L3Harris supplies system that can down incoming drones with laser-guided rockets
The US Army has awarded a contract to defense biz L3Harris for its Vampire counter-drone system to support an urgent requirement to protect against hostile airborne threats.As drones continue to be a danger to ground forces, the Army’s order, worth up to $106 million, will form part of its layered defense approach against remotely operated and autonomous aerial vehicles.The Vampire system is described by the firm as a completely self-contained platform that delivers a precision strike capability against drones and remotely piloted aircraft.
It can be fitted to vehicles, such as mounting on the back of a truck, and combines a telescopic mast with an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) stabilized targeting system. It also has a launcher for a variety of what the military likes to call effectors – projectiles or missiles that typically go bang.
In the case of Vampire, this will often be the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), comprising US-made Hydra 70 2.75-inch (70 mm) rockets with an added laser homing capability.This seems to have become the (relatively) low-cost weapon of choice for downing certain types of drones, and is now being fitted to British Typhoon fighter jets deployed to the middle east, for example.
