L3Harris to boost US Armed Forces counter-drone capabilities with more VAMPIRE systems.

On June 9, 2025, L3Harris Technologies was awarded a new contract by the U.S. Department of Defense for additional VAMPIRE counter-unmanned aerial systems, following an initial contract in 2023 to support European operations. The company has indicated its intention to continue the collaboration with the Department of Defense and allied partners to provide counter-UAS systems for both domestic and international applications. The VAMPIRE system has been specifically engineered to address the operational requirements of European ground forces in protecting infrastructure from enemy aerial attacks through modular weapon system deployment.
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The VAMPIRE's targeting system provides intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities through a mast-mounted configuration that allows extended ISR operations while operators maintain cover and concealment positions. (Picture source: L3Harris)

L3Harris previously received a $40 million contract from the Department of Defense in January 2023 to deliver 14 VAMPIRE (Vehicle Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment) systems to Ukrainian security forces under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, with four systems delivered by mid-2023 and ten additional systems delivered by year-end 2023. System installation requires two hours using common tools, with deployment and engagement capability achieved within minutes of setup completion. The platform includes a self-contained power supply that eliminates requirements for 24V alternators on host vehicles, expanding compatibility across different vehicle types.

Complete system reload operations can be executed in less than two minutes, while an integrated driver monitor provides situational awareness and enables shared operator workload distribution. Storage capacity for spare APKWS laser-guided rockets is integrated into the platform design to support sustained operational capability during extended missions. The palletized configuration allows installation on any vehicle with sufficient flat surface area to accommodate mounting requirements, converting standard pickup trucks or military vehicles into rocket-launching platforms.

The VAMPIRE air defense system incorporates L3Harris' WESCAM MX-10D RSTA targeting and sensor system integrated with a weapons station, enabling operators to identify and engage drones and unmanned aircraft through coordinated sensor and weapon platform operation. The targeting system provides intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities through a mast-mounted configuration that allows extended ISR operations while operators maintain cover and concealment positions. Furthermore, L3Harris has developed a proprietary proximity fuze that increases the effectiveness of APKWS against aerial targets by enabling successful engagement without requiring direct impact with the target, including drones, aircraft, and missiles.

The VAMPIRE operates in conjunction with the Widow Mission Management System, which maintains Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control compliance and features modular plug-in architecture for integration of additional sensors, effectors, radio management, navigation, and moving map capabilities. On the other hand, the WESCAM MX-10D system incorporates thermal cameras, color-enhanced infrared night vision, optical zoom, laser rangefinder, infrared target marker, image smoothing and blending between optics and thermals, internal stabilization, haze penetration, and inertial measurement unit functionality.

Moreover, L3Harris decided to extend the operational capabilities of the VAMPIRE beyond land-based operations to maritime environments and diverse threat engagement scenarios, as the system could be used for defense against unmanned aerial systems, fast inshore attack craft, and low-slow flying targets. For instance, L3Harris has pursued such applications through the development of algorithms for sea-based operations and plans for testing on small unmanned surface vessels to address low-cost threats in environments such as the Red Sea. Jon Rambeau, who leads the Integrated Mission Systems business at L3Harris, has noted that the system provides an alternative to expensive interceptor missiles, with APKWS rockets costing between $20,000 and $30,000 per shot compared to multimillion-dollar missiles currently deployed against drones. L3Harris has also indicated that VAMPIRE systems could be deployed as picket lines providing standoff protection for commercial ships or military vessels in threat environments.

The Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS), serving as the primary munition for the VAMPIRE platform, converts standard Hydra 70 unguided rockets into precision-guided munitions through the integration of a WGU-59/B mid-body guidance unit containing Distributed Aperture Semi-Active Laser Seeker technology. The APKWS costs approximately $22,000 per unit, representing one-third the cost and weight of existing laser-guided weapons inventory while reducing collateral damage risk and halving ordnance handling time compared to traditional munitions. Production has exceeded 50,000 units, with operational records indicating no in-flight failures during the initial 100 combat launches in Afghanistan. The system utilizes existing Hydra 70 components, including launchers, rocket motors, warheads, and fuzes, while incorporating the guidance unit that deploys control canards 0.5 seconds after launch to direct the rocket toward laser-designated targets.

BAE Systems revealed a dual-mode APKWS variant in April 2025 featuring both laser guidance and passive infrared sensors, enabling "anoint-and-shoot" capability where targets receive initial laser designation but infrared sensors provide terminal guidance. This development facilitates faster successive engagements and reduces operator workload during swarming UAS or cruise missile attacks, with development completion scheduled for the end of 2026. Finally, testing conducted in May 2025 demonstrated F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft carrying up to 42 APKWS II rockets, representing a seven-fold increase in engagement opportunities against unmanned aerial systems and cruise missiles compared to traditional air-to-air missile loadouts. The ease with which APKWS can be integrated, both on different aircraft and in systems such as VAMPIRE, addresses operational scenarios where traditional air-to-air missiles, limited by magazine capacity and unit costs of hundreds of thousands of dollars, may prove insufficient or economically prohibitive for large-volume engagements against low-cost threats.