Counter-UAS on an autonomous truck: Epirus, GDLS and Kodiak AI present Leonidas AGV

Epirus, General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) and Kodiak AI have presented a new, fully autonomous vehicle for counter-UAS, critical infrastructure protection and military security tasks: the Leonidas Autonomous Ground Vehicle (AGV).

It brings together two components: Epirus’s Leonidas platform, which relies on high-power microwave (HPM), and Kodiak Driver, an autonomous driving system based on artificial intelligence (AI). General Dynamics Land Systems acts as prime integrator of the system architecture. The starting point was a commercial truck chassis, which has been turned into a mobile, autonomously operating defence platform.

The Leonidas AGV can be operated either fully autonomously or by remote control. It is designed to operate flexibly along perimeters or to move to designated operating points. In this way, it is intended to protect against individual unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), drone swarms and fibre-optic-guided systems.

Possible deployment scenarios include military sites, forward bases, airports, ports, energy infrastructure and major events. Being mobile and autonomous, the system is intended to provide continuous coverage against UAV threats and respond more quickly in the area of operations.

Counter-UAS without kinetic interceptors

Epirus’s HPM technology neutralises drones electronically and in a targeted manner by means of software-defined electromagnetic pulses. This makes it possible to engage single targets as well as swarm attacks without the need for kinetic interceptors. This reduces costs and logistical effort and adds a further layer of protection around critical targets.

Thanks to Kodiak AI’s autonomous driving system, the vehicle can be deployed in complex environments, on paved roads as well as in rough terrain. A modular architecture and advanced sensors are intended to ensure that it functions safely and reliably even in dynamic or potentially contested areas.

Swarm attacks by drones require new approaches to defence— Andy Lowery, CEO of Epirus

The Leonidas AGV combines mobility and high-power microwave technology to counter threats flexibly and without additional personnel.— Andy Lowery, CEO of Epirus

A fully functional prototype of the Leonidas AGV is being shown at the AUSA Global Force Symposium & Exhibition in Huntsville, Alabama.