General Dynamics Land Systems announced it has entered into a strategic teaming agreement with Epirus to integrate a laser weapon system on the US Army’s Stryker vehicle for enhanced mobile short range air defense (SHORAD) capabilities.
The cooperation will see Epirus supply its Leonidas directed energy weapon and broader high-power microwave technology into the Stryker and other manned and autonomous ground combat vehicles.
The cooperation comes after the army fielded first SHORAD variants of the Stryker to Europe while also working on a variant equipped with a 50 kilowatt (kW)-class laser. The service has already chosen Raytheon Technologies to provide four Strykers equipped with laser modules as part of that effort.
“General Dynamics Land Systems continues to evolve the army’s largest and most reliable ground combat vehicle fleet with next-generation innovation and high-tech solutions,” said Danny Deep, president of General Dynamics Land Systems. “This partnership with Epirus benefits the Army’s Stryker mobile SHORAD formations by offering cutting-edge, counter-electronics and counter-swarm capabilities.”
In addition to Stryker upgrades, the company also is developing a class of robotic combat vehicles that feature modular architecture to maximize scalability and support future mission needs, Deep said.
Leonidas’ integration with Stryker will enable a mobile counter-electronics solution as well as demonstrating its ability to integrate with existing ground-based, airborne and maritime systems for operation across domains. The two companies says the system was the only directed energy weapon with a proven ability to counter swarming drones and execute precision strikes at range.
“Having the support of one of the largest, most innovative and technologically advanced defense contractors further deepens our industry credibility and the market appeal for Epirus’ directed energy product portfolio. With Leonidas integrated into GD’s combat vehicle fleet, we are unlocking new SHORAD and counter-electronics capabilities to equip our warfighters with combat effective systems that dismantle the threats of today and tomorrow,” said Leigh Madden, Epirus CEO.
