Within Wide Beams
When a Wider Beam Beats a Sharper Shot
A microwave beam can trade intensity for coverage, making drone spacing and flight geometry central to whether one burst affects many aircraft.
On this page
- Why beam width changes the engagement
- How range and spacing affect field strength
- When clustered drones become easier targets
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Introduction
High-power microwave counter-drone systems are unusual weapons because the size of the beam can be as important as the power behind it. A narrower beam concentrates electromagnetic energy on a smaller region of airspace, increasing the chance of disabling electronics on any drone inside that region. A wider beam spreads the same energy across a larger volume, reducing intensity but exposing more aircraft at once. The practical challenge is therefore not simply “how powerful is the weapon?” but “how much airspace can it affect while still delivering a damaging field strength?”. Modern systems such as Leonidas and other microwave counter-swarm concepts are designed around this trade-off, with some able to switch between focused and wide-area engagement modes depending on the swarm geometry. [Wikipedia]WikipediaEpirus LeonidasEpirus Leonidas
Why Beam Width Changes the Engagement
Microwave weapons defeat drones by exposing their electronics to intense electromagnetic fields. The beam creates a zone in which antennas, wiring, sensors and control circuits may absorb energy and malfunction. For a swarm, the critical question is how many drones occupy that zone simultaneously. [securityanddefence.pl]securityanddefence.plHigh power microwave for knocking out programmableJune 29, 2021 — by MZ Chaari · 2021 · Cited by 24 — This article aims to examine the directed energy of HPM (high power microwaves) in us…
A narrow beam behaves more like a precision weapon. The energy is concentrated, increasing field strength at the target location. This can improve the probability of causing disruption or permanent damage to a particular drone. However, only a small portion of the swarm is illuminated at any moment.
A wide beam changes the objective. Instead of maximising effect on one aircraft, the operator attempts to expose as many drones as possible during the same pulse. Systems such as Leonidas have been publicly described as capable of both focused engagements and wide-beam operation, allowing them to trade intensity for area coverage when facing dense formations. [Wikipedia]WikipediaEpirus LeonidasEpirus Leonidas
This trade-off explains why microwave weapons are often described as “one-to-many” systems. A swarm packed into a relatively small volume of airspace may place dozens of drones inside the beam simultaneously, turning a single pulse into a multi-target engagement. [RTX]rtx.comPhaser High-Power Microwave System | RaytheonDefending at the speed of light. The Phaser high-power microwave system uses directed ene…
How Range and Spacing Affect Field Strength
Beam width cannot be considered separately from distance. As the beam travels, it occupies a larger cross-sectional area. The same transmitted energy is therefore distributed across a larger region, reducing the energy available at any given point.
In practical terms, a beam that comfortably covers a small swarm at short range may become too diffuse at longer distances to produce the same electronic effects. Designers therefore balance three linked variables:
- Beam width.
- Range to the swarm.
- Required field strength at the target.
A wider beam increases coverage but lowers energy density. A narrower beam increases energy density but reduces coverage. The optimum choice depends on where the drones are and how vulnerable their electronics are. Research on microwave counter-drone systems consistently identifies field strength at the target as the key determinant of disruption effectiveness, while antenna design governs how that field is distributed across space. [securityanddefence.pl]securityanddefence.plHigh power microwave for knocking out programmableJune 29, 2021 — by MZ Chaari · 2021 · Cited by 24 — This article aims to examine the directed energy of HPM (high power microwaves) in us…
There is also a geometry problem. Imagine two swarms containing the same number of drones. One is spread across hundreds of metres, while the other is compressed into a tight attack formation. The wider formation may require multiple engagements or beam repositioning. The compact formation may fit entirely within the illuminated region and suffer simultaneous exposure. This means that swarm formation itself becomes a factor in survivability. [DroneShield]droneshield.comDrone Shield A Counter to Drone Swarms: High-Power MicrowaveA Counter to Drone Swarms: High-Power Microwave…July 22, 2025 — Military forces must prioritise a counter to drone swarming…
When Clustered Drones Become Easier Targets
Drone swarms are often designed to overwhelm defences through numbers. Yet clustering creates a vulnerability for microwave weapons because more aircraft occupy the same electromagnetic footprint.
This is one of the central differences between microwave systems and point-defence weapons such as guns, missiles or lasers. A tightly packed swarm may be harder for a laser because there are still many separate targets to burn through. For a microwave system, the same density can improve engagement efficiency because many drones are illuminated together. [Wikipedia]WikipediaTHOR (weaponTHOR (weapon
Public demonstrations provide examples of this principle. In 2025, Epirus reported a live-fire event in which its Leonidas system neutralised a large drone formation, including a 49-drone swarm engagement with a single microwave pulse. While public information does not disclose detailed beam parameters, the demonstration illustrates the operational value of covering a swarm volume rather than pursuing aircraft one by one. [Epirus]epirusinc.comTap to unmute.Read moreEpirusEpirus' Leonidas High-Power Microwave Defeats 49-Drone…10 Sept 2025 — Leonidas neutralized 61-of-61 drones, culminating in a 49…
Similarly, UK testing of radio-frequency directed-energy weapons has emphasised the ability of broad electromagnetic beams to engage multiple drones simultaneously rather than relying on serial interceptions. [GOV.UK]GOV.UKBritish soldiers take down drone swarm in groundbreakingApril 17, 2025 — 17 Apr 2025 — British soldiers have successfully tracked, targeted and defeated swarms of drones in the latest trial of…
Why the Widest Beam Is Not Always Best
It may seem that the ideal solution is simply to make the beam as wide as possible. In reality, coverage has diminishing returns.
Every increase in beam width reduces energy concentration. Beyond a certain point, the field strength may fall below the threshold needed to upset or damage electronics. The result is a large illuminated area with limited operational effect. A drone may experience brief interference yet continue flying.
For this reason, many modern microwave concepts emphasise beam control rather than permanently wide-area transmission. Operators can adapt the beam to the threat:
- Narrower beams against isolated or hardened targets.
- Intermediate beams against dispersed groups.
- Wider beams against dense swarm formations.
The goal is not maximum coverage alone. The goal is maximum effective coverage: the largest airspace volume that still receives sufficient electromagnetic intensity to produce mission-relevant effects. [Science Focus+2Wikipedia]sciencefocus.comdrone killer fires microwave beams to disable uavsEpirus Leonidas microwave weapon…Read more…
The Real Measure of Swarm-Kill Coverage
The effectiveness of a microwave counter-swarm weapon is often described in terms of power, but beam width ultimately determines how that power is distributed. A narrow beam offers stronger effects on fewer drones. A wide beam offers weaker effects on more drones. The most effective setting depends on the relationship between drone spacing, engagement range and the minimum field strength needed to disrupt onboard electronics. [securityanddefence.pl]securityanddefence.plHigh power microwave for knocking out programmableJune 29, 2021 — by MZ Chaari · 2021 · Cited by 24 — This article aims to examine the directed energy of HPM (high power microwaves) in us…
This is why swarm geometry matters so much. As drones become more densely packed, a wider microwave beam can transform from a compromise into an advantage, allowing one pulse to influence an entire formation. In that sense, beam width is not merely an antenna characteristic; it is a central mechanism that determines whether a microwave weapon engages one drone, a handful of drones, or an entire swarm at once. [Epirus+2RTX]epirusinc.comTap to unmute.Read moreEpirusEpirus' Leonidas High-Power Microwave Defeats 49-Drone…10 Sept 2025 — Leonidas neutralized 61-of-61 drones, culminating in a 49…
Amazon book picks
Further Reading
Books and field guides related to When a Wider Beam Beats a Sharper Shot. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
Introduction to UAV Systems
Provides drone-operating context for beam-coverage discussions.
Electronic Warfare in the Information Age
First published 1999. Subjects: Electronics in military engineering, Information warfare.
Introduction to Directed Energy Weapons
Directly supports understanding beam width versus intensity trade-offs.
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Endnotes
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Epirus Leonidas
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epirus_Leonidas -
Source: securityanddefence.pl
Title: High power microwave for knocking out programmable
Link: https://securityanddefence.pl/pdf-135068-63981?filename=High+power+microwave+for.pdfSource snippet
June 29, 2021 — by MZ Chaari · 2021 · Cited by 24 — This article aims to examine the directed energy of HPM (high power microwaves) in us...
Published: June 29, 2021
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: [THOR]({{ ‘thor/’ | relative_url }}) (weapon)
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/THOR_%28weapon%29 -
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 ene...
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Source: droneshield.com
Title: Drone Shield A Counter to Drone Swarms: High-Power Microwave
Link: https://www.droneshield.com/blog/a-counter-to-drone-swarms-high-power-microwave-weaponsSource snippet
A Counter to Drone Swarms: High-Power Microwave...July 22, 2025 — Military forces must prioritise a counter to drone swarming...
Published: July 22, 2025
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Source: GOV.UK
Title: British soldiers take down drone swarm in groundbreaking
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/british-soldiers-take-down-drone-swarm-in-groundbreaking-use-of-radio-wave-weaponSource snippet
April 17, 2025 — 17 Apr 2025 — British soldiers have successfully tracked, targeted and defeated swarms of drones in the latest trial of...
Published: April 17, 2025
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Super high frequency
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_high_frequency -
Source: youtube.com
Title: Raytheon’s High-Power Microwave Weapon Downs Drones
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHUSource snippet
Epirus Leonidas: High-Power Microwave for Counter-Electronics...
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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
Raytheon - High Power Microwave Weapon Testing...
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Source: youtube.com
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ylYwBIRDpgSource snippet
Leonidas Counter-Electronics System – Block 1...
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Source: sciencefocus.com
Title: drone killer fires microwave beams to disable uavs
Link: https://www.sciencefocus.com/future-technology/drone-killer-fires-microwave-beams-to-disable-uavsSource snippet
Epirus Leonidas microwave weapon...Read more...
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Source: epirusinc.com
Title: Tap to unmute.Read more
Link: https://www.epirusinc.com/press-releases/epirus-leonidas-high-power-microwave-defeats-49-drone-swarm-100-of-drones-flown-at-live-fire-demonstrationSource snippet
EpirusEpirus' Leonidas High-Power Microwave Defeats 49-Drone...10 Sept 2025 — Leonidas neutralized 61-of-61 drones, culminating in a 49...
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Source: facebook.com
Title: epirus leonidas is meant to stop drone swarms with a high power microwave beam i
Link: https://www.facebook.com/armytimes/posts/epirus-leonidas-is-meant-to-stop-drone-swarms-with-a-high-power-microwave-beam-i/10161255052569497/Source snippet
It has an Army contract. We explore what the company is offering...Read more...
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Source: linkedin.com
Link: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/epirus_epirus-leonidas-high-power-microwave-defeats-activity-7371575751776608256-i0zZSource snippet
tic interference. “We believe showcasing our weaponized...
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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...
Additional References
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Source: researchgate.net
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358274981_C277_Recent_Trends_in_High_Power_Microwave_Counter_Measure_Against_Drone_Swarm_AttackSource snippet
The answer to such attack in recent years is directed energy (DE), which include high energy laser (HEL) and high...Read more...
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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-masseSource snippet
electronics warfare company, successfully demonstrated a major advancement in counter-drone technology with its Leonidas high-power micro...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/TankPorn/comments/1h3dyft/stryker_leonidas_armed_with_highpower_microwave/Source snippet
am to irradiate an entire drone swarm. Microwave weapon...Read more...
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Source: instagram.com
Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWjefMaoiz8/?hl=enSource snippet
magnetic energy that interfere with the internal electronics of...
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Source: defencefinancemonitor.com
Title: non kinetic counter uas with high
Link: https://www.defencefinancemonitor.com/p/non-kinetic-counter-uas-with-highSource snippet
Non-Kinetic Counter-UAS with High Power Microwave8 Dec 2025 — HPM sits in between: it is a “wide-area” weapon effective within typically...
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Source: thalesgroup.com
Link: https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/solutions-catalogue/defence/thundershieldtm-high-power-microwave-electromagnetic-neutralisationSource snippet
ThunderShield™ - High-Power Microwave Electromagnetic...Building on 60 years of expertise, this system incapacitates Class 1 drones and...
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Source: youtube.com
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkuF5llESK4Source snippet
Destroyer, a high-power microwave weapon (HPM) designed to...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: Leonidas Counter-Electronics System – Block 1
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMtrvr_v2_0Source snippet
Top 5 Most Advanced Military Drones in the World #ranking #military #drone Top Stuff · 674K views...
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Source: ft.com
Link: https://www.ft.com/content/41703199-201e-4702-b34a-a0a633cdfcf5?syn-25a6b1a6=1Source snippet
Financial TimesUK tests microwave weapon to disable drone swarms16 Apr 2025 — The new electromagnetic weapons technology fires a wide bea...
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