As drones continue to dominate modern warfare, both sides in Ukraine are racing to find effective countermeasures.
Traditional jamming systems often fall short, especially against drones that switch control frequencies, use fiber-optic connections, or rely on AI-driven algorithms.
This has made kinetic solutions—physically destroying drones—a critical part of the battlefield toolkit.
While shotguns are widely used for this purpose, their limited range has prompted the development of creative alternatives.
Among these is a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach from Russian forces: improvised anti-drone ammunition for AK-series rifles, according to WP.
How It’s Made
The process is crude but functional. A standard AK round is disassembled, and its bullet is replaced with a makeshift anti-drone projectile.
This projectile consists of six lead pellets, roughly 3.5 mm in diameter, packed into a heat-shrink tube that’s sealed with a heat gun.
The result is a kind of shotgun shell for an assault rifle. According to footage of field tests, the modified ammunition works, but it requires the removal of the rifle’s muzzle brake.
Keeping the brake attached reduces accuracy and risks clogging the barrel. Firing a clogged weapon could lead to catastrophic damage and potentially injure the shooter.
Does It Work?
The effectiveness of this DIY solution is still unclear. During a test, the ammunition appeared capable of hitting an aluminum target simulating a drone at a distance of around 30 meters (about 98 feet).
This is significantly less range than a traditional shotgun, but the convenience of using a single weapon instead of carrying multiple firearms could outweigh that drawback.
However, there are trade-offs. While switching magazines is simple, removing and reattaching the muzzle brake adds complexity.
A quick-release system could make this process more efficient, but such features don’t seem to be part of the current design.
Improvised solutions like these reflect the rapidly evolving nature of warfare, where conventional tools often can’t keep up with new challenges.
Whether this specific ammunition becomes a widespread tactic or remains an experimental niche, it underscores the relentless search for adaptability in the face of high-tech threats.
