Defense: 2nd RIMa soldiers trained with 12mm pump action shotgun to shoot down kamikaze drones

On the battlefield, drones are currently causing fear. Some are used for surveillance, others for dropping missiles, and also kamikaze drones. Affordable (500 euros each), they allow to reach targets with as much precision as a missile, but at a lower cost. Drones are widely used in the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. They pose no danger to the soldier in control.

Therefore, the French army is determined to be prepared. There have already been developments in terms of detection and jamming, but if a drone manages to bypass all protections, soldiers must know how to act. As reported here, the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment of Champagné (Sarthe) has been training in anti-drone warfare since October. The forty trained soldiers use 12mm pump rifles to shoot down drones.

Drones can reach speeds of 80, 90, and even 100 km/h, so quick reaction is essential: “We are briefed on the speed of the drone and the drone can reach up to 100 km/h. We need to have a reaction time which is quite significant, and therefore be well prepared in advance,” explains Corporal Eloan to our colleagues. To avoid destroying a real drone in every training session, soldiers practice with throwing clay discs. Equally fast, they allow soldiers to understand the speed of the drones and the fact that they do not have many opportunities to shoot when an aircraft approaches.

[Context: The article discusses the use of drones in warfare and the French military’s preparation for dealing with them.] [Fact Check: The mention of the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment of Champagné in Sarthe is accurate and provides specific information on anti-drone training.]