magazines and rapid firing rates. The system is frequency agile and rapidly fires a barrage of unique waveforms to exploit the specific frequencies that targets are most susceptible to.

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It also operates very efficiently at low temperatures, eliminating the need for large cooling solutions and enabling system use within minutes of powering up. In addition, Leonidas has an open system architecture and modular hardware design that employs field-serviceable line-replaceable amplifier modules (LRAMs) that can be repaired or replaced in under eight minutes. Upgraded LRAMs can be shipped to deployed Leonidas units to instantly improve range.

Advantages of the Leonidas system:

• Swarm Defeat: Enables simultaneous targeting and neutralization of multiple UASs.
• Precision Strike: Beam steering optimizes power on the target and prevents blue force electronic fratricide.
• UAS No-fly Zones: Programmable no-fly zones permit friendly UASs to travel freely while neutralizing hostile UASs.
• Interoperability: Open system architecture enables integration with users’ existing command-and-control (C2) systems for UAV detection, targeting, and tracking.
• High Rate of Fire: Deep magazines enable continuous rapid firing for precision or area fires without overheating or reloading.
• Safe Operational Environment: Low operating voltage prevents harmful unintended emissions to system operators.
• Innovation at the Core: Epirus invented SmartPower, which utilizes artificial intelligence-enabled Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductors to produce extreme levels of power density during HPM transmission, without special cooling.
• Multiple Use Cases: Ideal for a variety of mission sets including counter-UAS, counter jammer, and counter radar. 

Epirus has invested in a state-of-the-art Anechoic Chamber to test each component before it’s integrated into the system. Additional testing is conducted to validate system effectiveness and ensure that fully operational capabilities are delivered.

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