The Army Wants to Use Bullets, Mortars, and Artillery to Take Out Small Drones

Why It Matters

Leveraging cheap, already‑fielded ammunition reduces operational costs and expands the Army’s ability to counter the proliferating small‑UAV threat without waiting for new procurements. It also enhances tactical flexibility for units at all echelons.

Key Takeaways

• Army repurposes existing ammo for counter‑UAS missions
• 30mm XM121 proximity round can neutralize drones cheaply
• Infantry squads could use Mk‑19s against small UAVs
• Mortar and artillery shells may be launched from drones
• Reducing reliance on expensive missiles saves budget

Pulse Analysis

The rapid rise of inexpensive commercial drones has forced militaries to rethink how they allocate firepower. Traditional air‑defense missiles, while effective, cost upwards of a million dollars per shot—an unsustainable expense when faced with swarms of $1,000 quadcopters. By turning to legacy ammunition, the Army can field a layered defense that pairs high‑tech sensors with low‑cost kinetic effects, preserving high‑value missiles for strategic targets while still denying adversaries the aerial advantage.

At the heart of this shift is the XM121 high‑explosive proximity round, a 30 mm projectile that detonates within a lethal radius rather than requiring a direct hit. This technology, originally designed for vehicle‑mounted cannons, can be retrofitted to platforms such as the Bradley fighting vehicle and the squad‑level Mk‑19 grenade launcher. The proximity fuze enables soldiers to engage drones that are too small or fast for conventional fire control, turning every infantry unit into a potential counter‑UAS node. Moreover, engineers are experimenting with mounting modified mortar and artillery shells on unmanned aerial systems, creating a hybrid strike capability that can deliver indirect fire from the sky.

The strategic implications are significant. Budget‑constrained forces gain a scalable solution that leverages existing supply chains, reducing procurement lead times and maintenance overhead. Operationally, units gain autonomy to address drone threats without relying on higher‑echelon assets, improving survivability in contested environments. As the Army refines fuze algorithms and integrates autonomous targeting, this approach could set a new standard for cost‑effective, distributed air defense, influencing not only U.S. doctrine but also allied forces facing similar low‑cost UAV challenges.