Epirus, GDLS and Kodiak develop new counter-drone system

Epirus, General Dynamics Land Systems and Kodiak AI on March 24 unveiled the Leonidas Autonomous Ground Vehicle, or AGV, a new mobile counter-UAS system built to operate either fully autonomously or through teleoperation for defense and homeland security missions.

The new system was unveiled at the AUSA Global Force Symposium & Exhibition in Huntsville, Alabama.

Leonidas AGV combines Epirus’ Leonidas high-power microwave platform with the Kodiak Driver autonomous driving system on a commercial-grade truck platform. General Dynamics Land Systems served as the lead system integrator, bringing together the microwave weapon, the vehicle platform and the autonomous mobility package into a single counter-UAS vehicle.

According to the companies, the system is designed for autonomous critical point defense missions and can rapidly deploy to pre-planned intercept points or move along a perimeter to defend key assets. The stated mission set includes protection of military installations, forward operating bases, airports, ports, energy infrastructure and major public events.

As noted by the companies, Leonidas AGV can be operated without human intervention or teleoperated, giving operators two modes for extending the counter-UAS line of defense. That approach is meant to let forces reposition the system as the threat changes, expand defensive coverage and maintain continuous protection against drone attacks.

The core weapon on the vehicle is Epirus’ Leonidas high-power microwave system. The company describes it as a tested and proven counter-UAS platform that delivers software-defined electromagnetic interference effects to neutralize drone threats. High-power microwave systems are intended to disrupt or disable the electronics that allow drones to navigate, communicate or continue flight, offering a non-kinetic means of defense.

That makes the system different from traditional missile- or gun-based counter-drone tools. Rather than firing interceptors at each incoming target, a high-power microwave platform is designed to engage drone threats electronically, including multiple targets in a swarm scenario. The companies said this allows Leonidas AGV to defeat individual drones and saturation swarm attacks without expending costly and limited interceptors, while also reducing the risk of collateral effects around protected sites.

Andy Lowery, CEO of Epirus, said the drone threat now requires a different defensive model. “Saturation drone attacks demand a fundamentally different approach to defense,” Lowery said. “Leonidas AGV combines autonomous mobility with high-power microwave effects to deliver a counter-UAS capability that rapidly maneuvers to defeat drone swarms without more boots on the ground. Together with GDLS and Kodiak, we’re enabling a new layer of autonomous drone defense for critical assets and infrastructure.”

General Dynamics Land Systems framed the project as an example of how commercial and defense technologies can be brought together for military use. Keith Barclay, Vice President and General Manager for U.S. Operations at General Dynamics Land Systems, said, “We partner with other companies so we can provide best-in-class capabilities to the Army — and the Leonidas AGV is a timely example.”

Barclay added that, “Integrating leading-edge technology from Epirus and Kodiak into a commercial-based vehicle is one way to ensure American soldiers have the power to win on the battlefield. At GDLS, we’re moving faster than ever before, and we think there’s a great future for commercially inspired innovations such as Leonidas AGV.”

Kodiak AI emphasized the mobility and operational safety side of the program. The company said its dual-use Kodiak Driver system allows the vehicle to operate across structured highways, unstructured off-road environments and terrain in between. That matters for counter-UAS missions because fixed defenses do not always cover the full area around a base, installation or public venue, and a mobile system can be shifted where it is needed most.

Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak AI, said, “Autonomous mobility fundamentally changes how advanced defensive systems can be deployed and operated.” He added, “By integrating the Kodiak Driver with Epirus’ Leonidas platform and GDLS’ integration expertise, we are demonstrating how commercially developed autonomy enables mobile counter-UAS capabilities that protect critical assets and keep warfighters out of harm’s way. This collaboration directly meets the U.S. military’s need for scalable, adaptable and cost-effective autonomous ground vehicles.”