On Thursday, February 12, 2026, the American company L3Harris Technologies demonstrated its VAMPIRE counter-drone system at a Polish training range, equipped with the Belgian FZ605 launcher from Thales Belgium, firing 70 mm laser-guided FZ275 LGR (Laser Guided Rocket) munitions.
Photo: Thales
During the live-fire test at an undisclosed location, the VAMPIRE (Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment) system was presented in Poland for the first time. In the Armed Forces of Ukraine, it is used with WGU-59/B APKWS II (Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System) laser guidance modules, which convert the 70 mm unguided Hydra 70 rocket into a precision-guided munition.
This time, the Americans showcased a solution tailored to the European market. For the first time, training targets were destroyed using the Belgian equivalent, FZ275 LGR rockets, supported by the advanced WESCAM MX-10D RSTA electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) targeting system and the Widow mission management software developed by L3Harris Technologies.
The integrated system successfully engaged multiple ground targets, demonstrating a high level of accuracy. The demonstration also highlighted the speed with which L3Harris can integrate new effectors with the VAMPIRE system to meet customer requirements, particularly those focused on border security in Europe.
“Continued demonstrations like this one in Poland provide our customers insight into the range of solutions we can provide to meet an evolving defense landscape and support Europe’s Readiness 2030 initiative,” said Tom Kirkland, President, Targeting & Sensor Systems, L3Harris. “Our multi-modal VAMPIRE system – with advanced sensors used in combination with multiple munition options – provides customers with a formidable and reliable solution that can easily be used aboard a variety of platforms.
In 2025, L3Harris Technologies announced further development of the VAMPIRE system, combat-proven in Ukraine, introducing six new specialized variants to support land, maritime, air, and electronic warfare operations against unmanned threats.
VAMPIRE is a relatively low-cost, compact counter-unmanned systems and ISR (C-UxS/ISR) solution designed for deployment on virtually any platform, vehicle, or vessel. Since 2023, the system has proven effective in combat, countering hundreds of hostile drones during operations in Europe. It aggregates all necessary capabilities into a single solution, providing strike functionality along with a customizable suite of sensors and effectors. Ultimately, it significantly reduces both the cost of engaging adversaries and overall lifecycle sustainment costs. Building on this success, L3Harris has integrated advanced electro-optical WESCAM MX targeting systems (including infrared capability), precision-guided weapons, electronic jamming systems, and non-kinetic effectors into the VAMPIRE architecture. The latest iteration also incorporates machine learning and AI algorithms to more effectively detect, engage, and neutralize increasingly elusive unmanned threats. The system was fielded in less than eight months under an urgent operational requirement. L3Harris has received multiple orders for VAMPIRE and plans to expand its production base to meet growing demand.
In 2025, L3Harris and Shield AI successfully demonstrated an AI-enabled drone detection system capable of identifying threats faster and at greater distances than existing systems, even when partially obscured by buildings or cloud cover. These AI/ML technologies enhance operators’ ability to observe, orient, decide, and act in increasingly complex mission environments. Globally, L3Harris has delivered more than 8,000 ISR-class and WESCAM MX-series targeting systems to customers in nearly 90 countries across more than 280 platforms, including VAMPIRE variants.
The FZ275 LGR guided rocket measures 1.8 meters in length and weighs 12.7 kg. It can engage targets at ranges between 1.5 and 7 km using semi-active laser guidance and carries a 4.1 kg high-explosive fragmentation warhead containing Composition B (a mixture of 64% RDX and 36% TNT), capable of penetrating 6 mm of ST37-2 steel.
We successfully integrated our VAMPIRE™ counter-UAS system with @ThalesDefence's Belgian-made 70 mm FZ275 laser-guided rocket during a live fire test in Poland.
This demonstration, utilizing our WESCAM MX™-10D EO/IR targeting system and Widow® mission management software,… pic.twitter.com/mgpC04fKgb
— L3Harris (@L3HarrisTech) February 13, 2026