United Kingdom · The Register
US Army picks out Vampire to fill a gap in its layered drone defenses
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L3Harris supplies system that can down incoming drones with laser-guided rockets.
Key facts
- In the case of Vampire, this will often be the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), comprising US-made Hydra 70 2.75-inch (70 mm) rockets with an added laser homing capability
- The team asked L3Harris how many systems the US Army will be getting for its $106 million
- L3Harris says the system has so far logged more than 350,000 operational hours in support of European combat operations since 2023. ®
- As drones continue to be a danger to ground forces, the Army’s order, worth up to $106 million, will form part of its layered defense approach against remotely operated and autonomous aerial vehicles
Summary
The US Army has awarded a contract to defense biz L3Harris for its Vampire counter-drone system to support an urgent requirement to protect against hostile airborne threats. As drones continue to be a danger to ground forces, the Army’s order, worth up to $106 million, will form part of its layered defense approach against remotely operated and autonomous aerial vehicles. The Vampire system is described by the firm as a completely self-contained platform that delivers a precision strike capability against drones and remotely piloted aircraft. It can be fitted to vehicles, such as mounting on the back of a truck, and combines a telescopic mast with an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) stabilized targeting system. In the case of Vampire, this will often be the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), comprising US-made Hydra 70 2.75-inch (70 mm) rockets with an added laser homing capability.