MORFIUS X-Rotor

MORFIUS X-Rotor overview

MORFIUS X-Rotor is Lockheed Martin's reusable airborne high-power microwave counter-UAS system. Unveiled at Farnborough in July 2026, it replaces the earlier expendable tube-launched MORFIUS approach with a recoverable vertical-lift aircraft that can patrol a defended area, identify clusters of hostile drones, and direct microwave energy against their electronics.

Lockheed Martin states that the system can neutralize more than 50 enemy drones during a single flight and then return for field reuse. That magazine depth is intended to reverse the unfavorable economics of firing expensive missiles at large numbers of inexpensive aircraft.

Flight performance and microwave-emitter details remain controlled, so no dimensions, range, speed, ceiling, or power figures are claimed. The confirmed differentiators are its reusable X-rotor airframe and non-kinetic multi-target effect, which could complement rather than replace guns, missiles, and electronic-warfare defenses.

Armament

Directional high-power microwave electronic attack payload

Development and operational timeline

1. Jan 2019Lockheed Martin begins public testing of the original expendable MORFIUS high-power microwave concept
2. Jan 2023MORFIUS technology continues Army counter-swarm evaluation as threat numbers increase
3. Jul 2026Lockheed Martin unveils the reusable MORFIUS X-Rotor at Farnborough
4. Jul 2026The company claims more than 50 drone defeats per flight with field recovery and reuse