Russian troops have begun testing a new type of ammunition for underbarrel grenade launchers — so-called net rounds designed to counter drones. The development was reported by the company Orda-Pilot in a statement to TASS.

The rounds are intended for standard GP-25, GP-30, and GP-34 grenade launchers. Instead of a fragmentation payload, they carry a special net that deploys at a set distance after firing. Once released, the net is meant to entangle a drone by catching its propellers and disabling it mid-air.

In terms of design, the new ammunition matches the dimensions of standard VOG-25 and VOG-25P rounds. It is loaded from the muzzle and used with the regular firing mechanism. According to the developers, this allows operators to switch quickly between net rounds and conventional ammunition without modifying the weapon.

The company explained that the system was created in response to a direct request from the military. During combat operations, small drones have become a persistent challenge, widely used for both reconnaissance and strike missions. At the same time, traditional air defense systems often struggle to effectively engage single FPV drones at close range, while small arms frequently prove insufficient.

Against this backdrop, underbarrel grenade launchers — already standard equipment for many servicemen — are being considered a practical platform for compact anti-drone solutions that require no additional upgrades.

The developers also outlined the system’s specifications: each kit includes three rounds, and the deployed net measures 4 by 4 meters. The effective engagement range is 30 to 40 meters, with a maximum reach of up to 55 meters.