Branchoria Directed Energy Directed Energy

Clear explanations of laser and microwave weapons without science-fiction hype.

Within Airbase Zones

Why Swarms Complicate Microwave Safety Zones

The same wide-area effect that makes microwave weapons useful against drone swarms also expands the friendly systems commanders must account for.

On this page

  • How wide area effects differ from point engagements
  • What swarm defense changes on an airbase
  • Balancing rapid shots against friendly system risk
Preview for Why Swarms Complicate Microwave Safety Zones

Introduction

High-power microwave (HPM) weapons are attractive for airbase defence because they can engage many drones at once rather than defeating them individually. That capability is especially valuable against drone swarms, which are designed to overwhelm traditional air defences through numbers, speed and coordinated movement. However, the same characteristic that makes microwave systems effective against swarms also makes safety management more difficult. Instead of focusing on a single target, an HPM engagement may expose a broader volume of airspace and nearby electronics to intense electromagnetic energy. As the number of hostile drones increases, the challenge of ensuring that no friendly aircraft, vehicles, sensors or communications systems are inside the affected area becomes significantly more complex. [AFRL+2Air Force Research Laboratory]afrl.af.milRLAFRL conducts swarm technology demonstrationRL conducts swarm technology demonstrationMay 16, 2023 — 16 May 2023 — “THOR was exceptionally effective at disabling the swarm wit…Published: May 16, 2023

Swarm Problem illustration 1

How Wide-Area Effects Differ from Point Engagements

A laser or kinetic interceptor generally engages one target at a time. The operator can often identify a specific drone, track it and fire along a relatively narrow engagement path. Microwave counter-swarm systems are different. They are designed to create effects across an area or volume of space so that multiple drones can be disrupted simultaneously. Systems such as THOR and Leonidas have been publicly demonstrated against groups of drones specifically because their value lies in defeating many targets within a single engagement. [AFRL+2Air Force Research Laboratory]afrl.af.milRLAFRL conducts swarm technology demonstrationRL conducts swarm technology demonstrationMay 16, 2023 — 16 May 2023 — “THOR was exceptionally effective at disabling the swarm wit…Published: May 16, 2023

This creates a different safety problem. When commanders approve a microwave shot, they are not only considering the location of the hostile drones. They must also consider every friendly electronic system that could potentially fall within the engagement geometry. The question becomes less “Can we hit that drone?” and more “What else is inside the effect area at the same time?”

The challenge grows as swarms become larger. A single drone may present a compact target area. A swarm may occupy a much wider section of airspace, approach from multiple directions or spread across different altitudes. Because the engagement area must encompass the swarm, the zone that commanders must evaluate for friendly-system safety often expands as well. [DroneShield]droneshield.comA Counter to Drone Swarms: High-Power Microwave…Through programming or increasing autonomy, swarms can coordinate attacks f…

Drone Swarms Are Here. This Technology Could Stop Them.

Channel: Sam Eckholm

Open on YouTube

What Swarm Defence Changes on an Airbase

Airbases are dynamic environments. Aircraft taxi, maintenance teams move equipment, ground vehicles cross runways and communications systems operate continuously. A microwave exclusion zone therefore cannot be treated as a static circle drawn on a map.

Drone swarms complicate matters because they introduce uncertainty in several ways:

  • Larger target formations: Multiple drones may occupy a broader airspace volume than a single intruder.
  • Distributed attack axes: Swarms can approach from several directions simultaneously, forcing defenders to consider multiple engagement sectors.
  • Constant movement: Individual drones within a swarm may separate, regroup or manoeuvre unpredictably.
  • Time pressure: Swarms are intended to compress a defender’s decision cycle, reducing the time available for safety checks.

The practical consequence is that exclusion-zone management becomes a moving problem rather than a fixed one. An area considered safe for an HPM shot a few seconds earlier may no longer be acceptable if a friendly helicopter enters the sector, a maintenance vehicle moves into position or aircraft begin taxi operations. [DroneShield]droneshield.comA Counter to Drone Swarms: High-Power Microwave…Through programming or increasing autonomy, swarms can coordinate attacks f…

Swarm Problem illustration 2

Why More Targets Mean More Friendly Assets to Track

Counter-swarm microwave weapons are often described as “one-to-many” systems because a single pulse can affect multiple drones. Recent demonstrations have highlighted this capability, including tests in which dozens of drones were disrupted in a single engagement. [Epirus+2Tom's Hardware]epirusinc.comepirus leonidas high power microwave defeats 49 drone swarm 100 of drones flown at live fire demonstrationLeonidas' suite of capability …Read more

From a safety perspective, however, one-to-many effects also create one-to-many accountability. Before firing, operators must understand the status of many categories of friendly systems simultaneously:

  • Aircraft in the air and on the ground.
  • Airfield communications and navigation infrastructure.
  • Command-and-control networks.
  • Ground support equipment.
  • Vehicles carrying digital electronics.
  • Personnel using radios or specialised electronic devices.

As the defended area becomes more crowded, the burden of maintaining an accurate real-time picture increases. The swarm threat therefore magnifies a pre-existing airbase challenge: maintaining awareness of every friendly electronic system that could be exposed during an engagement.

This is one reason modern HPM developers increasingly emphasise control, beam management and engagement planning rather than presenting microwave effects as indiscriminate. The military value of the weapon depends not only on defeating the swarm but also on avoiding disruption to friendly operations taking place nearby. [Epirus]epirusinc.comEpirusEpirus Leonidas High-Power Microwave: Directed Energy…Leonidas is a solid-state, high-power HPM system, utilizing Gallium Nitrid…

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

Channel: AFResearchLab

Open on YouTube

Balancing Rapid Shots Against Friendly-System Risk

The greatest operational advantage of a microwave counter-swarm weapon is speed. Public descriptions of systems such as THOR emphasise rapid engagement, low cost per shot and the ability to affect multiple drones nearly instantaneously. [Popular Science]popsci.comthor weapon drone swarm testPopular ScienceAir Force uses THOR's energy to zap drones23 May 2023 — “The system uses high power microwaves to cause a counter electron…Published: May 2023

Yet rapid engagement can conflict with exclusion-zone management. The faster a commander wants to fire, the less time exists to verify that friendly assets remain outside the relevant safety boundaries. This creates a tension at the heart of airbase microwave defence:

  • Delay the shot too long and the swarm may reach valuable targets.
  • Fire too quickly and the risk of exposing friendly systems increases.

The problem is especially acute during large-scale attacks. Swarms are often intended to saturate defensive decision-making. Every additional drone can increase the number of tracks, alerts and movement patterns that operators must assess. Even if the microwave weapon itself can engage many targets at once, commanders still need confidence that the surrounding electromagnetic environment is sufficiently clear to permit safe use. [DroneShield]droneshield.comA Counter to Drone Swarms: High-Power Microwave…Through programming or increasing autonomy, swarms can coordinate attacks f…

Swarm Problem illustration 3

The Core Mechanism Behind the Safety Challenge

The reason drone swarms make microwave exclusion zones harder is ultimately straightforward: the weapon’s area-effect advantage scales the safety problem along with the defensive benefit.

A point target allows commanders to focus on a narrow engagement path. A swarm encourages use of a broader electromagnetic effect capable of reaching multiple drones simultaneously. As the defended volume expands, the number of friendly systems that must be tracked, protected and excluded from potential exposure also increases. The very feature that makes high-power microwave weapons attractive for airbase defence against swarms—the ability to affect many drones at once—therefore creates a larger and more demanding exclusion-zone management problem. [AFRL+2Air Force Research Laboratory]afrl.af.milRLAFRL conducts swarm technology demonstrationRL conducts swarm technology demonstrationMay 16, 2023 — 16 May 2023 — “THOR was exceptionally effective at disabling the swarm wit…Published: May 16, 2023

AFRL's THOR Tracks and Disables Drone Swarm

Channel: AFResearchLab

Open on YouTube

Amazon book picks

Further Reading

Books and field guides related to Why Swarms Complicate Microwave Safety Zones. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.

BookCover for Swarm Intelligence

Swarm Intelligence

By Unknown author

Explains swarm behavior and coordination, helping readers understand why mass drone attacks create unique engagement and safety challenges.

See on Amazon
Browse more on Amazon: Swarm Intelligence to Radar Systems books The Pentagon's Brain

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.

Using USA
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: 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 — 16 May 2023 — “THOR was exceptionally effective at disabling the swarm wit...

    Published: May 16, 2023

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

    Air Force Research LaboratoryTACTICAL HIGH POWER OPERATIONAL RESPONDER...Winner of the What's New in Defense 2021 award, THOR is a count...

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

    A Counter to Drone Swarms: High-Power Microwave...Through programming or increasing autonomy, swarms can coordinate attacks f...

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

    Leonidas' suite of capability...Read more...

  5. 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...

  6. 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...

  7. 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...

  8. Source: popsci.com
    Title: thor weapon drone swarm test
    Link: https://www.popsci.com/technology/thor-weapon-drone-swarm-test/
    Source snippet

    Popular ScienceAir Force uses THOR's energy to zap drones23 May 2023 — “The system uses high power microwaves to cause a counter electron...

    Published: May 2023

  9. 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

    The demonstration peaked with a 49-drone swarm defeat, using [one burst]({{ 'one-burst/' | relative_url }}) of...

  10. Source: droneintelligence.ai
    Link: https://droneintelligence.ai/companies/epirus
    Source snippet

    , Company Profile | Drone Intelligence2 May 2026 — High-power microwave (HPM) counter-drone systems. Leonidas platform is the leading non...

    Published: May 2026

  11. Source: dictionary.cambridge.org
    Link: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/high
    Source snippet

    English meaning - Cambridge Dictionaryhigh noun (HAPPY PERIOD)... a period of extreme excitement or happiness, when you feel full of e...

  12. 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...

  13. Source: calibredefence.co.uk
    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 — [Lasers]({{ 'lasers/' | relative_url }}) defeat one target at a time, and may need to power down for c...

  14. 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...

  15. Source: linkedin.com
    Link: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jenerdrum_61-drones-one-electromagnetic-pulse-zero-activity-7372448959027404803-rnG8
    Source snippet

    UAS incidents at U.S. bases jumped 59% last year. The $5.2B counter-drone market is exploding. Three technologies...Read more...

  16. Source: norskluftvern.com
    Title: epirus leonidas counter drone system us
    Link: https://norskluftvern.com/2025/03/31/epirus-leonidas-counter-drone-system-us/
    Source snippet

    Utilizing high-power microwave (HPM) technology, Leonidas offers a non-kinetic solution.Read more...

  17. Source: research.contrary.com
    Link: https://research.contrary.com/company/epirus
    Source snippet

    contrary.comReport: Epirus Business Breakdown & Founding Story14 Nov 2024 — Epirus was founded to leverage technological breakthroughs, p...

Additional References

  1. Source: axios.com
    Link: https://www.axios.com/2025/08/28/epirus-indiana-drone-swarm-demo-leonidas
    Source snippet

    The event highlighted a significant advancement in counter-drone technology amid growing global security concerns over drone swarms, whic...

  2. Source: merriam-webster.com
    Link: https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high
    Source snippet

    HIGH Synonyms: 529 Similar and Opposite WordsSynonyms for HIGH: tall, towering, lofty, dominant, altitudinous, prominent, eminent, elevat...

  3. Source: techbriefs.com
    Link: https://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/49907-meet-thor-afrls-counter-drone-that-tracks-and-disables-drone-swarm
    Source snippet

    Meet THOR: AFRL's Counter-Drone that Tracks and...THOR is a high-power microwave counter-drone weapon that the Air Force Research Lab ha...

  4. Source: 311institute.com
    Link: https://www.311institute.com/new-microwave-weapon-thor-helps-the-usaf-defeat-drone-swarms-in-seconds/
    Source snippet

    New microwave weapon THOR helps the USAF defeat...THOR directed-energy system uses powerful microwaves to take out incoming drones at lo...

  5. Source: unmannedairspace.info
    Link: https://www.unmannedairspace.info/counter-uas-systems-and-policies/us-army-releases-video-animation-of-high-powered-microwave-technology-designed-to-counter-drone-swarms/
    Source snippet

    US Army releases video animation of high-powered...The system, which shoots high-powered microwaves at unmanned aircraft to disrupt thei...

  6. Source: merriam-webster.com
    Link: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/high

  7. Source: unmannedairspace.info
    Link: https://www.unmannedairspace.info/counter-uas-systems-and-policies/us-air-force-research-laboratory-demonstrates-anti-drone-swarm-c-uas-technology/

  8. Source: collinsdictionary.com
    Link: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/high
    Source snippet

    of more than normal height; lofty; tall [not used of persons] · 2. extending upward a (specified) distance · 3. situated far above...Rea...

  9. Source: everythingrf.com
    Link: https://www.everythingrf.com/news/details/21275-us-military-demonstrates-high-powered-microwave-system-to-counter-drone-swarms
    Source snippet

    US Military Demonstrates High-Powered Microwave...22 Dec 2025 — The event marked a public demonstration of Leonidas, a high-powered micr...

  10. Source: defenceconnect.com.au
    Link: https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/industry/17924-leonidas-agv-unveiled-as-high-power-microwave-weapon-to-counter-drone-threats
    Source snippet

    Leonidas AGV unveiled as high-power microwave weapon to...27 Mar 2026 — “Leonidas AGV combines autonomous mobility with high-power micro...

Topic Tree

Follow this branch

Parent topic

Airbase Zones How Safe Is a Microwave Shot Near Aircraft?

Related pages 2