US Marines train to shoot down drones with rifles and shotguns

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US Marines have been training to handle drone attacks, using rifles, shotguns, and grenade launchers

The simulated threats used small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), consumer drones typically equipped with explosives, or used for recon

The exercise aimed to build confidence in US Marines with their standard-issue weapons

When troops are in the field and facing drones without electronic countermeasures, there is only one response possible. To ensure confidence and decisiveness in combat with sUAS attacks (small Unmanned Aerial Systems), US Marines have been training in the skill of taking out a consumer-sized drone with small arms and light weapons.

A three-day event held in Twentynine Palms, California, featured operatives from the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions training in C-sUAS (counter-small Unmanned Aerial Systems) tactics, with drones from the US Marine Corps’ Tactical Training and Exercise Control Group, 7th Marine Regiment, and 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion.

Kinetic weapons used in dealing with the simulated drone threat included automatic rifles, shotguns, and grenade launchers.

Realistic threat

While electronic countermeasures were available to the assembled Marines, the use of small arms and light weapons has drawn attention. The soldiers were targeted by well-trained drone pilots, presenting a real challenge, rather than a duck shoot.

“The pilots that we had were really good,” said US Marine Corps Capt. Faith Richardson, a platoon commander with TTECG. “Those Marines were a huge contributor. We tried giving the training audience a realistic look at the threat, and having proficient, well-trained pilots was really important.”

Weapons used by the Marines included M27 automatic rifles firing 5.56mm rounds, M1014 combat shotguns using 12-gauge shells, and M32A1 and M320 grenade launchers equipped with 40mm antipersonnel rounds. The sUAS craft were flying at over 90 miles per hour, with attack runs coming as close as 20 meters from the Marines.

Drone threats have increased in prominence over the past decade thanks to the proliferation of off-the-shelf components and consumer drones.

As Richardson adds, “Small unmanned aerial systems have been around for a while, it’s just more prevalent in the battlespace today because it’s more cost-effective.”

Combating a prolific threat

Aiming to build confidence in combating sUAS attacks, the training took place alongside other exercises, including urban combat, with personnel evaluated on how they detected and defeated sUAS.

“Everywhere in the modern world, in all conflicts, the sUAS threat is becoming more prolific on the battlefield," added US Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Kevin Jares is an instructor with Tactical Training and Exercise Control Group. "We’re figuring out ways, with the squad’s organic weapons, to combat that threat and how to survive in today’s modern battlefield.”

The event seems to have been a success, and the results were deemed good enough for classroom and practical sessions on tactical responses to sUAS and C-sUAS to be included in future Service Level Training Exercises.