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Within Swarm Economics

Can one pulse beat a drone swarm?

A single wide-area microwave engagement can make defending against clustered drones less like buying one interceptor per target.

On this page

  • Why one to many engagement matters
  • When swarm geometry helps the defender
  • How costs change after the system is fielded
Preview for Can one pulse beat a drone swarm?

Introduction

A drone swarm becomes economically dangerous when a defender must spend a separate engagement on each incoming aircraft. High-power microwave systems such as Leonidas are designed to attack that problem directly. Instead of assigning one missile, one shell burst or one firing solution to each drone, they aim to project electromagnetic energy across a volume of airspace and disrupt multiple drones at once. If successful, a single microwave burst can turn a swarm from dozens of individual engagements into one area engagement, changing the cost equation that makes massed drones attractive in the first place. [Epirus]epirusinc.comEpirusEpirus - Home of Leonidas, the Premier High-Power…Epirus combines the latest in directed energy, long-pulse high-power microwave…

One Burst illustration 1 The key point is not that one pulse always destroys an entire swarm. Rather, the economic logic changes because the defender’s cost is no longer tied linearly to the number of drones present. When many targets occupy the same engagement zone, one burst may affect several, many, or even dozens of aircraft simultaneously. [Air Force Research Laboratory]afresearchlab.comCOUNTER-SWARM HIGH POWER WEAPON… The system uses high power microwaves to cause a counter electronic effect.Read more…

Why one-to-many engagement matters

Traditional air-defence economics often follow a simple pattern: more targets require more engagements. A missile interceptor usually addresses one target. Even gun-based systems consume ammunition and tracking capacity on a target-by-target basis.

High-power microwave weapons are attractive because they break that relationship. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), which developed the THOR counter-swarm microwave demonstrator, explicitly contrasted microwave weapons with lasers by noting that lasers generally engage one target at a time, while high-power microwaves can defeat groups or swarms. [AFRL]afrl.af.milarmy partners with air forces thor for base defenseArmy partners with Air Force's THOR for base defense23 Feb 2021 — "High energy lasers kill one target at a time, and high powered mic…

The mechanism matters more than the technology label. A microwave burst does not need to physically hit every drone with a separate projectile. Instead, it attempts to expose multiple drones’ electronics to disruptive electromagnetic energy within the weapon’s engagement volume. AFRL has described THOR as a system specifically engineered to counter multiple targets with rapid results and demonstrated it against realistic drone swarms. [Air University]airuniversity.af.eduarmy partners with air forces thor for base defenseAir UniversityArmy partners with Air Force's THOR for base defense23 Feb 2021 — THOR is a prototype directed energy weapon used to disabl…

From an economic perspective, this creates a potentially different exchange ratio:

  • One missile against one drone remains a one-for-one transaction.
  • One microwave engagement against ten drones can become a one-for-many transaction.
  • As swarm density increases, the value of each microwave burst can rise because more drones occupy the affected space. [AFRL]afrl.af.milarmy partners with air forces thor for base defenseArmy partners with Air Force's THOR for base defense23 Feb 2021 — "High energy lasers kill one target at a time, and high powered mic…

The result is that attackers lose some of the advantage gained by simply adding more inexpensive drones to the raid.

America’s “THOR” Shoots Drones With High-power Microwaves | Has US Found the Answer to Drone Swarms?

Channel: CRUX

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When swarm geometry helps the defender

The effectiveness of a microwave burst depends heavily on how drones are arranged in space. Counter-intuitively, tightly packed swarms can sometimes help the defender.

AFRL has highlighted THOR’s wide-beam approach as particularly effective against swarms, and demonstrations have shown the system disabling multiple drones during a single engagement. In one 2023 demonstration, AFRL reported that THOR used its wide beam and high peak power to disable a swarm during testing. [AFRL]afrl.af.milRLAFRL conducts swarm technology demonstrationRL conducts swarm technology demonstrationMay 16, 2023 — “THOR was exceptionally effective at disabling the swarm with its wide bea…Published: May 16, 2023

The geometry works in the defender’s favour when:

  • Drones are concentrated in a relatively small volume of airspace.
  • Multiple aircraft enter the microwave engagement zone simultaneously.
  • The swarm’s operational concept relies on mass rather than wide dispersal.

In those circumstances, adding more drones does not necessarily force a proportional increase in defensive effort. A cluster of twenty drones may require only marginally more energy exposure than a cluster of ten if both occupy the same beam footprint. The swarm’s numerical growth therefore produces diminishing returns for the attacker. [Air Force Research Laboratory]afresearchlab.comCOUNTER-SWARM HIGH POWER WEAPON… The system uses high power microwaves to cause a counter electronic effect.Read more…

Recent Leonidas demonstrations illustrate the concept. Epirus reported engagements in which multiple drones were defeated simultaneously, and later demonstrations showed the system disabling large groups of drones during a single activation. While company demonstrations should be treated differently from independent operational evidence, they are directly relevant because they showcase the one-to-many engagement model that underpins the system’s economic argument. [Epirus]epirusinc.comEpirusEpirus' Leonidas High-Power Microwave Defeats 49-Drone…10 Sept 2025 — Leonidas engaged and defeated all three drones simultaneou…

One Burst illustration 2

How costs change after the system is fielded

The most important economic shift occurs after procurement.

A microwave weapon is not free. Developing, purchasing, integrating and supporting a high-power microwave system can require substantial investment. The economic argument therefore does not focus on acquisition cost alone. Instead, it focuses on repeated engagements over time. [GAO]gao.govgao 23 105868Directed Energy Weapons: DOD Should Focus…17 Apr 2023 — The Department of Defense (DOD) is currently developing directed energy…

Once deployed, a microwave engagement primarily consumes electrical energy rather than an interceptor missile. The US Government Accountability Office has identified lower per-use costs as one of the potential advantages of directed-energy systems compared with traditional kinetic weapons. [GAO]gao.govDirected Energy Weapons DOD Should Focus on Transition…DOD spends about $1 billion annually on directed energy–concentrated electr…

That changes the economics in three important ways:

The marginal cost of another engagement falls.

The defender does not necessarily need to expend another expensive interceptor for every additional drone encountered. [GAO]gao.govDirected Energy Weapons DOD Should Focus on Transition…DOD spends about $1 billion annually on directed energy–concentrated electr…

Magazine depth becomes less restrictive.

Missile launchers eventually exhaust their inventory. Microwave systems are constrained by power generation, cooling and system readiness, but not by a finite stack of interceptors in the same way. [GAO]gao.govScience & Tech Spotlight: Directed Energy WeaponsScience & Tech Spotlight: Directed Energy WeaponsMay 25, 2023 — These weapons include high energy lasers and other high power electrom…Published: May 25, 2023

Large raids become less economically attractive.

If adding twenty extra drones does not force twenty extra defensive shots, the attacker receives less benefit from scaling the swarm. [AFRL]afrl.af.milarmy partners with air forces thor for base defenseArmy partners with Air Force's THOR for base defense23 Feb 2021 — "High energy lasers kill one target at a time, and high powered mic…

The economic effect resembles a fixed-cost service rather than a pay-per-target service. The defender pays heavily to acquire the capability, but each additional swarm engagement may cost relatively little compared with firing multiple interceptors. [GAO]gao.govDirected Energy Weapons DOD Should Focus on Transition…DOD spends about $1 billion annually on directed energy–concentrated electr…

THOR (Tactical High-power Operational Responder) Destroys Swarms of Enemy Drones

Channel: AFResearchLab

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Why one burst is not a guaranteed swarm killer

The phrase “one pulse defeats a swarm” can oversimplify reality.

Microwave effectiveness depends on range, power, beam characteristics, target electronics, shielding and swarm behaviour. Technical studies indicate that engagement outcomes vary significantly with distance and target hardness; some drones are easier to disrupt than others. [arXiv]arxiv.orgPerformance Evaluation of High Power Microwave Systems Against UAVs A Probabilistic Antenna Propagation Framework with Sensitivity A…

Attackers can also adapt. Dispersed formations, hardened electronics, mixed attack vectors and layered tactics may reduce the efficiency of a single microwave engagement. That is why military organisations generally discuss high-power microwaves as part of a broader layered defence architecture rather than as a complete replacement for missiles, guns or electronic warfare systems. [AFRL]afrl.af.milarmy partners with air forces thor for base defenseArmy partners with Air Force's THOR for base defense23 Feb 2021 — "High energy lasers kill one target at a time, and high powered mic…

The important economic point remains intact even if a burst does not disable every drone. A weapon that removes a significant fraction of a swarm in one engagement can still dramatically reduce the number of follow-on engagements required.

AFRL's THOR Tracks and Disables Drone Swarm

Channel: AFResearchLab

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The real economic shift

The value of a microwave burst is not measured solely by how many drones it destroys. Its significance lies in changing the relationship between defensive effort and swarm size.

In a conventional model, twenty drones may require roughly twenty defensive engagements. In a one-to-many microwave model, those same drones may be addressed through a much smaller number of engagements if they enter the same defended volume. Demonstrations by systems such as THOR and Leonidas have been built around exactly this principle: using wide-area electromagnetic effects to disable multiple drones simultaneously. [AFRL+2DVIDS]afrl.af.milarmy partners with air forces thor for base defenseArmy partners with Air Force's THOR for base defense23 Feb 2021 — "High energy lasers kill one target at a time, and high powered mic…

That shift is what makes high-power microwave weapons economically interesting. They do not merely offer another way to shoot down drones; they seek to make the attacker’s favourite advantage—cheap mass—less valuable than it was before. [droneshield.com]droneshield.comsive, mass-produced drones can overwhelm defences.Read more…

One Burst illustration 3

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Endnotes

  1. Source: afrl.af.mil
    Title: army partners with air forces thor for base defense
    Link: https://www.afrl.af.mil/News/Article/2512426/army-partners-with-air-forces-thor-for-base-defense/
    Source snippet

    Army partners with Air Force's THOR for base defense23 Feb 2021 — "High energy [lasers]({{ 'lasers/' | relative_url }}) kill one target at a time, and high powered mic...

  2. Source: gao.gov
    Title: gao 23 105868
    Link: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-105868
    Source snippet

    Directed Energy Weapons: DOD Should Focus...17 Apr 2023 — The Department of Defense (DOD) is currently developing directed energy...

  3. Source: gao.gov
    Title: Science & Tech Spotlight: Directed Energy Weapons
    Link: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-106717
    Source snippet

    Science & Tech Spotlight: Directed Energy WeaponsMay 25, 2023 — These weapons include high energy lasers and other high power electrom...

    Published: May 25, 2023

  4. Source: gao.gov
    Link: https://www.gao.gov/video/directed-energy-weapons-dod-should-focus-transition-planning
    Source snippet

    Directed Energy Weapons DOD Should Focus on Transition...DOD spends about $1 billion annually on directed energy--concentrated electr...

  5. Source: arxiv.org
    Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.16495
    Source snippet

    Performance Evaluation of High Power Microwave Systems Against UAVs A Probabilistic Antenna Propagation Framework with Sensitivity A...

  6. Source: droneshield.com
    Link: https://www.droneshield.com/blog/a-counter-to-drone-swarms-high-power-microwave-weapons
    Source snippet

    sive, mass-produced drones can overwhelm defences.Read more...

  7. Source: leonidas.com
    Title: Master chocolatier
    Link: https://www.leonidas.com/gb_en
    Source snippet

    Master chocolatier - Belgian chocolate and pralinesLeonidas is a Belgian chocolate company that produces chocolates and other...

  8. Source: leonidas.com
    Link: https://www.leonidas.com/gb_en/about-leonidas
    Source snippet

    About LeonidasLeonidas Kestekides, who started out as a granitas seller, became the founder of the most popular brand of chocolates in Be...

  9. Source: e-shop.leonidas.com
    Link: https://e-shop.leonidas.com/gb/en/home/
    Source snippet

    Discover Belgium's best chocolates, chocolate tablets & delicious chocolate gifts. Free delivery in Europe from...

  10. Source: youtube.com
    Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8SYbFQGr-Y
    Source snippet

    Epirus’ Leonidas High-Power Microwave Defeats 49-Drone Swarm...

  11. Source: youtube.com
    Title: Epirus’ Leonidas High-Power Microwave Defeats 49-Drone Swarm
    Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrkopSw5uas
    Source snippet

    Epirus Leonidas microwave weapon [counter drone]({{ 'missile-savings/' | relative_url }}) swarm Epirus’ Leonidas High-Power Microwave Defeats 49-Drone Swarm Epirus...

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

    EpirusEpirus - Home of Leonidas, the Premier High-Power...Epirus combines the latest in directed energy, long-pulse high-power microwave...

  13. Source: afresearchlab.com
    Link: https://afresearchlab.com/counter-swarm-high-power-weapon/
    Source snippet

    COUNTER-SWARM HIGH POWER WEAPON... The system uses high power microwaves to cause a counter electronic effect.Read more...

  14. Source: airuniversity.af.edu
    Title: army partners with air forces thor for base defense
    Link: https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/News/Display/Article/2511792/army-partners-with-air-forces-thor-for-base-defense/
    Source snippet

    Air UniversityArmy partners with Air Force's THOR for base defense23 Feb 2021 — THOR is a prototype directed energy weapon used to disabl...

  15. Source: afrl.af.mil
    Title: RLAFRL conducts swarm technology demonstration
    Link: https://www.afrl.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3396995/afrl-conducts-swarm-technology-demonstration/
    Source snippet

    RL conducts swarm technology demonstrationMay 16, 2023 — “THOR was exceptionally effective at disabling the swarm with its wide bea...

    Published: May 16, 2023

  16. Source: dvidshub.net
    Link: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/904353/afrls-thor-tracks-and-disables-drone-swarm
    Source snippet

    AFRL's THOR Tracks and Disables Drone Swarm"Numerous drones were flown to simulate a swarm attack, and using its wide beam, high peak pow...

  17. Source: epirusinc.com
    Link: https://www.epirusinc.com/press-releases/epirus-leonidas-high-power-microwave-defeats-49-drone-swarm-100-of-drones-flown-at-live-fire-demonstration
    Source snippet

    EpirusEpirus' Leonidas High-Power Microwave Defeats 49-Drone...10 Sept 2025 — Leonidas engaged and defeated all three drones simultaneou...

  18. 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. in with...

  19. Source: usfk.mil
    Link: https://www.usfk.mil/What-We-Do/Exercises/Freedom-Shield/?dvpTag=Thor&videoid=904340
    Source snippet

    Tactical High-power Operational ResponderTactical, High-power, Operational, Responder, known as THOR, is a high power microwave counter-d...

  20. Source: afrl.af.mil
    Link: https://www.afrl.af.mil/News/Video/?dvpTag=Thor&dvpmoduleid=69743
    Source snippet

    Force Research Laboratory VideoHigh-power, Operational Responder, known as THOR, is a high-power microwave counter-drone weapon. Numerou...

  21. Source: instagram.com
    Link: https://www.instagram.com/leonidas_chocolatier/?hl=en
    Source snippet

    Official account (@leonidas_chocolatier)Preferred Belgian chocolates since 1913 🌿 Made of sustainable cocoa, 100% pure cocoa butter and w...

  22. Source: dvidshub.net
    Title: DVID S
    Link: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/904340/thor-tactical-high-power-operational-responder
    Source snippet

    DVIDS - Video - Thor - Tactical High-power Operational...THOR is a high power microwave counter-drone weapon that the Air Force Research...

  23. Source: britannica.com
    Title: Leonidas king of Sparta
    Link: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leonidas-king-of-Sparta
    Source snippet

    Leonidas | Biography & Facts24 Apr 2026 — Leonidas (died 480 bc, Thermopylae, Locris [Greece]) was a Spartan king whose stand against the...

  24. Source: attalus.org
    Link: https://www.attalus.org/names/l/leonidas.html
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    in ancient sources @ attalus.orgLeonidas I - king of Sparta, killed in 480 B.C. Greek poet, 3rd century B.C. poet, 1st century A.D...

  25. Source: linkedin.com
    Link: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/epirus_epirus-leonidas-high-power-microwave-defeats-activity-7371575751776608256-i0zZ
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    tic interference. “We believe showcasing our weaponized...

  26. 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...

  27. Source: airuniversity.af.edu
    Title: rls thor hammers drones in new video animation
    Link: https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/News/Display/Article/2658386/afrls-thor-hammers-drones-in-new-video-animation/
    Source snippet

    af.eduAFRL's THOR hammers drones in new video animation16 Jun 2021 — THOR is a prototype Directed Energy weapon used to disable the elect...

Additional References

  1. Source: facebook.com
    Link: https://www.facebook.com/KirtlandAirForceBase/posts/airmen-the-air-force-research-laboratory-conducted-a-demonstration-april-5-2023-/648822910623189/
    Source snippet

    Kirtland Air Force BaseThe system, known as the Tactical High-Power Operational Responder (THOR), uses focused bursts of microwave energy...

  2. Source: behindthename.com
    Link: https://www.behindthename.com/name/leonidas
    Source snippet

    Meaning, origin and history of the name LeonidasLeonidas was a Spartan king of the 5th century BC who sacrificed his life and his army de...

  3. Source: reddit.com
    Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/unitedkingdom/comments/1hled0c/radio_frequency_directed_energy_weapon/
    Source snippet

    Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon successfully...RFDEWs are a type of directed energy weapon that neutralises threats by emitting h...

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

    Energy Weapons: High Power MicrowavesHPM weapons create beams of electromagnetic energy over a broad spectrum of radio and microwave freq...

  5. 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...

  6. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pwv1BOuqN4
    Source snippet

    AFRL's THOR Tracks and Disables Drone SwarmTactical, High-power, Operational Responder, known as THOR, is a high-power microwave counter...

  7. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSM6q_TKcTs
    Source snippet

    DRDO'S New Microwave Weapon ExplainedDRDO'S New Microwave Weapon Explained The DRDO High Power Microwave (HPM) Directed Energy Weapon sys...

  8. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGzL3fZgPZY

  9. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjHGxKb6W1c

  10. 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-masse
    Source snippet

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

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