Counter-Swarm Microwave Cannon Market Report 2026

The counter-swarm microwave cannon market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $1.48 billion in 2025 to $1.75 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.2%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increasing incidents of unauthorized drone activities near critical infrastructure, advancements in high-power microwave technology, growing military investment in directed-energy weapons, rising demand for non-kinetic defense systems, government regulations promoting counter-drone solutions.

The counter-swarm microwave cannon market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $3.37 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.8%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to expansion of drone usage in civilian and commercial sectors increasing demand for counter-drone systems, continuous improvements in target tracking and electronic disruption capabilities, rising defense budgets in emerging economies, integration of artificial intelligence for rapid threat detection, partnerships between defense contractors and technology providers for enhanced system deployment. Major trends in the forecast period include multi-target high-power microwave (hpm) capability advancement, shift toward modular and scalable directed-energy platforms, growing demand for non-kinetic counter-uas solutions at critical infrastructure sites, integration of solid-state power modules for enhanced reliability, increased adoption of rapid-deployment mobile microwave defense units.

The escalation of geopolitical tensions is contributing to the growth of the counter-swarm microwave cannon market. These tensions stem from disputes between nations involving political, economic, or territorial issues. As global competition among major powers intensifies and territorial disputes grow more frequent, many countries are increasing defense spending and focusing on enhancing national security. In this context, counter-swarm microwave cannons offer a non-lethal method to disable drones and small UAVs used for attacks or surveillance, helping military forces strengthen their deterrence strategies and protect critical infrastructure. For example, in February 2024, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported that global conflict fatalities rose from 153,100 in 2022 to 170,700 in 2023, indicating an increase in conflict severity across multiple regions. This rise in global instability is fueling the demand for advanced counter-drone defense solutions such as microwave cannons.

Key companies in the counter-swarm microwave cannon market are focusing on advancing high-power microwave (HPM) directed-energy systems to meet the growing demand for rapid, scalable, and cost-effective neutralization of hostile drone swarms, as well as for critical infrastructure protection and non-kinetic defense applications. These systems emit powerful microwave pulses that disrupt or disable the electronics and communications of multiple drones simultaneously, providing a “one-to-many” defense advantage over conventional kinetic weapons. For example, in April 2025, Epirus Inc., a U.S.-based electronic warfare and defense company, launched the Leonidas high-power microwave system - an expeditionary HPM platform designed to counter coordinated UAS threats at short to medium ranges. The system incorporates scalable solid-state GaN amplifier modules, modular line-replaceable units for rapid field reconfiguration, and software-defined waveforms with configurable modes for selective or mass disruption. Its trailer- or vehicle-mounted design supports quick deployment, while its reduced size, weight, and power (SWaP) configuration lowers cost per engagement and enables the simultaneous neutralization of multiple drones.

In November 2023, Epirus collaborated with the U.S. Army to advance the Indirect Fire Protection Capability - High-Power Microwave (IFPC-HPM) counter-swarm program. This partnership aims to develop and operationalize scalable non-kinetic defense systems to address evolving aerial threats. The focus is on deploying HPM technology capable of disabling drone swarms by targeting their electronics, significantly boosting the U.S. Army’s ability to respond to asymmetric threats. The U.S. Army, which is tasked with national defense and ground-based military operations, seeks to integrate these advanced systems into its broader defense strategy to enhance battlefield resilience and readiness.

Major companies operating in the counter-swarm microwave cannon market are Raytheon Technologies Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Honeywell International Inc., BAE Systems plc, Thales Group, L3Harris Technologies Inc., Elbit Systems Ltd, MBDA, Leonardo DRS, QinetiQ Group plc, ASELSAN A.Ş., General Dynamics Land Systems Inc, Anduril Industries Inc, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., Tonbo Imaging Inc., Epirus Inc., DroneShield Ltd, Chess Dynamics Ltd., Diehl Defence GmbH & Co. KG.

North America was the largest region in the counter-swarm microwave cannon market in 2025. The regions covered in the counter-swarm microwave cannon market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

Tariffs are increasing production costs for counter-swarm microwave cannons by raising prices of critical electronic components, advanced antenna materials, and high-density power modules, affecting particularly high-power and fixed-installation segments as well as manufacturing-focused regions in Asia-Pacific and North America. These added costs slow adoption among defense, homeland security, and commercial infrastructure operators. However, tariffs are also encouraging domestic sourcing, localized manufacturing, and technological self-reliance, which could stimulate long-term innovation and resilience in the market.

The counter-swarm microwave cannon market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides counter-swarm microwave cannon market statistics, including the counter-swarm microwave cannon industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the counter-swarm microwave cannon market share, detailed counter-swarm microwave cannon market segments, market trends, opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the counter-swarm microwave cannon industry. This counter-swarm microwave cannon market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.

The counter-swarm microwave cannon is a directed-energy weapon designed to target and disable multiple small aerial threats, such as drones, simultaneously. It emits high-frequency microwave beams that interfere with the electronics of incoming devices, rendering them inoperable without causing explosive destruction. This system provides fast and accurate defense against drone swarms, safeguarding critical and sensitive locations.

The primary types of counter-swarm microwave cannons include vehicle-mounted, man-portable, and fixed installation systems. Vehicle-mounted systems are integrated into platforms such as tactical vehicles, trailers, modular pods, and airborne platforms, enabling mobile and adaptable defense capabilities. Power output is classified into low, medium, and high levels, with frequency ranges spanning L-band, S-band, C-band, X-band, and beyond. Applications cover military operations, homeland security, critical infrastructure defense, law enforcement, and more, with end-users including defense organizations, government agencies, commercial sectors, and others.

The countries covered in the counter-swarm microwave cannon market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The counter-swarm microwave cannon market consists of sales of the high-power microwave emitter, antenna array, target tracking system, power supply unit, and cooling system. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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