Beretta Develops 8-Barrel Drone-Killing Turret

Why It Matters

LIVIT gives defense forces a fast, automated kinetic option against swarms of hostile drones, filling a gap left by electronic and directed‑energy systems. Its debut at the world’s premier land‑defense expo positions it for immediate procurement by NATO‑aligned customers.

Key Takeaways

• Beretta's LIVIT turret mounts eight Benelli Drone Guardian shotguns.
• Auto‑tracking sensors engage drones without manual aiming.
• System offers redundancy; one failure leaves seven barrels operational.
• Targets kinetic layer of counter‑drone market, complementing electronic and DE solutions.
• Debuts at Eurosatory 2026, aligning with NATO procurement priorities.

Pulse Analysis

The surge in small, inexpensive unmanned aircraft has forced militaries and critical‑infrastructure operators to rethink protection strategies. While electronic jamming and directed‑energy weapons address volume and cost, they cannot guarantee physical destruction of a hostile drone that has already breached the airspace. Kinetic solutions, therefore, remain essential for a layered defense, especially in high‑value sites where a single successful strike can cause catastrophic damage.

Beretta’s LIVIT system leverages the proven Benelli Drone Guardian shotgun, which fires programmable air‑burst shells that create a spread of projectiles optimized for hitting agile UAVs. By mounting eight of these modules on a single remote‑controlled turret, the platform delivers redundancy and the ability to engage multiple targets in rapid succession. Integrated auto‑tracking sensors and software keep the weapons aligned on moving drones, removing the need for a human operator to manually aim, thus reducing reaction time and operator fatigue during high‑stress engagements.

Unveiling LIVIT at Eurosatory 2026 is a strategic move, as the exhibition draws the procurement decision‑makers of NATO and European defense ministries, many of which are expanding budgets for counter‑drone capabilities. The system’s kinetic focus complements existing electronic and directed‑energy offerings, positioning Beretta to capture a share of the growing market. Early visibility at the world’s largest land‑defense show could translate into contracts for fixed‑site installations, vehicle mounts, and rapid‑deployment units, reinforcing Europe’s push for indigenous, interoperable defense solutions.