L3Harris starts high-volume VAMPIRE counter-drone production
United States – November 14, 2026 -- L3Harris Technologies began high-volume production of its VAMPIRE counter-drone system in 2026. The company says military forces have logged more than 350,000 operational hours with the system in European combat operations since 2023. By our calculation, that equals about 40 years of continuous operation (350,000 hours divided by 8,760 hours per year).
VAMPIRE (Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized Rocket Equipment) mounts on vehicles and launches laser-guided munitions. Tony Calderon, President of Targeting & Sensor Systems, says the system "changes the economics of drone engagements" by using mass-produced rockets against low-cost drones. L3Harris notes that early, large drones were shot down with multi-million-dollar missiles. The company did not disclose production volumes or unit prices.