The United States is accelerating production of a key counter-drone system as military planners look to address the growing threat posed by low-cost unmanned aerial systems on the modern battlefield.
L3Harris Technologies has launched high-volume production of its VAMPIRE platform at a facility in Huntsville, Alabama, the company announced on March 24. The move is aimed at increasing the availability of mobile, short-range air defense systems capable of countering drone swarms.
The VAMPIRE system is designed as a modular package that can be mounted on vehicles, vessels, or containerized platforms. It combines electro-optical and infrared sensors with a laser designator and fire control system, allowing operators to detect, track and engage targets from a single platform without relying on larger air defense networks.
At the core of the system is the APKWS, a laser-guided 70 mm rocket adapted from unguided munitions. When paired with a proximity fuze, the system can engage aerial targets at ranges of several kilometers, offering a lower-cost alternative to traditional surface-to-air missiles.
The increase in production draws on lessons from the war in Ukraine, where large volumes of inexpensive drones have strained conventional air defense systems. By contrast, VAMPIRE is designed to improve the cost balance by using relatively affordable interceptors against similarly low-cost threats.
L3Harris said the new production line includes flexible assembly and testing capacity for both vehicle-mounted and containerized configurations, with the ability to scale output as demand increases. The company has positioned the system as suitable for defending forward operating bases, logistics hubs and critical infrastructure.
The platform has already seen operational use, including deployment in Ukraine, where mobile and rapidly deployable counter-drone systems have become a central part of layered air defense strategies.
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Post Image Credit: L3 Harris
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