#Russia

Both sides of the Russo-Ukrainian war are engaged in a highly intense arms race to develop more sophisticated drones and countermeasures against them. We previously took a look at the Dronoboy anti-drone muzzle device designed by Russian company BRT (Balanced Rifle Technologies), which allows firing heavy payloads of birdshot from a standard rifle. In this article, we’ll examine another anti-drone warfare gadget recently released by BRT called “Setkomet”, which is a muzzle-attached net launching device.

Small suicide drones have proven to be one of the most effective weapons on modern battlefields. Ever since these little machines started being deployed en masse, people have been trying to find ways to counter them, and arguably, the most effective tool is the good old scattergun. While it’s great to have a shotgun handy for the anti-drone work, it’s not always possible for a variety of reasons. That’s why soldiers have been trying to come up with ways to make their standard rifles more effective against drones. One of such attempts seen in the Russo-Ukrainian war was loading 5.45x39 ammo with a column of BB pellets in a piece of shrink wrap. The reports on the effectiveness of this DIY solution vary, but I guess the concept has proven to be viable, as the Russian company Tekhkrim has recently introduced 5.45x39 ammunition loaded with birdshot in a metal discarding sabot.

There have been numerous efforts to enhance hit probability through mechanical improvements and advancements in ballistics. A key innovation is an electronic automated control system. In January 2025, Russia patented an electronic automated fire control system for small arms, filed by Kalashnikov Concern. A mock-up of this concept was first publicly showcased in 2023. This automated control system is designed for the AK-12 and the future GPR-20 under-barrel rocket launchers. This may be a development to counter the new US Army’s new Vortex Optics XM-157 Next Generation Squad Weapon-Fire Control (NGSW-FC) or, more ambitiously, the XM29 Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW).