#Electronic Warfare

Dubbed after the Spartan king who held the pass at Thermopylae, Leonidas is a high-power microwave (HPM) system designed to “burn out” drone electronics. Kyiv—which has invited manufacturers to prove gear in combat conditions—sees systems like Leonidas as a potential game-changer against the waves of FPV and loitering munitions that have reshaped modern battlefields.

“If swarms of Shaheds are heading toward France, Sweden, the Baltic States—what do we do?” As Russia’s drones batter Ukraine’s skies, experts warn that Europe’s air defenses may be unprepared for such mass drone and missile attacks.