Lockheed Martin Unveils MORFIUS X-Rotor Counter-UAS System to Defeat Drone Swarms

Lockheed Martin has introduced the Lockheed Martin MORFIUS X-Rotor, an airborne high-power microwave (HPM) counter-UAS system designed to counter hostile drone swarms. The company said the reusable system is capable of neutralizing more than 50 enemy drones during a single flight while maintaining a low cost per engagement.

According to Lockheed Martin, MORFIUS X-Rotor is designed for field recovery and reuse while supporting defense forces facing increasingly complex aerial threats.

Lockheed Martin MORFIUS X-Rotor Targets Drone Swarms

The company said commercial drone swarms have become a growing threat to allied forces in modern combat environments.

MORFIUS X-Rotor is designed as a “one-to-many” airborne high-power microwave system capable of engaging multiple aerial threats during a single mission.

According to Lockheed Martin, the platform offers:

• More than 50 drone defeats in a single flight
• Field recovery and reuse
• Low cost per kill
• High-power microwave counter-drone capability

Counter-UAS System Designed for Flexible Operations

Lockheed Martin said MORFIUS X-Rotor is sensor and command-and-control agnostic.

Unlike other airborne counter-drone systems, the company stated that MORFIUS does not require a dedicated sensor to command-guide an engagement.

The company is accelerating prototype production of both the MORFIUS platform and its high-power microwave payload while preparing additional flight testing.

According to Lockheed Martin, future testing will build on recent evaluations conducted in:

• Arizona
• California
• Oklahoma

The previous testing campaign included flight, intercept and lethality evaluations.

MORFIUS Supports Counter-UAS Roadmap

Lockheed Martin said development of MORFIUS aligns with the U.S. Department of War’s 2025-2028 Rapid Response Counter-UAS Roadmap.

The company also stated that MORFIUS is the only ground-launched, field-reusable airborne high-power microwave system capable of delivering more than 50 drone defeats per flight while operating with any command-and-control system and without relying on fire control radars.

According to Lockheed Martin, MORFIUS X-Rotor builds on previous MORFIUS variants that have flown since 2017 and uses the same family of high-power microwave effectors.

The company said these technologies have demonstrated the ability to defeat difficult targets while minimizing collateral damage.

Lockheed Martin Highlights System Development

“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.”

The Lockheed Martin MORFIUS X-Rotor expands the company’s counter-UAS portfolio with a reusable airborne system designed to address evolving drone swarm threats while supporting future operational testing and prototype development.

Source: Press release from Lockheed Martin