L3Harris has secured a US Army contract valued at as much as $106 million to supply additional VAMPIRE counter-drone systems, further strengthening the Department of Defense’s multi-layered approach to aerial threat defense.
The VAMPIRE system—Vehicle Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment—is a compact, modular solution that combines surveillance, target acquisition, and precision engagement capabilities to counter enemy drones and remotely operated aircraft. Following the delivery of 14 systems for Ukraine in 2023, the platform has amassed more than 350,000 hours of operational service, with follow-on procurements in 2025 supporting defense operations in Europe.
Tom Kirkland of L3Harris noted that the company partnered with the Army to develop a rapidly deployable counter-UAS system that can be assembled, installed, and fired with minimal setup time.
Over the past several years, VAMPIRE has evolved significantly. Upgrades have included the addition of artificial intelligence and machine learning-driven sensors to improve detection and targeting performance. In 2025, L3Harris expanded the family with variants designed for use across ground, naval, air, and electronic warfare environments.
The system’s flexible architecture has allowed it to be mounted on platforms such as GM Defense’s Infantry Squad Vehicle and integrated with Thales’ FZ275 laser-guided rockets during live-fire demonstrations against surface targets. In response to increasing demand for anti-drone systems, L3Harris initiated a production ramp-up at its Huntsville, Alabama, manufacturing site in early 2026.
