The war between Russia and Ukraine is the first drone war. Not the first war in which drones have been used (that was arguably WWII), but the first war in which drones may have accounted for the most significant proportion of casualties. Defense against drones is an imperative, and many different approaches are being tried.
One approach this correspondent has considered is using Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) in ordinary shotguns. On one forum, a commenter stated a Ukrainian soldier had obtained a Keltec KS7 to use for drone defense. Shotguns have obvious utility for close-in drone defense against small-sized drones. Many drones have small quad-rotor designs that are the size of a pheasant. Sizes range upward to drones as large as commercial jet planes. A shotgun defense might work against drones as large as geese.
Ordinary lead shotgun loads have very limited range. The pellets are lead. Significant improvement could be made by using TSS shot in shotguns. TSS shot is very hard and very spherical. It is about 2/3 more dense than lead, about 18-18.5 grams per cubic centimeter. Lead is about 11.3 grams per cubic centimeter. Because of the hardness, symmetry and density, TSS holds tight patterns at long range, often with little choke. TSS #5 shot is considered to have enough energy at 105 yards to bring down geese. If it hits a vital component, it should have enough energy to disrupt small drones. There are 106 #5 TSS shot per ounce. It is easy to fit 1.5 ounces of TSS in an ordinary 2.75-inch 12-gauge shotgun shell. Tungsten has been used as a military projectile for years.
Drones can be very difficult to bring down.
About 50 years ago, this correspondent was supporting and witnessed a test at Hunter Liggett Military Reservation in California. About 60 troops were on a firing line. Most were armed with M16 rifles. As I recall, there were also a pair of M60 machine guns. A drone, a small radio-controlled plane, was the target. The wingspan was about 4-5 feet. It had a gas engine and a propeller. It was operated to come perpendicularly at the line of fire from about 300 yards out. The radio-controlled plane was probably 50 yards high when it passed over the center of the line.
As the drone approached, the entire line opened up with automatic weapons fire. The drone was disabled about once out of a dozen runs. It was hit more often, but only the engine, the prop, and controls were vital. A bullet or three through a wing did not bring it down.
Small quad-rotor drones may be more vulnerable. Break a rotor or a motor, and they will likely come down. Hit the processor, or maybe a battery, and they will likely come down. Rifles and machine guns have plenty of power, but not sufficient projectiles to be a serious threat, unless they are tied to a fire control system with radar or lidar.
Shotguns and TSS shot offer a cheap possibility for short-range protection against small drones. Another possibility is to mount a shotgun on a hunter-killer drone as a way to shoot down other drones. A potential range of a hundred meters seems useful. Targeting could be built into the drones’ software, or relayed back to an operator for shooting decisions. Multiple jamming strategies are driving drones toward more autonomous operation. It would not be a difficult test for Ukraine to obtain a couple of drones, a couple of kilos of TSS shot, and a couple of shotguns to see which, if any, loads might be effective as a drone defense.
It may be that shotguns and TSS shot are already being used as drone defense weapons in the Russia-Ukraine war. If readers have any knowledge of such use, please let us know in the comments.
Will Sporting Clays Become the Standard Training Defense Against Drones? ~ VIDEO
Chinese Scientists Develop “Recoilless AK-47” 7.62mm Round for Drones
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
Last I heard it was against the law to shoot a drone so what’s changed?
Tungsten is one of earth’s rarest elements. Tiny traces surface in many places. But the only sources of mass production are South Africa and Siberia.
Dean, I’m a daily reader of this publication and I work in the Counter UAS field for the DOD and specially in the Homeland. I’m also an avid turkey hunter. You have connected dots that many haven’t. I have actually advised some on this specifically for the exact reasons you state. Ukrainians have actually mounted shotguns on other drones to decrease the needed range, think air to suit combat with drones. There are legal limitations in the US for even the DOD to do that, but under this new administration new ways of getting things done are happening everyday.
I have a DJI Drone, a Mavic Mini. It’s a tad bit smaller than the one pictured. You would need some serious magnum loads to reach one. The camera on mine allows me to fly the thing high enough you can’t really see it and barely hear it. I can fly it over 1/2 mile away from where I am. DJI has some with Hasselblad cameras and super high resolution video which makes them even less vulnerable. Not to mention they are very fast. They also have object detection capabilities. You can’t fly one into a tree or tall structure… Read more »
The Nagorno-Karabakh war of 2020, as outlined in the book “7 Seconds to Die”. The first time drones of all sizes were a decisive factor.
Considering the hardness and pentation ability of TSS shot.
It should work better then any other shotgun projectile
Meh, apparently, there are 7 Anti-Drone Weapons the US Military plans to test out. Send the weapons to Ukraine and test them out now.
The evolution of drone warfare are going to make shotguns great again.