L3Harris has heeded calls from its partners to bolster drone defense by introducing new variants of its “VAMPIRE” platform, now expanded to multi-domain operations.
The new lineup extends the weapon systems across land, naval, aerial, and electronic warfare (EW) missions, each tailored for specific counter-drone roles.
For land missions, the Stalker XR carries twelve kinetic munitions instead of four, allowing for longer engagement of targets. The Killcode variant replaces guided munitions with electronic jamming to disrupt or disable aerial threats.
L3Harris also rolled out versions designed to protect military facilities. The Casket is a mobile VAMPIRE packed in a box for easy deployment to remote locations. The Bat serves as a turret-based system armed with automatic weapons and optional non-kinetic effectors to minimize collateral damage.
At sea, the Black Wake mounts the VAMPIRE platform aboard crewed or unmanned vessels to counter small drones during maritime missions. In the air, the Dead Wing turns Apache helicopters into airborne counter-drone platforms capable of hunting down unmanned targets mid-flight.
“VAMPIRE users have successfully shot down hundreds of enemy drones. Compared to traditional missile systems, VAMPIRE greatly reduces the cost per effect to defend against drone attacks,” said L3Harris President of Integrated Mission Systems Jon Rambeau.
The expanded VAMPIRE lineup now incorporates a new suite of sensors powered by AI and machine learning, cutting down the time it takes to detect, track, and engage unmanned targets across different environments.
‘Self-Contained’ Multi-Mission Platform
VAMPIRE, short for Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) Rocket Equipment, is a self-contained defense system built to target drones and remotely operated aircraft.
In service with several European forces since 2023, it combines precision strike and reconnaissance capabilities to protect troops and critical infrastructure.
Each variant integrates L3Harris’ own MX-10D electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) system, enabling the VAMPIRE lineup to identify and track targets from long range with high stability.
With its modular, plug-and-play design, the platform can be installed within minutes on virtually any vehicle or vessel, allowing operators to swap sensors and effectors as mission needs change.
