Within Live Fire Claims
Why test wins may not equal battlefield wins
Live-fire swarm victories do not settle practical questions about power, mobility, repeated shots and nearby friendly electronics.
On this page
- Power and mobility after repeated engagements
- Crew workload and maintenance under combat pressure
- Electromagnetic risks to friendly systems
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Introduction
Live-fire demonstrations by systems such as Leonidas and RapidDestroyer have shown that high-power microwave and radio-frequency directed-energy weapons can disable multiple drones in a single engagement. Those results matter because drone swarms are becoming a major battlefield problem and conventional interceptors are often too expensive to use against large numbers of low-cost aircraft. However, a successful range demonstration does not automatically prove battlefield effectiveness. The real military question is whether these systems can sustain performance after repeated engagements, remain mobile with the forces they protect, operate safely around friendly equipment, and continue functioning under combat stress. The gap between a successful test event and a deployable combat capability is where many of the most important limitations emerge. [Epirus+2GOV.UK]epirusinc.comepirus leonidas demonstrates successful use of high power microwave to defeat fiber optic controlled uasEpirusEpirus' Leonidas Demonstrates Successful Use of High- …13 Jan 2026 — Leonidas is the first EW-based counter-UAS technology to dem…
Power and mobility after repeated engagements
The headline attraction of microwave counter-swarm weapons is that a single pulse can potentially affect many drones at once. Leonidas has been promoted as capable of defeating large groups of drones in a single engagement, while RapidDestroyer trials reported more than 100 drone defeats across a testing campaign. [Tom's Hardware+2GOV.UK]tomshardware.comTom's Hardware High-power microwave system downs 49 drones in one shotTom's HardwareHigh-power microwave system downs 49 drones in one shotSeptember 28, 2025 — 28 Sept 2025 — Epirus' Leonidas system even man…
What is much less visible in public reporting is the support infrastructure required to generate those effects repeatedly. High-power microwave systems depend on substantial electrical power generation, pulsed-power electronics, cooling equipment and energy-storage components. Even when mounted on military vehicles, these subsystems occupy weight and volume that compete with fuel, ammunition, sensors and other mission equipment. RapidDestroyer itself has been described as facing deployment constraints linked to significant power requirements, despite being mounted on a military truck platform. [Wikipedia]WikipediaRapid DestroyerRapid Destroyer
This creates a practical battlefield question: can the system continue delivering effective bursts after dozens of engagements in a fluid combat environment? A demonstration may require only a limited firing sequence over a short period. Operational deployment could involve hours or days of continuous readiness, repeated engagements, movement between positions and operation alongside other demanding electrical systems. Public demonstrations rarely disclose how performance changes as components heat up, power reserves are depleted or maintenance intervals approach.
Mobility also remains more complicated than simple vehicle mounting. Manufacturers emphasise reductions in size and weight and improved manoeuvrability, but battlefield mobility includes road movement, off-road travel, deployment time, concealment and survivability under attack. A counter-drone system that performs well on a prepared range may still face challenges if it must constantly reposition to avoid artillery, drones or electronic surveillance. [Epirus]epirusinc.comEpirusEpirus Leonidas High-Power MicrowaveLeonidas is a solid-state, high-power HPM system, utilizing Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor…
The growing interest in autonomous or remotely operated Leonidas variants reflects this reality. Efforts to place microwave weapons on mobile robotic platforms suggest that industry and military planners recognise mobility as a central operational challenge rather than a solved problem. [Tom's Hardware]tomshardware.comdefense companies: Epirus, Kodiak AI, and General Dynamics Land Systems. Designed to counter the growing threat of aerial drone swarms, t…
Crew workload and maintenance under combat pressure
Successful drone defeats often dominate public reporting, but battlefield performance depends equally on what happens between engagements.
Modern microwave weapons integrate surveillance sensors, target tracking, identification systems, power-management equipment and sophisticated software. RapidDestroyer, for example, combines detection, tracking and engagement functions in a highly automated architecture. Automation can reduce operator burden, but it does not eliminate the need for trained crews, maintenance personnel and logistical support. [Wikipedia]WikipediaRapid DestroyerRapid Destroyer
Combat introduces pressures rarely replicated in demonstrations:
- Operators may need to distinguish hostile drones from friendly aircraft in seconds.
- Multiple drone waves may arrive from different directions.
- Communications networks may be degraded.
- Equipment may suffer vibration, dust, weather exposure or battle damage.
- Spare parts and specialist technicians may be unavailable.
Directed-energy weapons are often described as having “deep magazines” because they use electricity rather than missiles. That advantage is real, but a deep magazine does not guarantee continuous availability. Cooling systems, power electronics, antenna assemblies and radar components all require upkeep. A system that can theoretically fire many times still becomes ineffective if maintenance demands outpace field support. [Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance]jedonline.comhigh power microwave systems getting much much closer to operational statusJournal of Electromagnetic DominanceHigh-Power Microwave Systems – Getting (Much…24 Jan 2023 — HPM weapons can generate a range of eff…
Another uncertainty is resilience against adversary adaptation. Public demonstrations generally involve drones known to the test organisers. Real opponents can modify electronics, improve shielding, alter flight profiles or vary swarm spacing. Research into drone hardening against high-power microwave effects highlights that vulnerability can vary significantly depending on electronic design and protection measures. [Mobility Engineering Tech]mobilityengineeringtech.com45802 afit 0006Mobility Engineering TechHardening Unmanned Aerial Systems Against High-Power…1 May 2022 — Counter-UAS (C-UAS) weapons utilizing pulse…
As a result, battlefield success depends not only on whether a system can defeat drones today, but whether crews can maintain that advantage as threats evolve.
Electromagnetic risks to friendly systems
One of the least discussed questions behind swarm-defeat headlines concerns friendly electronics.
High-power microwave and radio-frequency weapons work by delivering electromagnetic energy into a target’s electronics. The same physical principle that damages or disrupts hostile drones raises concerns about nearby friendly equipment. Military vehicles increasingly depend on digital networks, radios, navigation systems, sensors and electronic warfare suites. All of these systems must coexist with powerful microwave emitters operating nearby. [DroneShield]droneshield.comA Counter to Drone Swarms: High-Power Microwave…HPM weapons work by emitting directed bursts of electromagnetic energy, dis…
Manufacturers emphasise operator control and safety measures, and modern systems are designed with electromagnetic compatibility requirements in mind. Nevertheless, battlefield deployment is more demanding than controlled testing because the surrounding environment is crowded with friendly emitters and receivers. [Epirus]epirusinc.comEpirusEpirus Leonidas High-Power MicrowaveLeonidas is a solid-state, high-power HPM system, utilizing Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor…
Several operational concerns arise:
Friendly-force interference. Units operating near the weapon may need separation procedures or protected operating zones to prevent unintended electromagnetic effects on communications or sensors.
Civil and allied infrastructure. In urban operations, military forces may operate near airports, communications facilities or civilian electronic systems. Analysts examining RapidDestroyer have noted concerns about possible collateral effects in densely built environments. [Wikipedia]WikipediaRapid DestroyerRapid Destroyer
Integration with electronic warfare. Modern forces already employ jammers, radars and communications networks that compete for spectrum access. A microwave weapon must fit into that electromagnetic environment without degrading the wider air-defence system.
Safety exclusion zones. Technical modelling of high-power microwave systems routinely includes safety-distance calculations and electromagnetic exposure considerations, illustrating that the effects of these systems extend beyond the intended target area. [arXiv]arxiv.orgA Multi-physics Simulation Framework for High-power Microwave Counter-unmanned Aerial System Design and Performance EvaluationFebrua…
These concerns do not mean microwave weapons are unsafe or impractical. Rather, they highlight that defeating a swarm is only one requirement. The weapon must also operate without creating unacceptable risks for the force it is protecting.
Why battlefield validation is harder than a drone-count headline
The most eye-catching figures associated with Leonidas and RapidDestroyer involve numbers of drones defeated. Those numbers demonstrate that directed-energy counter-swarm concepts have moved beyond theory and into meaningful field testing. [Tom's Hardware+2GOV.UK]tomshardware.comTom's Hardware High-power microwave system downs 49 drones in one shotTom's HardwareHigh-power microwave system downs 49 drones in one shotSeptember 28, 2025 — 28 Sept 2025 — Epirus' Leonidas system even man…
Yet military usefulness is determined by a broader set of questions:
- How many engagements can be sustained before power, cooling or maintenance become limiting factors?
- Can the system move with frontline forces and survive in contested environments?
- How much crew effort is required to keep it operational?
- How well does it perform against hardened or adapted drones?
- Can it operate safely alongside friendly electronic systems?
Until those questions are answered through extended operational testing rather than isolated demonstrations, live-fire swarm victories should be viewed as evidence of promising capability rather than definitive proof of battlefield effectiveness. The transition from range success to dependable combat performance is often where advanced military technologies face their most demanding test.
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Endnotes
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Source: GOV.UK
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/british-soldiers-take-down-drone-swarm-in-groundbreaking-use-of-radio-wave-weaponSource snippet
soldiers take down drone swarm in groundbreaking...17 Apr 2025 — RF DEW systems can defeat airborne targets at ranges of up to 1km and a...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Rapid Destroyer
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RapidDestroyer -
Source: arxiv.org
Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.16495Source snippet
Performance Evaluation of High Power Microwave Systems Against UAVs A Probabilistic Antenna Propagation Framework with Sensitivity A...
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Source: droneshield.com
Link: https://www.droneshield.com/blog/a-counter-to-drone-swarms-high-power-microwave-weaponsSource snippet
A Counter to Drone Swarms: High-Power Microwave...HPM weapons work by emitting directed bursts of electromagnetic energy, dis...
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Source: arxiv.org
Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.08477Source snippet
A Multi-physics Simulation Framework for High-power Microwave Counter-unmanned Aerial System Design and Performance EvaluationFebrua...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Epirus Leonidas
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epirus_LeonidasSource snippet
Epirus LeonidasThe Leonidas is a high-power microwave (HPM) weapon developed to disable unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms. It was n...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Directed energy weapon
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directed-energy_weaponSource snippet
Directed-energy weaponA directed-energy weapon (DEW) is a ranged weapon that damages its target with highly focused energy without a s...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: Epirus Leonidas: High-Power Microwave for Counter-Electronics
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLA826fH4VcSource snippet
Drone Swarms Are Here. This Technology Could Stop Them...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: Epirus Leonidas HPM: The Premier Counter-Drone Swarm Solution
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAmSDdK57o0Source snippet
Leonidas AGV: Fully Autonomous Vehicle for Counter-UAS...
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Source: epirusinc.com
Link: https://www.epirusinc.com/press-releases/epirus-leonidas-demonstrates-successful-use-of-high-power-microwave-to-defeat-[fiber-opticSource snippet
EpirusEpirus' Leonidas Demonstrates Successful Use of High-...13 Jan 2026 — Leonidas is the first EW-based counter-UAS technology to dem...
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Source: tomshardware.com
Title: Tom’s Hardware High-power microwave system downs 49 drones in one shot
Link: https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/high-power-microwave-system-downs-49-drones-in-one-shot-weaponized-electromagnetic-interference-erases-drone-swarms-en-masseSource snippet
Tom's HardwareHigh-power microwave system downs 49 drones in one shotSeptember 28, 2025 — 28 Sept 2025 — Epirus' Leonidas system even man...
Published: September 28, 2025
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Source: epirusinc.com
Link: https://www.epirusinc.com/electronic-warfareSource snippet
EpirusEpirus Leonidas High-Power MicrowaveLeonidas is a solid-state, high-power HPM system, utilizing Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor...
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Source: epirusinc.com
Link: https://www.epirusinc.com/Source snippet
Epirus - Home of Leonidas, the Premier High-Power...Epirus combines the latest in directed energy, long-pulse high-power microwaves (HPM...
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Source: tomshardware.com
Link: https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/autonomous-mobile-drone-swarm-killer-created-in-trilateral-us-defense-company-collab-the-new-leonidas-autonomous-ground-vehicle-agv-is-a-high-power-microwave-platformSource snippet
defense companies: Epirus, Kodiak AI, and General Dynamics Land Systems. Designed to counter the growing threat of aerial drone swarms, t...
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Source: jedonline.com
Title: high power microwave systems getting much much closer to operational status
Link: https://www.jedonline.com/2023/01/24/high-power-microwave-systems-getting-much-much-closer-to-operational-status/Source snippet
Journal of Electromagnetic DominanceHigh-Power Microwave Systems – Getting (Much...24 Jan 2023 — HPM weapons can generate a range of eff...
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Source: mobilityengineeringtech.com
Title: 45802 afit 0006
Link: https://www.mobilityengineeringtech.com/component/content/article/45802-afit-0006Source snippet
Mobility [Engineering]({{ 'engineering/' | relative_url }}) TechHardening Unmanned Aerial Systems Against High-Power...1 May 2022 — Counter-UAS (C-UAS) weapons utilizing pulse...
Published: May 2022
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Source: calibredefence.co.uk
Title: epirus zaps fibre optic fpv with leonidas microwave weapon
Link: https://www.calibredefence.co.uk/epirus-zaps-fibre-optic-fpv-with-leonidas-microwave-weapon/Source snippet
Epirus zaps fibre-optic FPV with Leonidas microwave...28 Jan 2026 — Epirus has developed a microwave weapon called Leonidas that has dem...
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Source: defence-blog.com
Title: epirus tests leonidas system to disable fiber optic drone
Link: https://defence-blog.com/epirus-tests-leonidas-system-to-disable-fiber-optic-drone/Source snippet
Epirus tests Leonidas system to disable fiber-optic drone14 Jan 2026 — According to Epirus, the Leonidas platform delivered a targeted, s...
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Source: asdnews.com
Link: https://www.asdnews.com/news/defense/2026/01/13/epirus-leonidas-demos-successful-use-highpower-microwave-defeat-fiberoptic-controlled-uasSource snippet
Epirus' Leonidas Demos Successful Use of High-Power...13 Jan 2026 — Leonidas is the first EW-based counter-UAS technology to demonstrate...
Additional References
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Source: uncrewed-systems.com
Link: https://www.uncrewed-systems.com/countering-microwave-weapons/Source snippet
Countering microwave weaponsEstablished technologies focus on electronic hardening with Faraday cages that conduct induced currents aroun...
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Source: aeromorning.com
Link: https://aeromorning.com/en/directed-energy-counter-drone-rf-vs-laser-drone-hardening/Source snippet
Directed-Energy Counter-Drone: RF vs Laser...4 days ago — Comparison of counter-drone directed-energy systems: RF RapidDestroyer vs MBDA...
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Source: rtx.com
Link: https://www.rtx.com/raytheon/what-we-do/integrated-air-and-missile-defense/phaser-high-power-microwaveSource snippet
Phaser High-Power Microwave System | RaytheonDefending at the speed of light. The Phaser high-power microwave system uses directed energy...
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Source: onr.navy.mil
Link: https://www.onr.navy.mil/organization/departments/code-35/division-353/directed-energy-weapons-high-power-microwavesSource snippet
Energy Weapons: High Power MicrowavesHPM weapons create beams of electromagnetic energy over a broad spectrum of radio and microwave freq...
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Source: armyrecognition.com
Link: https://armyrecognition.com/news/army-news/2026/uk-tests-thales-rapiddestroyer-radio-frequency-weapon-after-downing-80-drones-in-counter-uas-trialsSource snippet
UK Tests Thales RapidDestroyer Radio Frequency...8 Jun 2026 — An RF directed-energy weapon is limited mainly by detection, [line of sight]({{ 'dwell-time/' | relative_url }})...
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Source: sofx.com
Link: https://www.sofx.com/british-army-tests-rapiddestroyer-radiofrequency-weapon-downs-over-100-drones-in-field-trial/Source snippet
British Army Tests “RapidDestroyer” Radiofrequency...18 Apr 2025 — RF DEW systems work by emitting targeted radio waves that disrupt or...
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Source: securityanddefence.pl
Title: High power microwave for knocking out programmable suicide drones,135068,0,2
Link: https://securityanddefence.pl/High-power-microwave-for-knocking-out-programmable-suicide-drones%2C135068%2C0%2C2.htmlSource snippet
High power microwave for knocking out programmable...by MZ Chaari · 2021 · Cited by 23 — This article aims to examine the directed energ...
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Source: twz.com
Title: british high power microwave weapon successfully tested against drone swarms
Link: https://www.twz.com/news-features/british-high-power-microwave-weapon-successfully-tested-against-drone-swarmsSource snippet
British High-Power Microwave Weapon Successfully...17 Apr 2025 — The Ministry of Defense added that RF DEW systems of this type are able...
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Source: researchgate.net
Title: 350941439 High power microwave for knocking out programmable suicide drones
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350941439_High_power_microwave_for_knocking_out_programmable_suicide_dronesSource snippet
(PDF) High power microwave for knocking out...Apr 16, 2021 — This article aims to examine the directed energy of HPM (high power microwa...
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Source: facebook.com
Title: Britain’s New Anti-Drone System: Rapid Destroyer for Ukraine
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1191300768283373/posts/1922024268544349/Source snippet
RF DEW scrambles or fries onboard electronics with electromagnetic pulses, instantly rendering drones inoperable. With an operational ran...
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