New airborne high power microwave counter‑drone system can neutralize more than 50 enemy drones in a single flight and be reused in the field
FARNBOROUGH, England, Commercial swarms of hostile drones are fast becoming the biggest threat to allied forces on today’s battlefields. Enter MORFIUS™ X-Rotor — Lockheed Martin’s newly released “one‑to‑many” airborne High Power Microwave (HPM), counter‑drone system that can neutralize more than 50 enemy drones in a single flight.
Designed for field recovery and reuse, MORFIUS keeps a significantly low cost per kill, protecting defense budgets while maintaining relentless firepower. MORFIUS is sensor and command and control agnostic. Unlike other airborne counter-drone systems, MORFIUS does not require a unique sensor to command-guide to an engagement.
To move this breakthrough from the lab to the front line, Lockheed Martin is accelerating prototype production of MORFIUS and its HPM payload. The team is also planning the next series of flight tests, building on recent achievements in Arizona, California and Oklahoma, where it tested flight, intercept and lethality conditions.
WHY IT MATTERS
- Strategic Alignment: This effort directly supports the U.S. Department of War’s 2025-2028 Rapid Response Counter-UAS Roadmap, as Lockheed Martin ensures forces have affordable, highly effective solutions when they need them most.
- Unmatched Competitive Edge: Lockheed Martin’s MORFIUS is the only ground-launched, field reusable airborne HPM system capable of delivering more than 50 drone kills per flight using any command and control system and no dependence on fire control radars – a true force multiplier for the defended asset and our troops.
- Reducing Risk: MORFIUS X-Rotor builds off past variants which have flown since 2017 and leverages the same family of HPM effectors, which have proven they can take down the hardest targets while minimizing collateral damage. The system is uniquely suited for today’s modern battlefield challenges.
EXPERT PERSPECTIVE
“MORFIUS sets a new benchmark for counter-drone capability – delivering a high kill rate while keeping the cost per kill low,” said Randy Crites, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control Advanced Programs. “By leveraging a lightweight, field reusable high-power microwave architecture, we provide the most effective, low-cost solution on the market today and demonstrate Lockheed Martin’s ability to field innovative, affordable technologies at the speed our American and allied troops need.”
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