Andy Lowery - The Unsolved Mystery at Barksdale Air Force Base | SRS #299

Eperus's flagship product, Leonitis, is a counter-drone solution that uses high-power microwave (HPM) energy to create an electromagnetic interference field. This field acts like a 'bubble' or 'spotlight' that, when a drone enters it, causes its computer board to cease functioning, effectively disabling it without physical destruction. The system is designed to be safe for humans, animals, and plants.

Host saw early video of Eperus's tech (00:00:35). Andy Lowery describes Leonitis as a 'world-leading counter drone solution using high power microwave energy to neutralize drones and electronic threats' (00:02:29). He explains it creates a 'close-in protective field that sends out these very very very high highowered electromagnetic interference waves' (00:40:05) and that 'the computer just can't operate' (00:40:31). Lowery states it 'pass[es] harmlessly through us' (00:54:14) and 'won't be affected at all' (01:35:19) for living creatures.

Leonitis is capable of neutralizing large drone swarms in less than a second by rapidly steering its electromagnetic beam across multiple targets. It is effective against various drone types, including those that are tethered (fiber optic) or fully autonomous, which traditional jamming systems cannot counter.

Lowery mentions a '49 drone shoot down in sort of our inaugural shootown uh of a swarm, big swarm, 49 systems' (00:05:27). He clarifies, 'We do three major spots... within like a half a second. We go one, two, three' (00:46:26). He adds, 'Autonomous drones will be like fiber without the line... those types of drones are just as susceptible against our effects as a regular remote control drone' (00:38:57).

While the initial system cost is significant (mid-teens to $20 million), the cost per drone neutralized is mere pennies (5-20 cents per shot). This drastically reduces the long-term operational cost compared to using expensive missiles against cheap drones, addressing the 'magazine depth asymmetry' where adversaries can produce drones far faster and cheaper than kinetic interceptors.

Lowery states, 'a $2 million missile to get a $500 drone... it's not sustainable' (00:29:23). He later details, 'a system... can go from anywhere from the mid teens to... 20 million or more' (01:09:24), but 'the fuel that it takes us to take down an individual drone costs just a few cents. 5 10 20 cents something like that' (01:09:47). He also mentions 'China can make 30 million drones a year' (01:53:10) versus the slow production of military missiles, highlighting 'magazine depth asymmetry' (01:53:00).

Eperus has developed the Leonitis AGV (Autonomous Ground Vehicle) in partnership with General Dynamics Land Systems and Kodiak Defense. This mobile system can drive autonomously to position itself optimally for defense, extending its effective range and adapting to dynamic threat environments, addressing the Army's need for maneuverable defense.

Lowery introduces the 'Alonitis AGV autonomous ground vehicle' (01:21:32) which 'can drive with a driver or without, just like a Whimo car, drive around wherever you need it' (01:22:00). He explains it can 'drive itself over, start close on those drones, get closer and closer, stop, position the antenna, take out the drones, all in one package' (01:22:19).

Unlike kinetic solutions that destroy drones, Leonitis disables them, leaving the electronics intact. This allows for forensic analysis of downed drones, providing critical intelligence on their origin, operators, and capabilities, which is vital for understanding and countering evolving threats.

Lowery states, 'we don't damage the system beyond being able to infiltrate and use forensics and figure those questions out. The system, the computer, if you turn it off and on, works again' (01:43:03). He adds, 'So we can go trace where those things were coming from' (01:43:18).

Despite top-level administration support for deploying 80-90% ready solutions, a 'frozen middle' within the military bureaucracy, wedded to old policies and risk-averse acquisition processes, delays the adoption of innovative technologies like Leonitis, even in active conflict zones.

Lowery notes, 'The top of the administration... have for the most part executed to the the theory or the thesis that we need 80% 90% of the solutions that are ready today. We need them deployed. We need them for deployed. But there's still a frozen middle' (01:44:09). He describes 'a lot of sort of hesitation still' (01:44:36) and 'wedded people to their old policies, their old processes' (01:44:44).