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Which kinetic methods can be used to defend against low-flying drones?
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military technology
Cold War-era poster of Soviet army equipment.
In the context of military technology, kinetic countermeasures against low-flying drones refer to methods that physically destroy or disable the target. These approaches are essential components of modern counter-uncrewed aerial system (CUAS) architectures.1
Effective kinetic methods include:
- Antiaircraft Artillery: Traditional systems, such as the ZSU-23-4 Shilka, are utilized to engage drones.1
- Rapid-Fire Gun Systems: Adapted C-RAM (counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar) systems are frequently employed to target drones with high-volume fire.1
- Small Arms and Machine Guns: In many scenarios, standard small arms and high rate-of-fire machine guns have proven effective against low-flying threats.1
- MANPADS: Man-portable air defense systems, such as the Stinger and Igla-S missiles, provide mobile defense capabilities.1
- Physical Capture: Systems like the U.K.-developed SkyWall use nets to physically capture drones, allowing for a controlled descent and preventing collateral damage.1
- Drone-on-Drone Combat: Emerging concepts involve using specialized interceptor drones, such as Ukraine’s Sting, to destroy loitering munitions mid-flight.1