Ukrainian Special Forces Reveal Shotgun Tactics Against Aerial Drones Relevant to U.S. and NATO.

Ukraine’s 3rd Special Operations Forces Regiment has unveiled new counter-drone training methods designed to defeat Russian FPV kamikaze drones on the battlefield. The tactics, refined under real combat conditions, offer practical lessons for U.S. and NATO forces facing drone-heavy conflicts.

Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SOF) are adapting rapidly to one of the most persistent threats on today’s battlefield, the widespread use of Russian first-person-view kamikaze drones. The 3rd Regiment of the Ukrainian SOF recently disclosed details of newly developed counter-drone training tactics that rely on shotguns and close-range engagement techniques, according to material released by Ukrainian military sources. The methods were tested and refined during frontline operations, where FPV (First Person View) drones have been increasingly used to target troops in trenches, tree lines, and defensive positions.
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Ukrainian Special Forces from the 3rd Regiment of UASOF conduct live-fire training with 12-gauge shotguns to intercept hostile FPV drones during close-range counter-UAS drills near the front line. (Picture source: 3rd Regiment of UASOF)

At a classified training ground in eastern Ukraine, soldiers from this elite regiment are undergoing intensive drills to neutralize incoming FPV (First Person View) drones using 12-gauge shotguns, both pump-action and semi-automatic. This approach, far from being improvised, is the result of structured training cycles, real-world combat feedback, and rapidly evolving doctrine that is now being exported to other Ukrainian brigades.

Rather than relying solely on jamming systems or missile-based air defense - which are often unavailable or economically impractical in the field - the 3rd Regiment is focusing on perfecting close-range kinetic interception of drones. The logic is simple: if an FPV drone can be detected in time, a well-placed shotgun blast can disable or destroy it before it hits its target. But the key to this defense is not the weapon alone - it is the training.

Troops are drilled in shooting at drone analogues flying at varying speeds and angles, from head-on to flanking trajectories. Realistic scenarios involve dummy drones equipped with visual cues such as flashing lights or smoke, while instructors simulate battlefield conditions with noise and distraction. The exercises also cover ambidextrous firing positions, rapid target reacquisition, and firing from cover, mimicking trenches and urban rubble where soldiers would realistically encounter drone threats.

Crucially, situational awareness training plays a central role. Drones often appear with little warning, guided manually by operators hiding kilometers away. Ukrainian forces are learning to identify low-altitude flight corridors, recognize the sound signatures of FPV engines, and coordinate with spotters to trigger a fast response. In many frontline zones, electronic warfare support is either unavailable or degraded, making manual countermeasures the last and only line of defense.

This shotgun-centric approach to drone defense has gained traction among global arms manufacturers, who are now racing to field infantry-level solutions against the rising threat of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS). At Milipol 2025, FN Herstal presented a tactical version of the Winchester SX4 semi-automatic shotgun, adapted for military and security forces. Chambered in 12-gauge and capable of firing both 2¾" and 3" magnum shells, the SX4 Tactical features a gas-operated semi-automatic action, allowing for rapid follow-up shots - critical when engaging fast-moving FPV drones. Its lightweight design, approximately 3.2 kg depending on configuration, and compatibility with red-dot optics through integrated Picatinny rails make it particularly effective for close-range aerial interdiction. While FN Herstal has not publicly confirmed specialized anti-drone ammunition, the shotgun’s high cycling rate and modularity are already positioning it as a practical asset for units operating in drone-contested zones.

Elsewhere, other firearm manufacturers are expanding similar capabilities. Beretta Defense Technologies is reportedly developing enhanced 12-gauge ammunition with optimized spread patterns and fragmentation effects tailored for drone defense. In Turkey, companies such as Hatsan have begun marketing tactical shotgun variants featuring reinforced polymer stocks, recoil control systems, and improved sighting options specifically for counter-UAS roles in close quarters and open terrain. Germany’s Rheinmetall has gone a step further, integrating shotgun modules into mobile counter-drone stations mounted on tactical vehicles, combining sensor fusion and kinetic intercept capabilities for convoy and base defense.

In the United States, the M1014 Joint Service Combat Shotgun has been evaluated for counter-drone use by the U.S. Marine Corps and other services. Trials have included the use of heavier shot loads, such as tungsten or steel pellets, to increase aerial lethality. Paired with red-dot optics and audio-visual detection cues, these shotguns have been tested in urban, jungle, and mountainous scenarios - conditions where larger air defense systems are impractical or unavailable.

Operational data from multiple forces suggest that shotguns can deliver high drone kill probabilities in that short-range envelope, particularly against plastic-bodied quadcopters vulnerable to fragmentation. A single well-aimed blast can damage a rotor, shatter a camera, or sever control circuits, causing the drone to crash. Buckshot rounds, in particular, offer the ideal balance of spread and stopping power for drones traveling at oblique angles or moving erratically.

Several NATO and allied armed forces have begun integrating similar tactics into their training regimes. The U.S. Marine Corps has explored using the M1014 Joint Service Combat Shotgun for short-range drone defense, while Israel’s Defense Forces have tested tactical shotguns during urban counter-UAS exercises. In Australia, drone-stopping drills using off-the-shelf pump-action shotguns have been conducted during infantry training cycles, particularly in jungle and built-up environments where radar and jammers have limited reach.

European manufacturers are also responding. Italy’s Beretta Defense Technologies has developed 12-gauge cartridges with enhanced aerial fragmentation payloads, and Rheinmetall in Germany has proposed integrating shotguns into vehicle-mounted drone defense modules for convoy protection. Turkish firms, including Hatsan, have marketed anti-drone shotgun kits complete with targeting optics and reinforced stocks for military buyers.

In Ukraine, the 3rd Regiment’s training has already been extended to National Guard units and regular infantry brigades, with instructors emphasizing that close-range drone defense must become a standard skill for every frontline soldier. The speed at which the battlefield is adapting to the FPV threat is forcing a complete rethink of conventional air defense hierarchies. Instead of centralized systems controlling drone defense, the fight is now moving to the tactical edge - down to the squad level.

While Ukraine continues to press Western partners for more advanced drone-jamming and missile-based systems, it is clear that the low-tech shotgun is carving out a vital niche. Cheap, available, and instantly deployable, a shotgun in trained hands can serve as a frontline firewall against drones that cost a fraction to build but can take out a vehicle, mortar team, or command post with devastating effect.

This shift toward decentralized, kinetic drone defense signals a broader transformation in how modern militaries will prepare for warfare over the next decade. As unmanned threats proliferate, from swarming quadcopters to autonomous loitering munitions, the global race is not only to build smarter drones, but to find faster ways to shoot them down.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.