25 Nov 25. USA Tests 5.56 mm Anti-Drone Round: Small Arms Become ‘Precision Air Defence.’ The United States has tested a specialized 5.56×45 mm anti-drone ammunition designed to intercept FPVs and small quadcopters at close range. The round allows a conventional assault rifle to serve as a “point air defence” for infantry. The bullet’s design features a shifted center of mass and a modified jacket, causing it to lose gyroscopic stabilization after 10-15 meters of flight. This forms a wide cone of destruction that compensates for the drone’s small silhouette and low speed. The ammunition is fully compatible with AR-15, SIG MCX, SCAR-L, and other 5.56mm systems, and does not require any adapters, muzzle devices, or special optics. The shooter simply changes the magazine and receives a means of fighting UAVs. During the tests, the shooter fired at moving drone simulators at distances of 15-50 meters. High-speed cameras recorded the characteristic “swinging” of the bullet and the stable formation of a debris cloud at medium distances. At a distance of 25-35 meters, the bullet forms a cone of destruction with a diameter of 30-40 cm. At 40-50 meters, the zone reaches 60-80 cm, which significantly increases the chances of intercepting FPVs even without an accurately aimed shot. Partial contact with a debris cloud is enough to destroy an FPV: the propeller, camera, antenna, or battery fails, and the drone goes into uncontrolled flight and falls within a split second. Compared to standard FMJ bullets, the new ammunition increases the probability of shooting down drones: instead of needing to hit a 15-centimeter target, the shooter gets an interception zone up to half a meter wide. In terms of effectiveness at short range, the cartridge is close to 12-gauge shotgun solutions, but retains the advantages of 5.56 mm – high rate of fire, control, and low recoil. At the same time, the cost of such solutions is orders of magnitude lower than any counter-UAV systems. Tests have confirmed that the American 5.56 mm anti-drone cartridge is one of the simplest and cheapest FPV short-range interceptors that can be loaded into a standard magazine of the appropriate caliber without additional equipment or special training. (Source: UAS VISION/MILITARNYI)
26 Nov 25. RDM successfully integrates Assegai ammunition with G5 and G6 howitzers. Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) has successfully integrated its latest generation 155 mm Assegai artillery ammunition with the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF’s) G5 and G6 45 calibre howitzers following verification firings at the Alkantpan test range. The company said Fire Control Interface (FCI) verification firings of the Assegai ammunition suite were carried out between 3 and 6 November. The verification firings were conducted in close collaboration with the SA Army, the Logistics Support Formation, Denel Landward Systems, Armscor, and RDM. The achievement “marks not only a successful integration effort but a significant step forward in upgrading and future-proofing the SANDF’s long-range firepower, ensuring the artillery corps remains aligned with modern operational requirements,” according to RDM.
Multiple Assegai variants were validated during the trials, including:
- M1712 – JBMoU 155 mm IHE with boat-tail (BT)
- M1711 – JBMoU IHE with base-bleed (BB)
- M2000 – JBMoU standard high-explosive (HE)
- M1 – ERFB nubbed variant, currently in service
Using the M64 and M67 propelling charges in service with Denel’s 45 calibre howitzers, the trials demonstrated full operational compatibility across the ammunition-to-weapon interface — confirming both the adaptability and technical maturity of the Assegai family, RDM said. The Assegai range delivers a substantial performance upgrade over the legacy M1 ERFB shells, offering a lethal area of 152 m² and generating up to 11 300 natural fragments. The newly integrated M1711 and M1712 also bring enhanced logistical and launcher-safety benefits to own forces due to their insensitive munition characteristics — a key requirement in modernising artillery ammunition systems, RDM emphasised.
“This success demonstrates RDM’s technical excellence and steadfast commitment to supporting the SANDF’s transition to modernised, enhanced prime-mission equipment,” said Dr Frank Dirksen, Chief Executive Officer at RDM. “These firings confirm that South Africa can field world-class artillery ammunition that integrates seamlessly with existing 45 calibre systems, while opening clear pathways for future capability growth.”
RDM said it remains focused on delivering practical, deployable solutions that extend range, improve lethality and precision, and enhance reliability for the South African National Defence Force. “The Alkantpan verification is not the conclusion — it is the launch point for further range-table validation, operational trials and continued cooperation with our defence partners to ensure the SANDF is equipped for today’s operational demands and tomorrow’s emerging threats.” The G5 towed howitzer and G6 self-propelled howitzer use 45 calibre barrels, able to fire Extended Range Full Bore (ERFB) projectiles in two main versions: standard boat-tail (ERFB-BT) and base bleed (ERFB-BB). Maximum range from a 45 calibre barrelled howitzer is 31 and 41 km respectively for the boat-tail and base bleed projectiles. The Assegai projectile suite consists of ballistically matched High Explosive, Practice, Insensitive Munition High Explosive, Illuminating, Infrared Illuminating, Smoke, Pre-formed Fragmented (PFF) and Rocket-Assisted (V-LAP) projectiles. Rounds are compatible with 39 to 52 calibre weapon systems and designed according to JBMoU principles; the Assegai family can be fired from any NATO STANAG-compatible artillery system, including the PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer. With a barrel length of 39 calibres, an Assegai base bleed projectile attains a range of over 30 kilometres. Fired from a 52-calibre barrel, the range can exceed 40 kilometres (a 2019 record shot reached 76 km with a V-LAP round). The tactical modular charges of the Assegai series are fine-tuned to the customer’s specific weapon systems and artillery shells for maximum effectiveness, RDM said. Their modular design simplifies logistics and makes handling in self-propelled artillery systems easier. They also offer other advantages: Assegai charges reduce barrel wear and produce lower muzzle flash; the former results in longer barrel life, the latter makes the artillery system harder for the enemy to detect. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
25 Nov 25. US Army wants to manufacture 30,000 155mm cluster shells per year. The U.S. Army is looking for companies that can manufacture the new XM1208 155mm cluster shell — and a number of them. The goal, according to a market survey published Nov. 20, is to find contractors who can manufacture up to 30,000 XM1208 rounds per year. The U.S. is currently producing 40,000 artillery shells per month, as America and Europe struggle to ramp up production of howitzer munitions in response to the war in Ukraine. The Nov. 20 market survey, meanwhile, noted that the XM1208 can be produced by multiple manufacturers.
“Sources shall include their minimum sustaining and maximum capacity rates,” the Army said.
The XM1208, which carries nine M99 Advanced Submunitions, is designed to be fired from both the M109A6/7 Paladin and M777A2 howitzers. It can be fired out to a maximum range of approximately 14 miles, according to a 2025 Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition brochure.
“The ASMs are expelled at a predetermined time in flight using M762/A1 [electronic time] fuze,” the brochure stated. “They are armed while falling, oriented via a ribbon stabilizer, and deliver around 1,200 preformed tungsten fragments approximately 1.5 meters above the target area.”
If the proximity fuze on a submunition fails, there are four back-ups: point detonation upon impact, pyrotechnic and two electronic fuses. Detonation — or the lack of it — is the impetus behind next-generation cluster shells like the XM1208. The Army is trying to reconcile two design goals: artillery shells that can launch multiple submunitions, but do so without violating international treaties that ban cluster weapons. Cluster weapons, which date back to Nazi Luftwaffe bombs in World War II, target the laws of probability. Using a single bomb to dispense a large number of small bomblets increases the chances of a hit, especially for area fire where targets can’t be precisely located. Facing potential attack by massed Soviet forces, the Army’s solution starting in the 1970s was the Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition, or DPICM. These contained numerous grenade-sized anti-tank and anti-personnel submunitions, ranging from 72 bomblets in the M864 155mm howitzer shell, to 644 submunitions in the M26 rocket fired by the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System. The problem with those munitions was that the bomblets had a dud rate that ranged between 2% and 14%. (For Russian cluster weapons, that figure is 40%.) That meant battlefields could become littered with small unexploded bombs that can kill civilians long after the fighting has ended. In 2008, the Department of Defense mandated that cluster munitions must have a dud rate no greater than 1%, though that policy was reversed in 2017. The Army now plans to replace DPICM with the Cannon-Delivered Area Effects Munition, or C-DAEM. The program includes the XM1180 shell to dispense anti-armor bomblets, and the XM1208 to release submunitions against personnel and light vehicles. Objectives “include delivering enhanced lethality against a broad range of uncertain targets, extending the range and effectiveness against counter-artillery fire, and providing a reliable solution that can operate in GPS-contested environments while mitigating the risk of harm from [unexploded ordnance],” the Army announced after a successful test of the XM1180 in March 2024. Despite the bad press for DPICM, the Army is likely to keep it around even as next-generation cluster weapons are fielded.
“The military has consistently stated that DPICM is effective and should be retained in inventory for emergency use,” Mark Cancian, a researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Defense News. “That is unlikely to change because it is a judgment based on testing data and operational experience.
“The key problem with ICM is getting the dud rate under 1% at an acceptable fiscal and weight cost,” Cancian added. “Previous attempts had reduced the dud rate but not below 1%, so the Army’s effort continues.” (Source: Defense News)
24 Nov 25. Firefly Aerospace Joins Kratos MACH-TB 2.0 Team for Hypersonic Testing. Firefly is partnering with Kratos Defense and Security Solutions as a member of the MACH-TB 2.0 team—an expanding national coalition driving the next era of American hypersonics. As a partner, we’re helping to advance Kratos’ goal of one hypersonic test launch per week, making testing faster, more frequent, and more affordable. Led by Kratos and supported by a diverse group of government, industry, and academic collaborators, MACH-TB 2.0 is enabling rapid innovation, integration, and deployment of the hypersonic capabilities our national defense demands. “Firefly is proud to serve as a launch partner for Kratos in support of another critical national security program,” said Adam Oakes, Vice President of Launch at Firefly Aerospace. “In today’s rapidly evolving geopolitical climate, advancing hypersonic technologies is essential to keeping our nation at the forefront of emerging defense technologies. Our Alpha launch vehicle is a natural fit for hypersonic testing, offering responsive launch solutions and custom payload accommodations that enable our customers to enhance current U.S. interceptor capabilities.” (Source: ASD Network)
24 Nov 25. Ukraine Scaling Up Production of Anti-Drone Ammunition. Several Ukrainian defence companies are preparing to launch mass production of anti-drone rounds. Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal announced the expansion of production, saying the Ministry of Defense has already codified this type of ammunition from several Ukrainian manufacturers and that they are ready for large-scale output. The rounds are intended to help Ukrainian forces counter small enemy drones more effectively. Their key feature is a specialized projectile that increases the likelihood of downing a Russian drone, including FPV models. Shmyhal added that the rounds do not require separate weapons — they can be used with standard small arms In June, Ukraine authorized the military to use 5.56×45 mm anti-drone rounds designed to improve effectiveness against UAVs. The ammunition is produced in the widely used 5.56×45 mm caliber and can be fired from standard assault rifles. In appearance and function, it resembles a multi-projectile round: when fired, the projectile breaks into several fragments in flight. This increases shot density and improves the chance of a hit by two to three times. Each infantry soldier is expected to carry a dedicated magazine loaded with anti-drone rounds that can be quickly attached to a rifle when enemy UAVs are detected. Similar machine-gun-caliber models are also being developed in Russia. In March, local engineers reported achieving acceptable accuracy, with fragment dispersion forming a 25-centimeter pattern at 100 meters. The United States has also tested a specialized 5.56×45 mm anti-drone round designed to intercept FPV drones and small quadcopters at short range. (Source: UAS VISION/MILITARNYI)