General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) introduced the Leonidas Autonomous Ground Vehicle (AGV) at the AUSA Global Force Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama. The AGV is a mobile, fully autonomous platform that mounts Epirus’ high‑power microwave (HPM) counter‑UAS weaponry and Kodiak AI’s autonomous driving system on a commercial truck chassis, with GDLS providing system‑integration expertise.
The Leonidas AGV represents GDLS’s first fully autonomous counter‑UAS solution. By combining a non‑kinetic HPM system that can disable drones through electromagnetic interference with autonomous navigation, the platform offers a low‑cost, scalable defense against small unmanned aerial systems that are increasingly used by adversaries in contested airspace.
GDLS’s partnership with Epirus and Kodiak AI builds on prior collaborations. In October 2025 GDLS mounted Epirus’ HPM platform on its Tracked Robot 10‑ton (TRX) unmanned ground vehicle, and in October 2020 it secured a contract for Stryker‑based Interim Maneuver Short‑Range Air Defense (IM‑SHORAD) systems. The Leonidas AGV extends this lineage into a fully autonomous, ground‑mobile format.
The launch positions GDLS to compete more directly with other defense contractors developing autonomous counter‑air platforms, including BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, RTX, L3Harris, Anduril, and General Atomics. The new capability could open contract opportunities for protecting military installations, forward operating bases, airports, ports, energy infrastructure, and major public events.
Investors responded positively to the announcement. Kodiak AI’s autonomous driving technology, now integrated into a defense application, attracted significant market attention, reflecting growing confidence in the company’s technology and its potential to secure new defense contracts.
"Saturation drone attacks demand a fundamentally different approach to defense. Leonidas AGV combines autonomous mobility with high‑power microwave effects to deliver a counter‑UAS capability that rapidly maneuvers to defeat drone swarms without more boots on the ground," said Andy Lowery, CEO of Epirus.
Keith Barclay, Vice President and General Manager for U.S. Operations at GDLS, noted that the integration “represents commercially‑inspired innovation for military applications” and that the platform “provides capabilities to the Army through commercially‑based vehicle technology.”
Don Burnette, Founder and CEO of Kodiak AI, emphasized that autonomous mobility “fundamentally changes how advanced defensive systems can be deployed and operated,” highlighting the strategic value of the AGV’s 24/7 driverless operations.
The Leonidas AGV’s introduction signals GDLS’s commitment to expanding its counter‑UAS portfolio and underscores the broader industry trend of leveraging commercial technology in defense applications.
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