Northrop Grumman has signed an agreement to use Epirus’ electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapon system called Leonidas.
As part of the agreement, Northrop Grumman will use Leonidas in its Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) systems-of-systems solution offering.
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Northrop Grumman’s Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control software (FAAD-C2) was selected by the army as the interim C2 system to counter small drones.
Northrop Grumman combat systems and mission readiness vice-president and general manager Kenn Todorov said: “UAS threats are proliferating across the modern battlespace.
“By integrating the Epirus EMP weapon system into our C-UAS portfolio, we continue maturing our robust, integrated, layered approach to addressing and defeating these evolving threats.”
The C-UAS solutions will include kinetic and non-kinetic effects, aerial and ground sensors and deployed FAAD C2 system.
Leonidas uses solid-state commercial semiconductor technology for static and mobile C-UAS defence.
The C-UAS delivers capability with reduced size and weight, enabling increased ranges and faster engagements.
The system remains unaffected by depth and capacity.
When fired, a Leonidas creates an EMP that can be directed for precision targeting. Further, it can “sanitise a volume of terrain or sky, creating a force field effect”.
Epirus chief technology officer Bo Marr said: “We’re excited to work closely with the Northrop Grumman team to support their C-UAS systems-of-systems solution offering.
“Our unprecedented EMP capabilities will complement this offering as we continue to look to the future to understand how asymmetric threats will evolve.”
