Anti-Drone System: the architecture of a Layered Counter-UAS Defense

Modern battlefields and urban environments face a growing threat from small, fast unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Defending against these drones requires a coordinated counter-UAS architecture. From FPV quadcopters used for reconnaissance and strike missions to loitering munitions launched against critical infrastructure, these aircraft have forced military planners and law enforcement agencies to rethink how they defend the airspace immediately surrounding their forces, bases, and sensitive facilities, developing a new anti-drone system.

Beretta Defense Technologies (BDT) addresses this challenge with a fully integrated, scalable, mission-driven portfolio where weapons, optics, and ammunition work seamlessly as a unified system. The added value BDT is able to offer is focused on a tailored solution based on the operational need; in fact, an operator in the battlefield requires different tools from the one of an officer protecting people in a stadium or surveilling a commercial airport.

What is an anti-drone system?

An effective defense against unmanned aircraft is not defined by a single piece of hardware or an isolated firearm. Instead, a comprehensive counter drone system represents an integrated, multi-layered ecosystem of complementary technologies that combine sensor data, target acquisition, fire control, kinetic effectors, and purpose-built ammunition into a unified operational workflow. Relying on a single line of defense creates dangerous tactical blind spots, as no single weapon system can efficiently defeat targets across all operational applications (e.g. civil/battlefield) distances, speeds, and atmospheric conditions.

A common misconception in counter-unmanned operations is equating a complete defense architecture with an individual “anti-drone gun.” While an anti-drone gun, such as a specialized tactical shotgun paired with red dot for quick target acquisition, and high-density payloads, serves a vital, high-value purpose as a point-defense effector, it remains only one tactical component within a far broader operational network. On its own, any single effector has a limited engagement envelope, a specific set of environmental constraints, and particular vulnerabilities against certain classes of unmanned aircraft. An isolated firearm lacks the early warning range required to detect incoming threats at distance, just as long-range engagement systems are often too cumbersome or slow to react to low-altitude, high-speed FPV attacks in close-quarters or urban environments. An anti-drone system, by contrast, is the integrated combination of drone detection and tracking, and neutralization capabilities that together provide continuous coverage against hostile drones across the relevant range bands, operational environments, and threat profiles a unit is likely to encounter.

This distinction matters operationally. Small quadcopter FPV drones behave very differently from larger fixed-wing platforms or loitering munitions, and a defense architecture built around a single weapon type will inevitably leave gaps. BDT’s counter uas technology integrates multiple anti-drone weapons and dedicated ammunition families into one coordinated, multi-layer drone defense, so that operators are not forced to choose a single tool for every scenario. Instead, the system as a whole is scaled and configured to the mission: a dismounted infantry squad on a mobile patrol has different requirements than a fixed installation tasked with protecting a stadium or an airport perimeter, and BDT’s architecture is designed to flex accordingly.

This is the essence of BDT’s approach to counter-UAS: rather than a one-size-fits-all product, the company delivers a system of validated components engineered from the outset to interoperate, drawing on the combined research and development capacity of the companies within the BDT alliance.

BDT’s layered defense architecture

To counter the full spectrum of sUAS threats effectively, Beretta Defense Technologies has structured its operational response around a progressive, range-based multi-layer drone defense architecture. This architecture establishes three distinct engagement envelopes tailored to intercept and neutralize incoming aerial targets based on distance, velocity, and time-to-target:

• 1st layer (Up to 100m): point-defense kinetic interception utilizing tactical shotgun configurations and ultra-dense shot payloads to defeat fast-approaching, low-altitude FPV drones.
• 2nd layer (Up to 150m): intermediate kinetic engagement employing specialized assault rifle ammunition engineered for rapid deployment and high hit probability (x4 compared to standard rifle ammunition) against maneuverable sUAS airframes.
• 3rd layer (Up to 300m): stand-off perimeter defense leveraging specialized 7.62x51mm precision munitions and weapon stations optimized for minimal collateral damage in complex environments.

This layered structure delivers unmatched operational scalability, allowing command elements to tailor their C-UAS footprint to specific mission profiles and operational environments. A battlefield scenario, where a small infantry unit needs to neutralize an FPV drone conducting a strike run, calls for a different balance of speed, mobility, and simplicity than an urban or critical-infrastructure scenario, where minimizing collateral effects and protecting bystanders becomes the dominant design constraint. By building the layered defense system around engagement range rather than around a single weapon platform, BDT allows commanders and security planners to configure a drone defense system that matches the operational picture they actually face, whether that is a contested battlefield or a sensitive urban site.

By structuring kinetic interception into distinct, overlapping spatial zones, BDT ensures that if a hostile sUAS breaches the outer defense perimeter, secondary and tertiary layers immediately engage the threat. This continuous coverage eliminates single points of failure, maximizing operator survivability and ensuring robust force protection across diverse combat scenarios.

1st layer (Up to 100m) and a shotgun configuration

The innermost line of defense within BDT’s architecture operates at ranges up to 100 meters, serving as a critical point-defense barrier against small, agile FPV quadcopters and loitering munitions attempting terminal dive maneuvers. At this close distance, standard single-projectile small arms suffer from a low hit probability due to the small cross-sectional area and unpredictable flight paths of maneuvering sUAS targets. Because a shotgun’s pattern of shot offers a wider effective engagement envelope than a single projectile, it remains one of the most intuitive hard kill anti drone system solutions available to operators who may have only seconds to react to a fast-moving aerial threat. These specialized shotgun platforms are a definitive “last resort” kinetic effector within the broader drone defense system.

Deployment flexibility is central to this layer. The shotgun configuration can be issued to a squad or firing team as a shared asset, or carried by an individual operator as a personal defense weapon, meaning the same hard-kill capability scales from small dismounted teams up to larger formations without requiring a fundamentally different weapon system.
Among the most effective anti-drone gun platforms in this category are the Benelli M4 A.I. Drone Guardian and the Beretta 1301 Tactical, both specifically configured to provide rapid, close-range interception of FPV drones and loitering munitions. Both shotguns deliver excellent performance when used with specialized ammunition developed for C-UAS applications; to provide a comprehensive solution to the end-user, our corporate partnership allows us to offer our shotguns bundled with Norma Ad-Ler and Rottweil 12-gauge ammunition.

A technology promoted by the BDT group that deserves special mention is LIVET, an eight-barrel remote weapon station built around the kinetic counter-drone logic that has driven the group’s C-UAS (Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems) development for several years. The platform integrates eight 12-gauge Benelli Drone Guardian shotgun systems (based on the M4-A1 platform) onto a single automated turret capable of auto-tracking and engaging drone targets – such as fast FPVs and quadcopters – without requiring manual aiming.

Developed in collaboration with Italian technology company DUALEE, LIVET optimizes the shotgun-based approach through a purpose-built remote weapon station (RWS) stabilized and remotely controlled weapon system operated from inside a protected vehicle or control station using digital displays, joysticks, and fire-control software

2nd layer (Up to 150m) and the Swiss P Shatter4K Ammunition

Extending the engagement envelope out to 150 meters, the second layer of BDT’s defense architecture fills the operational gap between close-range shotgun scatter patterns and heavy fixed weapon systems. At this intermediate range, infantry squads require a kinetic capability that extends their engagement distance without forcing operators to carry specialized, heavy weapons dedicated solely to counter-unmanned tasks. BDT achieves this balance through advanced ballistic engineering embodied in the Swiss P Shatter4K ammunition line.

Engineered specifically by Swiss P to counter light aerial targets, Shatter4K represents a major breakthrough in standard-caliber small arms ammunition. Designed to be fired from standard service rifles (such as 5.56x45mm or 7.62x51mm platforms), Shatter4K features a specialized projectile construction that disintegrates into controlled kinetic fragments upon muzzle exit or target impact. This controlled dispersion creates a localized impact matrix, dramatically increasing the surface coverage of each shot fired toward an airborne threat.

The primary operational advantage of Swiss P Shatter4K lies in its rapid deployment capability. The system requires no weapon modifications, specialized barrel attachments, or dedicated launching devices. When an incoming sUAS is detected within the 150-meter window, standard infantry riflemen can transition from standard ball ammunition to anti-drone duty simply by swapping magazines. This seamless transition allows every rifleman in a maneuver element to immediately contribute to squad-level kinetic air defense without altering their primary weapon configuration or tactical posture.

Ballistic testing and field trials confirm that the controlled dispersion of Shatter4K yields a 4x improved probability of hitting an agile, maneuvering sUAS target compared to conventional full metal jacket or armor-piercing projectiles.

3rd layer (Up to 300m) and the RWS Urban Drone Defence (UDD)

The outermost kinetic defense tier in BDT’s architecture operates up to 300 meters, forming a proactive perimeter shield designed to intercept sUAS threats before they reach visual or auditory range of protected personnel and facilities. At this extended stand-off distance, kinetic defense requires increased precision, automated stabilization, and heavy caliber energy transfer to destroy incoming airframes reliably while strictly managing collateral risks in surrounding ground sectors.

To fulfill this demanding requirement, BDT integrates the RWS Urban Drone Defence (UDD) system, chambered in the powerful 7.62x51mm NATO caliber. The UDD series is available in two distinct configurations engineered for specific operational deployments:

• UDD LIGHT: A compact, low-weight variant optimized for rapid mounting on light tactical vehicles, mobile command posts, and temporary field fortifications.
• UDD HEAVY: A ruggedized, high-capacity station designed for permanent integration on heavy armored combat vehicles, naval vessels, and static critical infrastructure installations.

A critical design priority of the RWS Urban Drone Defence system is its optimization for urban environments and sensitive operational areas. Standard anti-aircraft automatic cannons or high-explosive airburst systems carry significant risks of collateral damage from falling shrapnel and unexploded ordnance when fired in populated sectors. RWS UDD ammunition is specifically engineered to defeat light composite airframes and electronic internal components while minimizing fratricide risks and collateral damage on the ground below, making it an ideal choice for complex urban operations.

The application scenarios for the UDD system span both military and civil defense domains. Key operational environments include:

• Critical infrastructure protection: securing energy grids, communication hubs, oil refineries, and government administrative facilities against targeted sUAS sabotage.
• Airports and aviation hubs: neutralizing illegal or hostile drone intrusions over runways and flight paths without disrupting civil communications or endangering civilian infrastructure.
• Military operating bases and forward logistics points: establishing automated perimeter security boundaries against enemy reconnaissance quadcopters and loitering attack swarms.
• High-security public venues: providing non-disruptive, highly responsive overhead protection for diplomatic summits, sports stadiums, and major public gatherings.

By pairing RWS UDD remote weapon stations with automated drone detection and tracking platforms, including electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors and radar feeds, the system establishes a true hard kill anti-drone system boundary at 300 meters.

Why an integrated approach makes the difference in counter-UAS operations

In the rapidly evolving realm of short-range air defense, the operational difference between mission success and catastrophic vulnerability often comes down to system integration. Sourcing individual components – such as purchasing a standalone radar from one vendor, an optical tracker from another, a firearm from a third, and unvalidated commercial ammunition from a fourth – inevitably creates severe integration hurdles. Mismatched communication protocols, mechanical or inefficient incompatibilities, and unaligned ballistic profiles lead to latency in target engagement, lower system reliability, and increased cognitive burden on operators during high-stress combat engagements.

Beretta Defense Technologies eliminates these vulnerabilities through its core philosophy of delivering a “system of validated components.” As an alliance of world-renowned defense manufacturers, comprising Beretta, Benelli, Sako, Steiner, RWS, Swiss P, MFS, Norma, and Centanex, BDT designs and tests every element of its counter-drone architecture as a unified ecosystem. Every firearm, optical sight, electronic sensor, mounting interface, and ammunition loading is precision-matched to ensure total operational compatibility and predictable terminal ballistics.

This holistic approach extends across the entire BDT technology portfolio. BDT provides armed forces and security agencies with a complete, turnkey capability. By leveraging cutting-edge counter uas technology built on verified integration, BDT ensures that defense forces receive field-tested, combat-proven systems ready for immediate operational deployment.

An effective anti-drone system relies on the understanding that no single solution fits all operational needs. Whether defending a highly populated area, securing a tactical battlefield, or protecting a strategic asset, each scenario demands a distinct, tailored countermeasure. BDT’s multi-layered offering answers these diverse requirements through a range of integrated products – from handheld Benelli Drone Guardian shotguns and specialized Norma/Swiss P C-UAS ammunition for localized threats, to advanced Steiner optical sensors and automated LIVET remote weapon stations for critical infrastructure. A validated, integrated architecture will consistently outperform a collection of individually sourced products, because it is built to function as a single coherent response rather than a patchwork of disconnected tools.

BDT’s three-tier architecture reflects a mission-driven philosophy built specifically to scale from battlefield engagements to urban and critical-infrastructure protection. A validated, integrated architecture will consistently outperform a collection of individually sourced products, because it is built to function as a single coherent response rather than a patchwork of disconnected tools.

To explore the complete range of BDT’s counter-UAS solutions and see how each layer of this architecture is engineered to work together, visit and review the full suite of anti-drone weapons available at Beretta Defense Technologies website.