Northrop Taps Epirus for Electromagnetic Pulse Counter-Drone Tech

Northrop Grumman has formed a strategic supplier agreement with Epirus, Inc to provide exclusive access to Leonidas, the startup’s software-defined electromagnetic pulse (EMP) system, for its anti-drone tech.

The EMP capability will be used as component of Northrop’s Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) systems-of-systems solution offering.

“By integrating the Epirus EMP weapon system into our C-UAS portfolio, we continue maturing our robust, integrated, layered approach to addressing and defeating these evolving threats,’’ said Kenn Todorov, vice president and general manager, combat systems and mission readiness, Northrop Grumman.

The agreement augments Northrop Grumman’s advanced end-to-end C-UAS capabilities by including Epirus’ EMP systems to defeat UAS swarms, and specifically supplements the company’s suite of non-kinetic C-UAS effects, the company said in a release today.

Northrop Grumman’s end-to-end C-UAS solutions deliver a layered architecture with a full complement of kinetic and non-kinetic effects, aerial and ground sensors and the battle-hardened, proven and deployed Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control (C2) system, recently selected by the U.S. Army as the interim C2 system for counter-small-UAS capabilities.

Epirus’ C-UAS EMP system — called Leonidas — is designed for static and mobile C-UAS defense and utilizes solid-state commercial semiconductor technology to deliver capability with unprecedented reduction in size and weight. This enables increased stand-off ranges and speed-of-light engagements that do not suffer from issues with magazine depth and capacity. When fired, a Leonidas creates an EMP that can be steered for precision engagements, or adjusted to sanitize a volume of terrain or sky, creating a force field effect.