Epirus

Shawn Ryan

@ShawnRyan762

I’ve been waiting a long time to sit down with Andy Lowery, the CEO of Epirus, a defense tech company leading the charge in counter-drone warfare. We get into the development of their flagship Leonidas system, designed to neutralize drone swarms, and how this technology is changing modern combat. Andy shares his background as a U.S. Navy nuclear engineer serving aboard an aircraft carrier before transitioning into leadership roles at Raytheon and into the startup world. He also talks about bringing a Leonidas system out to Vigilance Ranch where he gave a complete breakdown of how it works. You can watch both his full episode and the Leonidas demo video now on the Shawn Ryan Show YouTube channel. @epirus

🇦🇺Craig Tindale

@ctindale

The High-Power Microwave Arms Race: China’s Disclosure and Western Counterparts Gallium is central to these systems and at the moment Australia ships it for free to China as part of the Bauxite to Aluminium process . Though I understand through sources that this is being addressed In July 2026, China’s National University of Defence Technology (NUDT) released a rare public overview of its high-power microwave (HPM) weapon progress. These kinds of papers are just really high powered military messaging between China and U.S. the pulsed-power systems reaching up to 100 gigawatts, marking a shift from laboratory prototypes to practical, durable military hardware. It highlighted rapid advances driven by national priorities and positioned China among global leaders in the field. The implications ? : these systems could threaten low-Earth orbit satellite constellations like Starlink at low cost, offering a way to disrupt electronics without creating dangerous debris. They through pulsed electricity fry the electronics of anything electronic . Drones - missiles - etc The Chinese disclosure underscores Beijing’s focus on affordable counters to proliferated LEO networks that have demonstrated military value in conflicts like Ukraine. Western responses emphasize different strengths. The standout is Epirus’ Leonidas family , solid-state, software-defined HPM systems using Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology. Unlike bulky legacy designs, Leonidas delivers precision swarm defeat: Gen II variants (supported by a $43.5 million US Army contract) achieve roughly double the range, 30% higher power, longer pulses, and full polarization control while operating autonomously on batteries. There are many western manufacturers of these systems it’s part of a new arms race . Demonstrations include neutralizing 49-drone swarms in a single pulse and defeating fiber-optic guided UAS. Complementary efforts include the US Space Development Agency’s Starshield satellites (military version of SpaceX) for resilient comms and missile warning, plus broader directed-energy programs exploring layered defenses. While China scales raw power for strategic satellite denial, the West prioritizes agile, deployable tactical systems that integrate with existing forces and emphasize redundancy plus rapid reconstitution. At the heart of both sides’ breakthroughs is gallium, specifically Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductors. GaN’s wide bandgap (3.4 eV), exceptional electron mobility, and high breakdown field allow transistors to generate intense microwave pulses in compact, efficient packages. This is what enables Leonidas to pack thousands of amplifiers into a truck-mountable phased array while supporting real-time waveform tuning, beam shaping, and safe zones. It’s only a matter of time before they get put into space and get pointed down at targets but for now that would constitute a major escalation and I’m not aware it’s happening . Without GaN, modern solid-state HPM would remain too large, power-hungry, and thermally unstable for tactical use. Chinese compact drivers also leverage GaN-like III-V compounds for similar miniaturization advantages. Gallium is absolutely crucial because it bridges the gap between theoretical power and battlefield practicality. China’s dominance in gallium refining creates supply-chain risks, while Western efforts focus on diversification and recycling. In this emerging arms race, mastery of gallium processing and GaN device fabrication will prove as strategically vital as control over rare earths or chip manufacturing. The NUDT paper and programs like Leonidas are signalling HPM’s arrival as a capability. All of this is impossible without Gallium as the enabler , which will shape who gains the decisive edge in space and electronic warfare. Just another reason why a variety of REE are becoming central to humanities future .

Global Strategy

@World_At_War_6

LEONIDAS: "THE US ARMY'S NEW ANSWER TO DRONE SWARMS" The U.S. military has successfully tested high-power microwave weapons capable of neutralizing drone swarms in seconds. One notable system is called Leonidas, developed by the U.S. defense firm Epirus. In an live-fire demonstration at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, the system achieved a 100% success rate, disabling all 61 drones it engaged across five scenarios, including neutralizing a swarm of 49 drones with a single, instant pulse of electromagnetic interference. Another system is the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's THOR, which also effectively counters swarms by emitting a wide beam that can take down multiple drones simultaneously. These systems work by "frying" the onboard electronics of the unmanned aerial vehicles using concentrated microwave energy, a non-kinetic approach that avoids collateral damage and offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional missile defense.

Visioner

@visionergeo

‼️‼️‼️🇺🇲 BREAKING - US-based company Epirus successfully demonstrated Anti-swarm technology LEONIDAS by disabling 49 drones in a single shot. In the previous month, the system showcased its ability to detect and engage drones from multiple unknown directions, disabling a total of 61 drones from two randomly selected vectors. The system utilities gallium-nitride semiconductors to produce the microwave emissions instead of older vacuum systems. Such a configuration allowed for defenders to actively modify the microwaves to provide an optimized effect on targets. Bottom line- Antidrone warfare currently has a huge cost asymmetry in favor of the attackers. Systems like these will help to balance the equation. See the latest updates with us: @visionergeo

Joe Lonsdale

Co-founder

8VC managing partner and Palantir co-founder who co-founded Epirus through 8VC's Build program.