A new type of rifle bullet in Ukraine could give infantry a better way to survive unjammable drone attacks

Ukraine is making a rifle bullet that can spread fragmented pellets to destroy drones from further away than a shotgunNurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesDrone warfare is driving the creation of a new type of bullet in the Ukraine war.A Ukrainian version is designed to fire from a NATO rifle and spread pellets to kill drones from afar.With unjammable drones on the battlefield, troops need ways to defend themselves with physical force.Anti-drone rifle bullets are emerging in the Ukraine war, potentially giving ground troops a safer option against the cheap drones that are now the battlefield's No. 1 killer.While Russian troops were seen experimenting with such ammo since at least last year's winter, Ukraine's defense innovation program debuted its own version in late June.Brave1 published a video of a soldier filling a cartridge with black and grey-tipped 5.56mm rounds, before loading it into a CZ Bren 2 assault rifle and firing at a drone in a test range."The goal is for every infantryman to carry these NATO-codified cartridges, enabling them to react quickly to aerial threats," the government organization wrote, adding that the bullets "dramatically increase the chances of downing FPV drones."Brave1 facilitated the development of anti-drone rounds, significantly boosting chances of hitting moving aerial targets like enemy FPV drones or Mavics. The goal is for every infantryman to carry this NATO-codified cartridges, enabling them to react quickly to aerial threats. pic.twitter.com/qBz8MzlBbi— BRAVE1 (@BRAVE1ua) June 30, 2025 Brave1 did not publish footage of the bullet's interior design.However, United24 Media, an outlet run by the Ukrainian government, wrote that the bullets use a "custom-designed warhead that creates a dense and rapid fragmentation effect upon firing."In short, the tech would allow soldiers to fire a bullet that travels some distance before dispersing a spread of pellets to strike a first-person-view drone or quadcopter.That could allow infantry to start shooting at attack drones from a safer distance, compared to the last-resort measure of trying to down the threat with a shotgun, which is now the norm across Ukrainian units.The shotgun tactic has become especially needed against the rising use of fiber-optic drones by both sides. These drones receive their signals through long, thin cables instead of radio, meaning they can't be jammed via electronic warfare.Ukrainian units arm themselves with 12-gauge shotguns and watch the skies as a last resort against exploding drones.Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty ImagesAs a result, many units carry 12-gauge shotguns with them. A new anti-drone bullet could allow infantry to simply bring extra rifle cartridges instead of a whole separate firearm.Brave1 did not respond to a request for comment sent outside regular business hours by Business Insider.Russian troops are making anti-drone bulletsNotably, a similar style of bullet has appeared among Russian forces before.In November, Russia's 74th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade published a photo of a 5.45mm bullet, which is fired by the AK rifle. It was tipped with a heat-shrinking tube.Within the tube, the brigade wrote on its Telegram channel, there are four buckshot pellets meant to disperse and hit Ukrainian drones. It added that when handloading cartridges, troops should alternate between these new bullets and standard rounds or tracer rounds.This design appears to be more of a DIY creation and is distinct from the version that Ukraine's Brave1 showed. It's not clear if the bullet was made widely available for Russian forces.Z Parabellum MD, a pro-war Russian Telegram channel, published a separate video on November 29 showing several men working at a table to snap off the tips of 5.45mm rounds. In the footage, one of the men places heat-shrinking tubes on the bullet by hand.The channel also posted a video of a Russian soldier demonstrating the rounds, shooting them at a metal sheet in a firing range. In another example, a photo that circulated among Ukrainian channels in May showed a presentation board with an assortment of small-arms rounds used to destroy FPV drones.One of these was a 5.45mm round tipped with a casing containing six pellets.The growing appearance of such bullets on both sides shows how rapidly drone warfare is evolving in real time, with roughly three years of war driving a back-and-forth series of new technologies and tactics studied closely by militaries around the world.Read the original article on Business Insider

Comments

Business News

Energy giant SSE sees UK dry spell hit water power generation

Independent

Comments

Business News

Energy giant SSE sees UK dry spell hit water power generation

M&S says Sparks membership deals ‘fully back online’ after hack

World’s largest crane ‘Big Carl’ lifts reactor dome into place at Hinkley Point C

M&S says Sparks membership deals ‘fully back online’ after hack

Energy giant SSE sees UK dry spell hit water power generation

Wes Streeting to meet resident doctors’ leaders in bid to avoid strikes

World’s largest crane ‘Big Carl’ lifts reactor dome into place at Hinkley Point C

US applications for jobless benefits fall again, hitting lowest level since April

Retail sales up a surprising 0.6% in June after a May pullback by consumers

Shoppers flock to sweet treats inspired by US trends, Mr Kipling owner says

Shoppers flock to sweet treats inspired by US trends, Mr Kipling owner says

Jaguar Land Rover cutting up to 500 management jobs in UK

UK unemployment jumps to highest since 2021 as wage growth slows

Moves to ban ‘exploitative’ unpaid internships a step closer

Moves to help bus drivers during heatwave

PepsiCo posts better-than-expected second quarter despite lower US sales

Hiltzik: She looked like a pro-worker Trump cabinet appointee. But now she's gutting the Labor Department

This medical school is thinking like a tech startup — and it could save your life

Moves to ban ‘exploitative’ unpaid internships a step closer

Moves to help bus drivers during heatwave

Fewer people claimed non-dom tax status in UK ahead of Government crackdown

Jaguar Land Rover cutting up to 500 UK jobs as Trump’s trade tariffs bite

Openreach plans to remove 100 tonnes of plastic from supply chain

Moves to ban exploitative unpaid internships move closer

Openreach plans to remove 100 tonnes of plastic from supply chain

Fewer people claimed non-dom tax status in UK ahead of Government crackdown

Full list of Poundland store closures

London has worst unemployment rate in UK after massive hospitality jobs shake-out

Vegan charity Viva! ad featuring baby being taken from mother banned

More than 67,000 cases of deodorant sold at Walmart, Dollar Tree and on Amazon recalled

August 2025 benefits and pension payments dates plus cost of living support

Frasers ‘working hard’ to offset cost hit as sales improve

Ocado shares surge after ‘strong’ half-year

Disney sues company it claims is selling illegal Mickey Mouse jewellery

EasyJet boss hits out at ‘unacceptable’ French air traffic control strikes

Jaguar Land Rover cutting up to 500 management jobs in UK

Frasers ‘working hard’ to offset cost hit as sales improve

Ocado shares surge after ‘strong’ half-year

UK unemployment jumps to highest since 2021 as wage growth slows

EasyJet boss hits out at ‘unacceptable’ French air traffic control strikes

UK unemployment jumps to highest since 2021 as wage growth slows

EasyJet boss hits out at ‘unacceptable’ French air traffic control strikes

Unemployment rate rises to highest level since the pandemic as jobs market cools

FTSE 100 Live 17 July: Jobless rate rises to four-year high, index seen higher

UK unemployment jumps to highest since 2021 as wage growth slows

Federal utility backs off Tennessee gas plant site after John Rich says he enlisted Trump's help

Canada's Couche-Tard drops offer to buy Japanese 7-Eleven convenience stores

Inside the high-stakes battle to win a New York City casino license

Leaders of the UK and Germany to sign a treaty on defense, trade and migration

Families, kids most at risk of losing HUD housing with Trump’s proposed time limits

Whitmer says 'massive economic uncertainty' is to blame on semiconductor project failure in Michigan

Martin Lewis urges more than a million pensioners to claim benefit worth at least £3,800

Weaker jobs market makes interest rate cut more likely

Urgent new DWP alert as some have £60 a month taken from their benefits

Families hit with 'unspoken' £1,076 charge per child this summer

Can I really be fined €6,900 for going to Spain without travel insurance?

Renters could end up £340,000 worse off than homeowners over 30 years

Government's green agenda has added 3.5p to every litre of petrol since 2021 thanks to E10 switch

Why is Ryanair charging in pounds for items on a flight when the menu says euros? CRANE ON THE CASE

Fyre Festival's Billy McFarland just sold the brand for $245,000. He still owes his victims $26 million.