Mantas to Leonidas: How U.S.-Philippines Drills Highlight the Rising Tide of Drone Defense and Maritime Tech

The recent U.S.-Philippines joint military drills in 2025, which included live-fire exercises and drone-interception scenarios, have put a spotlight on emerging defense technologies. While the drills themselves underscored regional strategic alliances, they also revealed critical investment opportunities in two sectors: maritime surveillance drones and counter-drone systems. Companies like Martac and Epirus Inc. are at the forefront of these developments, offering clues about where defense spending is heading—and how investors might capitalize.

The Star of the Show: Martac’s Mantas USVs

At the heart of the drills were Martac’s Mantas T-12 and T-38 unmanned surface vessels (USVs), which demonstrated advanced capabilities in surveillance, reconnaissance, and sonar. These autonomous systems, operated by Philippine Navy personnel, leveraged Starlink’s satellite technology to enable over-the-horizon communication and autonomous navigation. The T-12 models, in particular, were showcased as tools for littoral monitoring, feeding real-time data to command centers.

Martac’s systems are designed to address a critical gap in maritime domain awareness—especially in contested regions like the South China Sea. The Pentagon’s 2025 budget allocated $2.4 billion to unmanned maritime systems, signaling strong tailwinds for companies like Martac. While privately held, Martac has raised over $100 million in venture capital since 2020, with investors including Lux Capital and Section 32 (a Google-backed firm).

Counter-Drone Tech Goes Mainstream: Epirus’s Leonidas System

While Martac provided the drones, Epirus Inc.’s Leonidas high-power microwave (HPM) system played a defensive role. The Leonidas uses electromagnetic pulses to disable hostile drones, a capability that proved vital in drills where U.S. and Philippine forces “shot down” simulated threats. Unlike kinetic systems like missiles, HPM offers a non-destructive, cost-effective alternative—critical for avoiding collateral damage in urban or contested zones.

Epirus, a stealthy California-based firm, has been developing this technology for years. Its systems are already deployed by the U.S. military, and the Philippine acquisition hints at broader adoption in Southeast Asia. The global counter-drone market is projected to grow from $1.3 billion in 2024 to $5.1 billion by 2030, driven by rising drone proliferation and geopolitical tensions.

The Broader Play: Starlink’s Role and Defense ETFs

The Mantas USVs’ reliance on Starlink’s satellite network highlights the symbiotic relationship between defense tech and commercial space ventures. While SpaceX remains private, its technology is increasingly a linchpin for military systems. Investors might look to Maxar Technologies (MAXR) or Ball Aerospace (BLL) as proxy plays in the satellite infrastructure space.

For broader exposure, defense ETFs like SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR) or iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) provide diversified plays. These funds include giants like Lockheed Martin (LMT) and Boeing (BA), which are also exploring autonomous systems and counter-drone tech.

Risks and Considerations

While the momentum for drone defense and maritime surveillance is clear, investors must weigh risks. Regulatory hurdles in international arms sales, supply chain constraints, and geopolitical volatility could disrupt timelines. Additionally, smaller firms like Epirus face scaling challenges as they transition from prototypes to mass production.

Conclusion: A Blue-Chip Opportunity in Emerging Tech

The drills underscore two key trends: maritime autonomy and counter-drone dominance. Companies like Martac and Epirus are positioned to benefit from a defense spending surge, with the U.S. alone planning to spend $33 billion on unmanned systems by 2030. While direct investment in private firms is limited to accredited investors, public companies in adjacent sectors—along with targeted ETFs—are viable alternatives.

For now, the market cap of Martac’s peers, such as Liquid Robotics (acquired by Boeing) or Hydronalix, suggests a $500–$1 billion valuation range for Martac if it goes public—a plausible scenario given its military contracts. Meanwhile, Epirus’s niche in non-kinetic countermeasures could make it a takeover target for larger defense firms.

In a world where drones are both a tool and a threat, the companies turning the tide in these drills are likely to be the darlings of the next decade’s defense tech boom.