What Else Is Inside the Microwave Beam?

Introduction

Leonidas is designed to defeat many drones at once by projecting high-power microwave (HPM) energy across a volume of space rather than physically striking individual targets. That wide-area effect is one of the system’s main advantages against swarms, but it also explains why friendly electronics can become part of the risk picture. If a microwave engagement zone contains not only hostile drones but also friendly radios, sensors, data links, unmanned systems or vehicle electronics, some of that energy may interact with those systems as well. The central issue is not that Leonidas targets friendly equipment; it is that microwave energy affects electronics through physical coupling mechanisms that do not automatically distinguish between friend and foe. [Epirus+2Office of Naval Research]epirusinc.comEpirusEpirus Leonidas High-Power Microwave: Directed Energy…Leonidas is a solid-state, high-power HPM system, utilizing Gallium Nitrid…

Why Area Effects Help Against Swarms

The attraction of high-power microwaves is that they can create effects across a broader region than many traditional counter-drone weapons. Leonidas has repeatedly been demonstrated against multiple drones in a single engagement, including large swarm scenarios, because the system is intended to deliver electromagnetic effects to many electronic targets simultaneously. [Epirus+2Epirus]epirusinc.comTap to unmuteEpirusEpirus' Leonidas High-Power Microwave Defeats 49-Drone Swarm …September 10, 2025 — Leonidas neutralized 61-of-61 drones, culminat…

This operating concept changes the geometry of risk. A missile or gun round is normally aimed at one object. A microwave engagement instead creates an electromagnetic environment inside a defined beam or effects volume. Any electronic system within that volume may be exposed to some level of energy, even if it is not the intended target. The same characteristic that makes Leonidas effective against dozens of drones can therefore require careful management of nearby friendly equipment. [Office of Naval Research+2DRDO Publications]onr.navy.milOffice of Naval ResearchDirected Energy Weapons: High Power MicrowavesNavy DEWs include systems that use high-energy lasers (HEL) that em…

How Energy Can Couple Into Friendly Systems

The key mechanism is electromagnetic coupling. High-power microwave systems do not need direct physical contact with electronics. Instead, microwave energy can enter electronic systems through structures that naturally interact with radio-frequency energy.

Technical literature on HPM weapons identifies several common entry paths:

Once energy enters a system, it can create unwanted voltages or currents. The resulting effects can range from minor disruption to component stress or failure, depending on power levels, system design, shielding quality and exposure conditions. HPM systems are specifically intended to exploit the sensitivity of modern electronics to electromagnetic energy, which is why drones can be disabled without being physically destroyed. [Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance+2Jerusalem Post]jedonline.comJournal of Electromagnetic DominanceHigh-Power Microwave Systems – Getting (Much…24 Jan 2023 — In this article, we're going to look at…

Why antennas are especially vulnerable

Many friendly military systems deliberately include structures that are efficient at receiving electromagnetic signals. Radios, radar receivers, satellite communications terminals and remote-control links all depend on antennas designed to capture radio-frequency energy.

From the perspective of microwave physics, an antenna cannot inherently recognise whether incoming energy originates from a friendly transmitter, an enemy emitter or a defensive HPM system. If the frequency content and field strength are sufficient, the antenna may conduct energy deeper into sensitive electronics. This is one reason why communications and sensing equipment are often considered important assets during electromagnetic compatibility and deconfliction planning. [DRDO Publications]publicationsdrdo.inDRDO PublicationsThe Strategic Role of High-Power Microwave Directed Energy…by L Christie · 2026 — HPM weapons radiate short or quasi…

Friendly drones can sit inside the same effects volume

A particularly difficult case involves friendly unmanned aircraft. Modern military formations increasingly operate reconnaissance drones, logistics drones and targeting drones alongside counter-drone defences.

Because Leonidas is designed to create counter-electronics effects rather than kinetic destruction, a friendly drone that occupies the same microwave engagement region as a hostile drone may face similar exposure pathways. The challenge is operational rather than theoretical: the defended airspace can contain both threat drones and friendly unmanned systems at the same time. [Epirus+2Epirus]epirusinc.comEpirusEpirus Leonidas High-Power Microwave: Directed Energy…Leonidas is a solid-state, high-power HPM system, utilizing Gallium Nitrid…

What Failures Operators Must Plan Around

Not every exposure results in catastrophic damage. High-power microwave effects can exist along a spectrum.

Potential outcomes include:

The operational consequence can be larger than the technical fault itself. A command post that suddenly loses a radio link, a radar feed or a drone video stream during a swarm attack may struggle to determine whether the problem came from enemy action, equipment failure or its own defensive system. In dense electronic environments, preventing this uncertainty is often as important as preventing hardware damage.

The challenge of cumulative electronic density

Modern military positions contain far more electronics than earlier generations of forces. A single defended site may include networking equipment, radar systems, electronic-warfare gear, autonomous sensors, command-and-control computers and multiple classes of drones.

As electronic density increases, so does the number of potential coupling paths. The problem is therefore not simply beam placement. Operators must consider what cables, antennas, vehicles and unmanned systems occupy the engagement area at the moment the microwave pulse is employed. [DRDO Publications]publicationsdrdo.inDRDO PublicationsThe Strategic Role of High-Power Microwave Directed Energy…by L Christie · 2026 — HPM weapons radiate short or quasi…

Why Control and Deconfliction Matter

The practical solution is not to avoid HPM systems but to manage where and when they are used. Epirus emphasises operator control, software-defined operation and the ability to shape engagements rather than indiscriminately irradiating an entire battlespace. Company materials and demonstrations have highlighted selective engagement concepts and software-defined control features intended to support operational deconfliction. [Epirus+2Tectonic Defense]epirusinc.comEpirusEpirus Leonidas High-Power Microwave: Directed Energy…Leonidas is a solid-state, high-power HPM system, utilizing Gallium Nitrid…

Even so, the underlying physics remains unchanged. Microwave energy propagates through space and interacts with electronics according to electromagnetic principles, not organisational boundaries. For Leonidas and similar HPM systems, friendly-electronics risk is fundamentally a coupling problem: the wider the area used to defeat a swarm, the more important it becomes to know what other electronic systems occupy that same electromagnetic space. [DRDO Publications+2Office of Naval Research]publicationsdrdo.inDRDO PublicationsThe Strategic Role of High-Power Microwave Directed Energy…by L Christie · 2026 — HPM weapons radiate short or quasi…

Amazon book picks

Further Reading

Books and field guides related to What Else Is Inside the Microwave Beam?. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.

Book

Army of None

By Paul Scharre

Links electronic effects to autonomous military systems.

See on Amazon

Book

Introduction to Electronic Warfare Modeling and Simulation

By David L. Adamy

First published 2006. Subjects: Electronics in military engineering, Mathematical models, Computer simulation.

See on Amazon

Book

Drone Wars

By Seth J. Frantzman

First published 2021. Subjects: Military art and science.

See on Amazon

Book

High-Power Microwave Systems and Effects

By James Benford, John A. Swegle and Edl Schamiloglu

Directly addresses microwave effects on electronics.

See on Amazon

Browse more on Amazon: Army of None to Electronic Warfare Modeling and Simulation books Drone Wars

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

eBay marketplace picks

Marketplace Samples

Example marketplace items related to this page. Use the search link to explore similar finds on eBay.

Shop location

Using USA USA USAUKCanadaAustraliaIreland

Example eBay listing

USAF 4713th Defense Systems Evaluation Squadron Roving Ravens Patch #6

Search eBay.co.uk: defense technology patch

Browse similar on eBay.co.uk

Example eBay listing

U.S Army Shirt Men's 16 Tall Defense Logistics Agency Military Workwear Uniform

Search eBay.co.uk: defense technology patch

Browse similar on eBay.co.uk

Example eBay listing

USAF 4758th Defense Systems Evaluation Squadron Patch S-18

Search eBay.co.uk: defense technology patch

Browse similar on eBay.co.uk

Example eBay listing

Military/Army Chevron, 164th Air Defense Radio Engineering Brigade

Search eBay.co.uk: defense technology patch

Browse similar on eBay.co.uk

Browse more on eBay.co.uk

Example items shown for inspiration; availability and pricing can change. Branchoria may earn a commission if you purchase through outbound eBay links.

Endnotes

1. Source: epirusinc.com
   Link: https://www.epirusinc.com/electronic-warfare
   Source snippet

   EpirusEpirus Leonidas High-Power Microwave: Directed Energy...Leonidas is a solid-state, high-power HPM system, utilizing Gallium Nitrid...

2. Source: onr.navy.mil
   Link: https://www.onr.navy.mil/organization/departments/code-35/division-353/directed-energy-weapons-high-power-microwaves
   Source snippet

   Office of Naval ResearchDirected Energy Weapons: High Power MicrowavesNavy DEWs include systems that use high-energy lasers (HEL) that em...

3. Source: publicationsdrdo.in
   Link: https://publicationsdrdo.in/index.php/dsj/article/download/21114/8787/92344
   Source snippet

   DRDO PublicationsThe Strategic Role of High-Power Microwave Directed Energy...by L Christie · 2026 — HPM weapons radiate short or quasi...

4. Source: epirusinc.com
   Title: Tap to unmute
   Link: https://www.epirusinc.com/press-releases/epirus-leonidas-high-power-microwave-defeats-49-[drone-swarm
   Source snippet

   EpirusEpirus' Leonidas High-Power Microwave Defeats 49-Drone Swarm...September 10, 2025 — Leonidas neutralized 61-of-61 drones, culminat...

   Published: September 10, 2025

5. Source: Wikipedia
   Title: Epirus Leonidas
   Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epirus_Leonidas
   Source snippet

   Epirus LeonidasThe Leonidas is a high-power microwave (HPM) weapon developed to disable unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms. It was n...

6. Source: arxiv.org
   Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.08477

7. Source: jedonline.com
   Link: https://www.jedonline.com/2023/01/24/high-power-microwave-systems-getting-much-much-closer-to-operational-status/?print=print
   Source snippet

   Journal of Electromagnetic DominanceHigh-Power Microwave Systems – Getting (Much...24 Jan 2023 — In this article, we're going to look at...

8. Source: jpost.com
   Title: article 884657
   Link: https://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-884657
   Source snippet

   Jerusalem PostEpirus: Bringing high-power microwave defense to the front27 Jan 2026 — Epirus' flagship system, Leonidas, is a high-power...

9. Source: tectonicdefense.com
   Title: exclusive epirus leonidas downs [fiber optic]({{ ‘fiber-drones/’ | relative_url }}) drone during tests
   Link: https://www.tectonicdefense.com/exclusive-epirus-leonidas-downs-fiber-optic-drone-during-tests/
   Source snippet

   Exclusive: Epirus' Leonidas Downs Fiber-Optic Drone...13 Jan 2026 — Here's how: Leonidas is a vehicle-mounted high-power microwave (HPM)...

10. Source: epirusinc.com
    Link: https://www.epirusinc.com/
    Source snippet

    Home of Leonidas, the Premier High-Power...Epirus combines the latest in solid-state, long-pulse high-power microwave systems with softw...

11. Source: epirusinc.com
    Link: https://www.epirusinc.com/press-releases/epirus-leonidas-demonstrates-successful-use-of-high-power-microwave-to-defeat-fiber-optic-controlled-uas
    Source snippet

    Epirus' Leonidas Demonstrates Successful Use of High-...13 Jan 2026 — Leonidas is the first EW-based counter-UAS technology to demonstra...

12. Source: epirusinc.com
    Link: https://www.epirusinc.com/about
    Source snippet

    About Epirus - Home of Leonidas, the Premier High-Power...Our flagship product, Leonidas, is the most sophisticated high-power microwave...

13. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLA826fH4Vc
    Source snippet

    Epirus Leonidas: High-Power Microwave for Counter-ElectronicsEpirus' Leonidas high-power microwave (HPM) family of systems features the l...

14. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na0pGfopahM

15. Source: onr.navy.mil
    Title: mil ON R Search
    Link: https://www.onr.navy.mil/search?f%5B0%5D=topics_agg%3A152&f%5B10%5D=topics_agg%3A200&f%5B11%5D=topics_agg%3A203&f%5B12%5D=topics_agg%3A204&f%5B13%5D=type%3Aarticle&f%5B14%5D=type%3Adocument&f%5B1%5D=topics_agg%3A170&f%5B2%5D=topics_agg%3A171&f%5B3%5D=topics_agg%3A173&f%5B4%5D=topics_agg%3A174&f%5B5%5D=topics_agg%3A175&f%5B6%5D=topics_agg%3A176&f%5B7%5D=topics_agg%3A179&f%5B8%5D=topics_agg%3A180&f%5B9%5D=topics_agg%3A188
    Source snippet

    Search - Office of Naval ResearchSearch Results; Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) High Power Microwave (HPM) 6.1 Programs FY18 Annual Repor...

16. 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

    Whilst lasers and jamming have gained a...Read more...

17. Source: unmannedairspace.info
    Title: epirus leonidas defeats 49 drone swarm with one electromagnetic burst
    Link: https://www.unmannedairspace.info/counter-uas-systems-and-policies/epirus-leonidas-defeats-49-drone-swarm-with-one-electromagnetic-burst/
    Source snippet

    Epirus' Leonidas defeats 49-drone swarm with one...2 Sept 2025 — Epirus' Leonidas defeats 49-drone swarm with one electromagnetic burst...

18. Source: linkedin.com
    Link: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/epirus_epirus-leonidas-high-power-microwave-defeats-activity-7371575751776608256-i0zZ
    Source snippet

    tic interference. “We believe showcasing our weaponized...

19. Source: defence-blog.com
    Title: epirus confirms leonidas microwave system integration with dft platform
    Link: https://defence-blog.com/epirus-confirms-leonidas-microwave-system-integration-with-dft-platform/
    Source snippet

    Epirus confirms Leonidas microwave system integration...25 Feb 2026 — The combined system links autonomous detection and tracking with n...

20. Source: researchgate.net
    Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/4229403_Research_on_high_power_microwave_weapons
    Source snippet

    (PDF) Research on high power microwave weaponsThis article describes for high power microwave (abbreviation HPM) weapons research from it...

21. Source: twz.com
    Title: army puts 50m bet on next gen leonidas high power microwave counter drone tech
    Link: https://www.twz.com/land/army-puts-50m-bet-on-next-gen-leonidas-high-power-microwave-counter-drone-tech
    Source snippet

    Army Puts $43M Bet On Next Gen Leonidas High Power...17 Jul 2025 — Epirus' CEO says successful tests of the company's Gen II system capa...

22. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRI7fYRMI9E
    Source snippet

    High Power Microwave WeaponsDon't miss our newsletter! [https://www.themerge.co/](https://www.themerge.co/) Mike hosts Andy Lowery to dig deep into directed energy w...

23. Source: designnews.com
    Title: us army invests 43m in epirus advanced drone countering microwave system
    Link: https://www.designnews.com/industry/us-army-invests-43m-in-epirus-advanced-drone-countering-microwave-system
    Source snippet

    Army Backs Epirus' Anti-Drone Tech30 Jul 2025 — Epirus secures $43M Army contract to enhance Leonidas, a high-power microwave system desi...

24. Source: tomshardware.com
    Title: Tom’s Hardware High-power microwave system downs 49 drones in [one shot]({{ ‘one-shot/’ | relative_url }})
    Link: https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/high-power-microwave-system-downs-49-drones-in-one-shot-weaponized-electromagnetic-interference-erases-drone-swarms-en-masse
    Source snippet

    electronics warfare company, successfully demonstrated a major advancement in counter-drone technology with its Leonidas high-power micro...

25. Source: reddit.com
    Title: Stryker Leonidas armed with high-power microwave weapon from
    Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/TankPorn/comments/1h3dyft/stryker_leonidas_armed_with_highpower_microwave/
    Source snippet

    November 30, 2024 — Stryker Leonidas armed with high-power microwave weapon from Epirus designed to fry the electronics of an entire dron...

    Published: November 30, 2024

26. Source: reddit.com
    Title: Meet the Microwave Weapon That Zaps Swarms of Drones
    Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/STEW_ScTecEngWorld/comments/1m2npg2/meet_the_microwave_weapon_that_zaps_swarms_of/
    Source snippet

    July 18, 2025 — Epirus, a Los Angeles-based defense company, has developed Leonidas, a high-powered microwave weapon that disables...

    Published: July 18, 2025

27. Source: facebook.com
    Link: https://www.facebook.com/techtimespage/posts/the-us-military-has-announced-the-successful-test-of-the-leonidas-high-power-mic/916037894565283/
    Source snippet

    erms, Leonidas uses concentrated bursts of electromagnetic...Read more...

28. Source: youtube.com
    Title: Weaponized Electromagnetic Interference for Counter-Drone Defense
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfOAKxRKJrA
    Source snippet

    Leonidas high-power microwave platform for counter-electronics and critical asset protection. With new tech enhancements informed by end...

29. Source: academia.edu
    Link: https://www.academia.edu/37644027/High_Power_Microwave_Weapons_Back_in_Focus
    Source snippet

    (DOC) High Power Microwave Weapons-Back in FocusHigh Power Microwave (HPM) weapons operate from 100 MHz to 100 GHz, generating ~100 MW or...