“The Air Force remains a priority [dans les livraisons]. This is something we will continue to focus on and work on as soon as possible. About VAMPIRES […] we expect delivery in mid-2023” announced this 1eh November, Brigadier General (1S) Pat Ryder, director of public affairs at the Pentagon, quoted by Air&Cosmos, a website specializing in aviation and space.

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War in Ukraine: Anti-Drone, Offensive, Mobile, Installed in 2 Hours… What is VAMPIRE™, This New Weapon Delivered by the US to Ukraine?

This type of equipment would provide the Ukrainian armed forces with the most valuable help in anti-aircraft defense and especially anti-drone, which the Russian forces are using more and more on the ground, especially Iranian-made units, Shahed 136.

Laser guidance

The Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment (VAMPIRE) is a laser-guided rocket launcher system developed by L3Harris.

Unveiled in early May 2022, it consists of a portable and lightweight kit that can be installed on most vehicles with a platform, such as a pick-up with a flat surface. According to the manufacturer, the installation of a VAMPIRE takes only two hours for two people equipped with standard tools.

The VAMPIRE consists of a proper rocket launcher and a laser aiming camera, an ISR Wescam MX-10 RSTA-D ball that allows the operator (one is enough) to use to find, track his target automatically (as a moving or floating target) drone) and direct the rocket(s) with its laser pointer. Up to four rockets can be fired simultaneously.