L3Harris Technologies announced that it has been selected by the U.S. Army to deliver VAMPIRE counter-unmanned systems to strengthen defenses against hostile drones. The contract is valued at up to $106 million and supports the United States’ layered counter-unmanned systems strategy.
The VAMPIRE system is a self-contained weapons platform designed to provide advanced reconnaissance and precision strike capabilities against drones and remotely piloted aircraft. The technology has been deployed extensively in European combat operations and has accumulated more than 350,000 operational hours since 2023.
L3Harris developed and funded the VAMPIRE system at the outset of the war in Ukraine as a cost-effective solution to counter Russian drone threats. In response to growing demand from the United States and allied nations, the company expanded production in 2026 by establishing a high-volume manufacturing line in Huntsville, Alabama.
According to the company, the increased production capacity reflects the persistent threat posed by drones and the need for rapidly deployable countermeasures. The VAMPIRE system was designed to be quickly assembled, delivered, and operated, allowing military forces to provide reliable protection for personnel and infrastructure.
Based in Melbourne, Florida, L3Harris Technologies develops defense technologies spanning the space, air, land, sea, and cyber domains. The company describes itself as a provider of mission-critical solutions supporting national security requirements.
KEY QUOTE:
“We’ve worked with the Army to understand their needs for new counter-UxS systems that can be quickly assembled, delivered, set-up and fired. VAMPIRE is effective at hunting and engaging drone threats affordably, which enables U.S. armed forces to sustain reliable defense of its personnel and infrastructure.”
Tom Kirkland, President of Targeting & Sensor Systems, Communications & Spectrum Dominance, L3Harris
