The Lithuanian Army is testing its defence capabilities against unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in response to rising tensions in the Baltic region and Russian airspace violations. More and more armies are exploring the potential of firearms as a last resort against swarms of low-cost UAVs, with Lithuania also using heavy machine guns and advanced surface-to-air missiles.
Weapon Systems Being Tested
Footage released this week by the Lithuanian Armed Forces shows air defence artillery units training at a training ground near the border with Belarus. The systems tested in the exercise are as follows:
Heavy Machine Guns: Training was conducted with large calibre machine guns to demonstrate the potential of firearms against UAVs. Armoured vehicles equipped with machine guns were also used in the exercise.
RBS 70 NG Missiles: Saab-made RBS 70 NG surface-to-air missiles of Swedish design were launched against high-speed target UAVs.
“Some of them work the first time, some don’t,” the Lithuanian Armed Forces said in a statement on social media. That’s why we are conducting tests and our weapons teams are training to attack such targets,” he said.
Accelerated Response with New Law
This exercise took place shortly after Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda announced that Russian military aircraft had briefly violated Lithuanian airspace. Just a few weeks ago, the country passed a new law authorising the military to shoot down enemy drones and enabling it to react more quickly in the event of airspace violations.
Ukraine Experience and the Search for a Cheap Solution
The increasing use of small arms such as shotguns against UAVs in Ukraine has also attracted the attention of some Western armies. Experts warn that expensive modern anti-aircraft missiles will quickly run out against thousands of low-cost UAVs that Russia could potentially send.
Ukrainian Innovation: Brave1, Ukraine’s government-backed defence technology cluster, has developed a new rifle ammunition that can effectively hit UAVs at distances of up to 50 metres, firing five cloud-shaped moving bullets simultaneously.
Alternative Solution: According to the Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), the cheapest and most sustainable solution would be to replace modern anti-aircraft missiles with weapon-matched interceptor UAVs and artillery systems with high ammunition capacity (640 rounds), such as the German Gepard Flakpanzer.
The British Army Experiment and Trials Group is another military organisation evaluating shotguns for infantry soldiers to provide protection against enemy UAVs.
