MILAN — As part of a broader trend among global militaries, the Lithuanian Army has conducted tests using heavy machine guns and Swedish-engineered surface-to-air missiles to counteract fast-moving drones, positioning firearms as essential tools in drone defense strategies.

Recent footage shared by Lithuania’s military shows air defense units engaging in exercises that involve firing large-caliber machine guns and deploying Saab’s RBS 70 NG missiles at aerial drone targets.

The video also captures armored vehicles, outfitted with these machine guns, conducting maneuvers at a training site near the Belarusian border, just under ten kilometers away.

“At the General Silvestras Žukauskas training grounds, we test our weapon systems—including heavy machine guns, RBS missiles, and FPV drones—against drone targets. Some systems are successful on the first attempt, others are not, which is precisely why we conduct these tests. This training allows our weapon crews to efficiently engage these aerial threats,” stated the Lietuvos kariuomenė, Lithuania’s armed forces, in a social media post.

This military drill was initiated shortly after Lithuania passed new legislation that empowers the military to shoot down hostile drones, thereby enhancing response capabilities against airspace infringements.

On the evening of October 23, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda reported brief airspace violations by Russian military aircraft, describing these incidents as “a blatant violation of international law and our territorial integrity.”

In Ukraine, the application of traditional firearms like shotguns for drone interception has sparked interest across several Western military forces.

Ukraine has recently developed a new type of rifle ammunition that releases five projectiles simultaneously in a cloud pattern, enhancing the likelihood of striking fast-moving aerial targets. Launched over the summer by Ukraine’s government-supported defense tech group, Brave1, this ammunition has proven effective against drones up to a distance of 50 meters.

See also  US Military Strategy Revamped: Greenland Now Under Northern Command Control

Designed for practicality in the field, this innovation allows infantry to switch magazines quickly depending on whether they are targeting drones or enemy personnel.

The British Army’s Experimentation and Trials Group is another military body evaluating the use of shotguns for drone defense, as part of its broader testing activities.

According to a recent analysis by the Center for European Policy Analysis, firearms, when combined with interceptor drones, could provide a cost-effective solution to counter large swarms of inexpensive drones, as opposed to more costly missile systems.

The report posits a scenario where Russia could potentially deploy thousands of drones in a single night, a capability that modern production techniques could support, leading to a rapid depletion of missile stockpiles in defending countries like Ukraine. It suggests that a combined approach of traditional anti-aircraft fire, or “modern-day flak,” integrated with interceptor drones could offer a sustainable defense. Notably, systems like the German Gepard Flakpanzer, which can load 640 rounds, and the Rheinmetall Skyranger 35, capable of holding 220 rounds in its turret, would be able to quickly adjust to multiple target engagements.