Reusable, microwave-powered, drone-killer: What is Lockheed Martin’s MORFIUS weapon?
AI Analysis
Lockheed Martin is developing MORFIUS, a reusable, tube-launched interceptor utilizing high-power microwave (HPM) technology to counter drone swarms. The system is designed to disrupt drone electronics over a wider area than laser-based systems, enabling engagement of multiple targets simultaneously. The US Army and DoD are currently testing and evaluating MORFIUS for potential deployment.
Key Takeaways
- MORFIUS is an airborne HPM C-UAS system, launched from tubes (air, ground, or mobile platforms).
- It utilizes microwave energy to disable drone electronics, offering a non-kinetic solution.
- The onboard seeker reduces reliance on external sensors, enhancing expeditionary compatibility.
- MORFIUS offers extended range compared to fixed ground-based systems, increasing standoff distance.
- Its multi-engagement capability allows for repeated attacks during a single sortie, improving cost-effectiveness.
Why It Matters
The proliferation of low-cost drones and swarms presents a significant challenge to traditional air defense systems. MORFIUS offers a potentially scalable and cost-effective solution for countering these threats, reducing reliance on expensive kinetic interceptors and minimizing collateral damage. Successful deployment could significantly enhance force protection in contested environments.
Reusable, microwave-powered, drone-killer: What is Lockheed Martin’s MORFIUS weapon?
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Reusable, microwave-powered, drone-killer: What is Lockheed Martin’s MORFIUS weapon?
Edited By Subhadra Srivastava
Published: Dec 28, 2025, 14:51 IST | Updated: Dec 28, 2025, 14:59 IST
MORFIUS is a reusable, tube-launched interceptor equipped with a compact airborne HPM effector and onboard seeker.
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(Photograph: Lockheed Martin)
A New Response to Drone Swarms
In recent years the proliferation of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and coordinated drone swarms has posed a unique threat to military forces. Traditional interceptors and kinetic weapons struggle to deal with rapidly evolving formations of inexpensive drones without exhausting ammunition or risking collateral damage. To address this, Lockheed Martin has developed MORFIUS, which is an airborne high-power microwave (HPM) system designed to defeat multiple drones and swarms with non-kinetic directed energy.
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(Photograph: Lockheed Martin)
What MORFIUS Is and Why It Matters
The programme is being tested and evaluated by the US Army and other Department of Defense (DoD) components as a potential counter-drone solution. It is a compact airborne Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) interceptor that has been built to engage and defeat small unmanned systems using directed energy rather than traditional kinetic munitions. It integrates a high-power microwave effector and an onboard seeker into a loitering, tube-launched platform capable of flying out to the threat and disabling drone electronics mid-flight.
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(Photograph: Lockheed Martin)
How Airborne Microwaves Work Against Drones
Unlike lasers that focus light at speed-of-light to damage a single target, MORFIUS’s high-power microwaves disrupt or disable drone electronics across a wider area. This makes it more effective against multiple targets simultaneously, reducing the number of interceptors needed for swarm defence.
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(Photograph: Lockheed Martin)
Compact Design and Operational Flexibility
MORFIUS can be tube-launched from air, ground or mobile platforms. It has a proven onboard seeker that relieves sensor requirements for expeditionary systems, allowing compatibility with various defense architectures. Its compact size and flexible deployment mean it can integrate quickly with existing command and control systems, providing joint forces with a responsive layer of defence.
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(Photograph: Lockheed Martin)
Extended Range and Multi-Engagement Capability
A key advantage of MORFIUS over fixed ground systems is its ability to fly out to engage threats at longer ranges, keeping friendly assets further from danger. Its multi-engagement capability enables repeated attacks within a single sortie, making it a force multiplier in contested environments.
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(Photograph: L