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Unmanned Systems

Demand Signal For L3Harris’ Vampire Counter-Drone System Exceeds $1 Billion, Executive Says

By Cal Biesecker

Friday, May 15th, 2026

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Demand Signal For L3Harris’ Vampire Counter-Drone System Exceeds $1 Billion, Executive Says

L3Harris VAMPIRE in live fire demonstration. Photo: L3Harris Technologies

An affordable counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) L3Harris Technologies [LHX] began developing five years ago that Ukrainian forces have used since 2022 to fend off Russian drone attacks has a kill rate over 80 percent--a rate that has helped drive demand for the VAMPIRE to $1 billion-plus, a senior company official said last week. VAMPIRE includes sensors to detect and track targets, launch tubes, and BAE Systems’ Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) that costs between $30,000 and $35,000 per shot…

Senators Push Navy Against FY ‘27 Single Destroyer Request

The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and the two senators from Maine last week pushed back on Navy officials for only requesting one Arleigh Burke-class destroyer (DDG-51) […]

Navy Looks To Eventually Assemble Battleship At HII Newport News; Faces More Dem Opposition

The Navy told lawmakers this week it found a dry dock at HII’s [HII] Newport News Shipbuilding shipyard it thinks can use for final assembly of the new Trump-class battleship […]

Navy Leaders Downplay Looking At Foreign Navy Shipbuilding Amid Lawmaker Objections

The Navy’s top leaders this week seemed to downplay and back down on the service potentially using foreign shipyards to build U.S. Navy ships or buying foreign designed warships overseas […]

Army

Senate Defense Appropriators See ‘Risk’ With Army’s Reconciliation Plan To Fund Munitions Increase

The Senate’s top defense appropriators cited concern this week with the Army’s request to fund the majority of its large increase to munitions procurement in fiscal year 2027 through the […]