L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) said on June 10 that the U.S. Army has selected it to deliver VAMPIRE counter-unmanned systems (c-UxS) under an order worth up to $106 million, sharpening the United States' layered defense against hostile drones and remotely piloted aircraft.
Inside The VAMPIRE Order
VAMPIRE — short for Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment — is a self-contained kit that bolts onto most vehicles with a cargo bed to launch APKWS or other laser-guided munitions. Since the U.S. first ordered 14 systems for Ukraine in 2023, the platform has logged more than 350,000 operational hours and absorbed multiple upgrades, including an AI- and machine-learning-powered sensor suite. "VAMPIRE is effective at hunting and engaging drone threats affordably, which enables U.S. armed forces to sustain reliable defense of its personnel and infrastructure," said Tom Kirkland, President of L3Harris' Targeting & Sensor Systems unit.
Why The Pentagon Is Buying Now
The new contract is part of the broader U.S. push to scale low-cost, vehicle-mounted c-UxS as small drones become a defining battlefield threat. It lands alongside Senator John Cornyn's bill empowering the Army to set counter-drone standards, M-tron Industries' $6.8 million radar production deal, and CACI's SkyValor c-UAS validation — each reinforcing a layered approach that pairs detection, electronic attack and kinetic kill.
Production Scale-Up In Huntsville
L3Harris began ramping high-volume VAMPIRE production at its Huntsville, Alabama facility in March 2026 — a direct response to U.S. and allied demand for affordable kinetic counter-drone tools. In 2025, the company also introduced VAMPIRE variants tailored for land, naval, aerial and electronic-warfare domains, broadening the system's role beyond its original ground-vehicle envelope. Live-fire exercises during Balikatan 2026 further confirmed integration with allied force packages in the Indo-Pacific.
What To Watch Next
Three signals matter. First, how quickly Huntsville production rates clear the Army's quantity targets under the $106 million ceiling. Second, whether the Pentagon attaches follow-on orders that move VAMPIRE into formal program-of-record status. Third, how aggressively NATO partners pull through additional VAMPIRE variants as European depots draw down post-Ukraine stocks. With drone production rates still outpacing defenders worldwide, L3Harris' Huntsville line is a useful early indicator of how fast Western forces can field magazine depth.
Reporting based on coverage from L3Harris Technologies, The Defense Post and Defence Industry Europe.