Fiocchi unveils counter-drone round for standard assault rifles
Fiocchi has introduced a new counter-drone ammunition round designed to let soldiers engage small UAVs with standard-issue rifles. The product was presented at Enforce Tac 2026 in Nuremberg as armed forces and security agencies seek faster responses to the spread of cheap commercial and improvised drones on the battlefield.
The new round is aimed at a gap that conventional air defence systems often struggle to fill. Small drones fly low, move quickly and can appear at close range, making them difficult and uneconomical targets for larger counter-air systems. Fiocchi’s approach is to give individual soldiers a last-line defence option using weapons already in service. Unlike many existing counter-drone methods that depend on shotguns or dedicated equipment, the ammunition is built for standard assault rifles, including the widely fielded 5.56×45 mm NATO calibre. That means units can respond without adding a separate weapon or overhauling training.
The round uses a multi-projectile design. After leaving the barrel, it disperses multiple tungsten pellets to widen the engagement pattern and improve the chances of striking a small, fast-moving target. The company says the design also keeps effects controlled to reduce collateral damage, an important factor for troops operating in dense terrain or urban areas. Development was carried out in cooperation with the Italian Armed Forces, and testing was conducted by Italian special forces units and the Army. The ammunition was also validated in realistic operational scenarios against small UAV targets, according to the company.
Fiocchi says the product is intended for armed forces, including infantry and special operations units, as well as security forces working in high-risk settings. Likely uses include close-range protection for troops, patrols and convoys, and defence of forward positions and critical infrastructure. The company also sees a role for law enforcement in urban environments. After the launch, Fiocchi said it is engaging with international customers and preparing the ammunition for market availability and industrial-scale production. It is also expanding the concept into additional calibres, including 5.45×39 mm and 7.62×51 mm, to address broader demand. If adopted, the round could offer militaries a simple and comparatively low-cost way to add short-range counter-UAV capability at the individual soldier level.