ThinKom Develops Self-Funded Mobile HPM Weapon to Counter Drone Swarms

by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles, CA (SPX) May 04, 2026
ThinKom Solutions has unveiled Alecto, a self-funded, mobile high-power microwave (HPM) directed energy weapon designed to defeat unmanned aircraft system (UAS) swarms. Based in Hawthorne, California, the company developed the system using its proprietary Variable Inclination Continuous Transverse Stub (VICTS) antenna technology, targeting Counter-UAS (C-UAS) requirements for the Department of War and the Department of Homeland Security.

Alecto couples ThinKom's patented VICTS steerable mechanical phased array with vacuum electronics to produce peak power densities described as orders of magnitude greater than gallium nitride-based active electronically scanned arrays (AESAs). The combination eliminates the need for prior target knowledge, a feature the company says is critical when countering rapidly evolving drone threats.

The system is engineered for fire-on-the-move operations and can be integrated onto compact platforms including Infantry Squad Vehicles and Unmanned Ground Vehicles. ThinKom says the design significantly reduces Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C) compared to conventional HPM systems, enabling installations that were previously impractical on smaller vehicles.

Alecto offers horizon-to-horizon coverage in a low-profile package. The VICTS antenna provides high precision and low sidelobes, which ThinKom says allows the system to deliver effects on target without collateral damage to surrounding equipment or personnel. The system includes a tablet-based operator interface and is compatible with key command-and-control networks. It complies with U.S. military HERO, HERP, and HERF electromagnetic safety standards for protecting personnel, equipment, and fuel.

While C-UAS is the primary mission, ThinKom describes Alecto as having broad counter-electronics capability. The HPM approach delivers a deep magazine and low cost per shot, combined with rapid beam steering and instantaneous effects, making it suitable for engaging drone swarms.

"By investing our own capital, we have been able to greatly accelerate the development cycles, embodying the agility required by the Department of War," said Dan Roman, ThinKom Vice President of EW/HPM.

The development aligns with a November 2025 memorandum from Emil Michael, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, which identified directed energy as a critical technology area requiring innovation in support of the National Defense Strategy.

Alecto represents ThinKom's first product in the HPM market. The company says it plans continued investment in HPM across multiple platforms and applications, including base defense, maritime, airborne, homeland security, and Integrated Air and Missile Defense. ThinKom's existing high-volume production experience in airborne phased array antennas is cited as a factor supporting Alecto deliveries at scale.