L3Harris Technology Received a Popular Science “Best New Thing” award for its vehicle-independent modular palletized ISR rocket device technology.
VAMPIRE received this recognition, which highlights a novel invention that impacts human life, society and the planet for its ability to transform almost any vehicle with a cargo bed into a mobile weapon system The Melbourne, Fla.-based company revealed late last month that it is capable of striking both ground and air targets.
“This award speaks volumes about the L3Harris team and demonstrates what is possible with raw ingenuity, creativity and forward thinking to meet client needs,” said Luke SavoyPresident of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance at L3Harris.
Enterprise submits VAMPIRE prototype to Ministry of Defense Earlier this year, it was selected to be included in the ministry’s $3 billion security assistance package under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. It is designed to meet DoD requirements for critical defense products needed to protect Ukraine from attacks on civilian infrastructure.
“VAMPIRE responds to the Department of Defense’s call for rapid production capabilities that will help the people of Ukraine and hopefully save lives,” Sava said.
The modular, multipurpose weapon system can be used against ground and air threats, including unmanned aerial vehicles. Its mission management system uses the WESCAM MX-10 RSTA targeting sensor and its weapon station, enabling operators to engage targets quickly and accurately.Users can tailor the system to the unique needs of each mission, as VAMPIRE can be configured with different Sensor and Weapon Packs.
VAMPIRE was chosen for Ukraine because of its affordability and accuracy. PKWS rockets deliver increased lethality when used in conjunction with L3Harris’ proximity fuzes to engage small or soft targets.
L3Harris began field testing initial prototypes in 2021 and continued range and durability testing of more advanced prototypes this year.