08:00 29-01-2026

Russian Anti-Drone Rifle Ammo: Field Lab Breakthrough

A Russian field laboratory has developed anti-drone rifle cartridges for Kalashnikov weapons, increasing the chances of disabling UAVs at safer distances.

A serviceman from the Leningrad Guards Regiment of the West group of forces, known by the call sign «Serzh,» has described to RIA Novosti how a field laboratory is producing specialized anti-drone ammunition for Kalashnikov assault rifles.

According to him, one of the latest designs is specifically intended to engage enemy unmanned aerial vehicles. Each cartridge contains six pellets of a calibrated size. Externally, the round is indistinguishable from a standard rifle cartridge, but its behavior changes at the moment of firing: instead of a single bullet, the projectile disperses into shot. At a distance of roughly 40–50 meters, the pellets make contact with the drone.

Serzh explained that this configuration sharply increases the chances of hitting the target. Disabling a drone requires only one pellet to strike a critical element such as a rotor blade, the battery, or an onboard munition if it is poorly secured. Operational use, he said, has already confirmed the effectiveness of these solutions.

The laboratory has also developed recommendations for loading magazines: after every five anti-drone cartridges, one standard round should be inserted. Work on the ammunition is ongoing, and a second generation of these cartridges is already in production. The refinements introduced in the latest version have extended their effective engagement range.

As Serzh noted, the key outcome is the increased distance at which fire contact with a drone can be established. The farther away the engagement occurs, the higher the likelihood that, if the drone falls and its payload detonates, Russian personnel and equipment will avoid damage.