L3Harris VAMPIRE

History

L3Harris Technologies developed VAMPIRE, the Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment, as a self-contained precision-weapon system that can be installed on vehicles or other suitable flat surfaces. Its principal documented role is counter-unmanned-aircraft defense using electro-optical targeting and guided 70 mm rockets.

VAMPIRE entered combat use in support of Ukraine in 2023. L3Harris states that systems used in European combat operations accumulated more than 350,000 operational hours from 2023 onward.

The system combines a palletized launcher, an electro-optical targeting suite, controls, and precision-guided rockets. A later integration effort adds Shield AI Tracker Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System software to improve passive detection and tracking of fast-moving drone threats.

Development and deployment

L3Harris developed and funded VAMPIRE near the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war as a comparatively simple counter-drone solution. The system was designed so that an ordinary vehicle with a suitable flat cargo area could be converted into a guided-rocket platform without requiring a purpose-built tactical vehicle.

United States military assistance for Ukraine announced in 2022 included VAMPIRE systems, with deliveries anticipated for 2023. By 2023, VAMPIRE equipment was in operational use, including with the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Independent reporting described Ukraine as the first user of the new system.

In June 2026, the manufacturer announced that the U.S. Army had selected VAMPIRE counter-unmanned systems under an order valued at up to $106 million. L3Harris also stated that it had begun high-volume production in Huntsville, Alabama, during 2026.

Tracker C-UAS integration

Shield AI licensed its Tracker Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System software to L3Harris for integration with VAMPIRE. The planned integration is intended to create a more unified system for detecting, tracking, and defeating drones, including fast jet-powered targets.

Tracker C-UAS uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to analyze imagery from electro-optical and infrared cameras. According to the supplied source, it can detect and track airborne targets passively without relying on radar or transmitting radio-frequency signals. This allows the sensing process to operate without the emissions associated with an active radar. This software integration represents an enhancement to the VAMPIRE system rather than the original baseline configuration.

Design

VAMPIRE is a modular, palletized weapon system intended for installation on trucks and other platforms with a suitable flat mounting surface. The system is self-contained and includes its own power supply. Reporting on the system states that two people using common tools can install it in less than two hours.

The main documented components are the palletized mount, the WESCAM MX-10 RSTA electro-optical targeting system, the launcher, guided rockets, and an operator control unit. The system can also be installed on a suitable stationary surface rather than a vehicle.

Targeting system

VAMPIRE uses the WESCAM MX-10 RSTA sensor system on a telescoping mast. Documented capabilities include thermal imaging, color-enhanced infrared imagery, optical zoom, a laser rangefinder, an infrared target marker, image stabilization, haze penetration, image blending, and an inertial measurement unit.

The elevated sensor permits operators to observe and designate targets while the vehicle itself can remain behind some forms of cover or concealment. The electro-optical system supports detection, identification, laser designation, and engagement of airborne or ground targets.

Launcher and ammunition

The VAMPIRE launcher carries four 70 mm guided rockets. Its principal documented weapon is the BAE Systems Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II, or APKWS II, a laser-guided 70 mm rocket. The system has also been described as compatible with other laser-guided munitions.

APKWS range varies with launch conditions and platform. Publicly cited figures for aircraft and helicopter launch do not establish the ground-launched VAMPIRE range, and the supplied material does not provide a confirmed VAMPIRE-specific maximum engagement range.

Operational history

VAMPIRE has been used in European combat operations since 2023, including by Ukrainian forces against hostile unmanned aircraft. L3Harris reported in June 2026 that the technology had accumulated more than 350,000 operational hours since 2023.

The supplied source also reports that VAMPIRE systems have destroyed hundreds of hostile unmanned aircraft during combat use. The system's combination of electro-optical sensing and guided rockets has primarily been presented as a counter-UAS capability, although its laser-guided ammunition can also engage designated ground targets.

In 2026, the U.S. Army ordered VAMPIRE systems as part of its layered counter-unmanned-system defense approach. The manufacturer described the system as a self-contained solution providing reconnaissance and precision engagement against drones and remotely piloted aircraft.

Operators

• Ukraine: Combat user from 2023, including employment by the Ukrainian Defense Forces against unmanned aircraft.
• United States Army: Selected VAMPIRE counter-unmanned systems in 2026 under an order valued at up to $106 million.

Specifications (VAMPIRE)

General characteristics

• Manufacturer: L3Harris Technologies.
• Type: Modular palletized precision-weapon and counter-unmanned-aircraft system.
• Mounting: Self-contained pallet suitable for installation on vehicles or other appropriate flat surfaces.
• Installation: Reported installation by two people using common tools in less than two hours.
• Power: Self-contained power supply.

Sensors and targeting

• Primary targeting system: WESCAM MX-10 RSTA electro-optical system.
• Documented sensor functions: Thermal imaging, infrared imaging, optical zoom, laser ranging, infrared target marking, image stabilization, haze penetration, image blending, and inertial measurement.
• Tracker C-UAS: Artificial-intelligence and computer-vision software being integrated for passive electro-optical and infrared detection and tracking of airborne targets.

Armament

• Launcher capacity: Four 70 mm guided rockets.
• Principal documented munition: BAE Systems APKWS II laser-guided 70 mm rocket.
• Other ammunition: Reported compatibility with additional laser-guided munitions.

Related equipment

The principal guided munition associated with VAMPIRE is the BAE Systems APKWS II. The system's counter-UAS configuration combines this precision-guided rocket with L3Harris electro-optical targeting equipment, while the Tracker C-UAS integration adds passive artificial-intelligence-assisted target detection and tracking.

A detailed independent overview of the system's configuration and early use is available from Grey Dynamics.