Epirus and General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) have announced the launch of Leonidas Autonomous Robotic (Leonidas AR), a mobile counter-UAS system combining Epirus’ Leonidas high-power microwave (HPM) platform with GDLS’s TRX unmanned ground vehicle.
Leonidas AR transforms the GDLS TRX vehicle into a highly maneuverable counter-UAS/short-range air defense asset. Its integrated HPM system delivers a non-kinetic, low-collateral defeat mechanism ideal for dynamic drone threat environments. The solution supports “on the move” operations, enabling rapid response and swarm defense capabilities.
“Epirus’ partnership with General Dynamics Land Systems is an industry-leading collaboration that continues to deliver real results. Together, we are bringing world-first capabilities to market that directly answer the call of the Army Transformation Initiative”, said Andy Lowery, CEO of Epirus.
Leonidas is a modular and scalable HPM solution that leverages weaponized electromagnetic interference (WEMI) to neutralize electronic targets. With its software-defined architecture, operators can establish safe zones, notch out frequencies for reduced collateral effects, alter waveforms, adjust energy output, and update tactics without removing the system from the field.
The GDLS TRX platform features an AI-enhanced design, lightweight materials, hybrid-electric propulsion, and dynamic suspension optimized for rough terrain. The vehicle features 360-degree radar sensing, onboard computing capability, and a battery system that enables over 300 miles of range with a top speed of 45 mph. Operable in both autonomous and remote modes, it reduces operator exposure in high-risk environments. GDLS is also developing a wheeled variant to suit additional customer needs.
“By combining General Dynamics Land Systems’ decades of leadership in development and deployment of ground combat vehicles with Epirus’ premier non-kinetic counter-UAS effector, Leonidas AR achieves the level of next-generation technology that today’s battlefields demand. This new capability was born out of a partnership that leverages the best of American innovation to help our warfighters stay a step ahead,” said Jim Pasquarette, Vice President, U.S. Strategy & Business Development, GDLS.
Leonidas AR is the second mobile counter-UAS system co-developed by Epirus and GDLS, following the 2022 launch of Leonidas Stryker, which integrated Epirus’ HPM with GDLS’s Stryker combat vehicle. The partnership exemplifies how merging agile innovation from neo-primes with scale and sustainment strengths of traditional primes can accelerate deployment of mission-critical solutions.
A full-scale Leonidas AR prototype was showcased at the U.S. Army’s Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C.