A counter-drone system being produced in Huntsville is now reaching U.S. Army units, just months after L3Harris Technologies announced a $106 million order for the VAMPIRE system.
L3Harris announced on Tuesday it has begun delivering VAMPIRE counter-unmanned systems to the Army, with the first systems arriving within two months of the order.
The milestone follows a rapid expansion of the program in Huntsville. Earlier this year, L3Harris established a dedicated VAMPIRE production facility in the city to increase production as demand for counter-drone capabilities grows among U.S. and allied forces.
“From day one, our team has worked side-by-side with the Army to rapidly field VAMPIRE systems,” said Chris Aebli, president of Communications & Spectrum Dominance at L3Harris. “U.S. armed forces are now equipped to reliably defend personnel and vital assets against drone threats.”
VAMPIRE, short for Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment, is a self-contained weapons system designed to provide reconnaissance and precision strike capabilities against drones and other remotely piloted aircraft.
The system can be installed on a variety of vehicles and platforms, allowing military forces to deploy counter-drone capabilities without relying on a purpose-built vehicle.
L3Harris said VAMPIRE has accumulated more than 350,000 operational hours since 2023 while supporting combat operations in Europe.
The Army is not the only U.S. military service turning to the Huntsville-produced system.
As 256 Today reported in September, the Navy also selected VAMPIRE for littoral counter-drone defense. L3Harris did not disclose the value of that award or the number of systems involved.
The Navy selection followed the Army’s June order, worth up to $106 million, to address an urgent requirement to track and defeat hostile drones.
The company has also been demonstrating the system with U.S. and allied forces. During Exercise Balikatan 2026 in the Indo-Pacific, VAMPIRE was evaluated in simulated counter-drone engagements across land, maritime and littoral environments.
L3Harris has continued developing technology that can work alongside VAMPIRE, including its Wraith Shield software, which uses tactical radios as sensors to help detect small drones.
The latest deliveries mark another step for a program that has quickly grown from a system used in overseas combat operations to one being fielded across multiple branches of the U.S. military, with Huntsville serving as its production hub.
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