Fiber optic drones may have a new countermeasure (other than cold weather): a burst of directed microwaves that fries their circuits.
US company Epirus showed off a test of their Leonidas microwave weapon, which appears to make a fiber-equipped quadcopter suddenly crash to the ground. “Fiber optic? No problem,” the company boasts in the video.
The Leonidas has been tested on conventional UAVs, with what the company described as a 100% success rate, under controlled conditions. Being able to bring down drones that are immune to conventional jamming sounds like an even bigger deal.
However, these systems are unlikely to be practical on Ukraine's battlefields — for now.
“Whilst directed energy weapons (DEWs) are an appealing technological pursuit which can affect multiple targets at once and reduce reliance on munitions, these systems present significant practical limitations for Ukraine,” according to a December analysis by the Rand corporation.
“Even advanced (US and UK) systems are not yet ready to be deployed at scale. Their low at-use costs mask significant R&D investments and DEW systems have significant infrastructure requirements and atmospheric sensitivities.”
Futuristic anti-drone energy weapon
The Leonidas, named after the famous king of ancient Sparta, is a big, box-shaped weapon, which uses gallium nitride semiconductors to project microwaves that disrupt or damage electronics, such as those found on drones.
It can fire both broad bursts and focused pulses at specific threats. It exists in both stationary and vehicle-mounted versions, and can reach ranges of 2 kilometers, though the company is working to double that to 4 kilometers, through the US Army’s $43.5 million grant.
The next gen is also supposed to raise peak power output by 30%, extend pulse durations, add a burst-fire mode, and improve the batteries.
Epirus says that each shot costs just $0.05 — very cheap, compared to ammo-consuming weapons.
Proven weapons more practical for Ukraine
However effective the Leonidas is on the testing range, it remains unproven in real battlefield conditions, much like other weapons of its class.
According to Ukrainian consulting company Defense Express, at current ranges, the Leonidas fills the same niche as anti-air guns, but its bulk makes it more vulnerable.
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Destroyed units are harder and more expensive to replace than lower-tech alternatives.
The energy-hungry weapon also requires a reliable power supply and can generally engage targets within visual range. This is a tall order in Ukraine, where drones can suddenly appear from anywhere, and the environment is often swathed in fog during the colder months.
“Current Ukrainian defence needs would be better served by other capabilities that can more immediately provide affordable mass,” Rand wrote.
However, Rand added that this technology should be actively monitored and may be viable in the future.
In the meantime, Ukraine has a standing offer to defense companies to come test their toys out in real battle.
