Russia’s top rifle maker says it has tested new “multi-element” AK rounds meant to drop FPV drones—turning trench-level improvisation into factory-produced ammunition.
Quick Take
- Kalashnikov Concern announced April 9–10, 2026 that it developed and tested specialized 5.45mm anti-drone cartridges for the AK-12 rifle.
- The rounds use a multi-element projectile designed to separate after leaving the barrel, widening the chance of striking a small UAV.
- Kalashnikov says tests showed damage to key drone components, including motors, batteries, electronics, and airframe structures.
- The cartridges keep standard 5.45×39mm dimensions, allowing troops to mix anti-drone and conventional rounds in standard 30-round magazines.
Kalashnikov’s anti-drone bullets move from battlefield hack to official product
Kalashnikov Concern, Russia’s primary small-arms manufacturer, publicly disclosed it has developed and successfully tested 5.45mm rifle cartridges intended to disable small drones, including FPV-type UAVs. The company’s announcement on April 9–10, 2026 matters because it formalizes a capability soldiers had been trying to jury-rig under pressure. Instead of relying on inconsistent homemade workarounds, Russia is signaling an intent to standardize counter-drone firepower at the individual rifleman level.
According to the reported specifications, the ammunition is built around a “multi-element projectile” that separates in an orderly way after exiting the barrel. The goal is straightforward: expand the effective pattern so a rifleman has a better chance of hitting a fast, small target at close range. Kalashnikov also emphasizes the cartridge maintains external ballistic stability and weapon reliability—two weak points often associated with field-modified rounds and experiments that may function unpredictably.
What the company says the tests proved—and what remains unknown
Kalashnikov’s testing description centers on controlled engagements with FPV-style drones. The AK-12 reportedly fired single shots and bursts at a hovering target and at a drone flying an attack-like profile set to specific speed and altitude parameters. The company says the separated projectile elements struck vital components—engines, batteries, electronic circuit boards, and structural parts—causing drones to crash. That claim, if replicated broadly, would give ordinary infantry a direct last-ditch option.
Still, the available reporting leaves important questions unanswered. Public details do not include unit cost, production volumes, fielding timelines, or performance data outside controlled conditions. No source in the provided research offers a verified “effective range” for the factory-made cartridge against maneuvering drones in combat conditions. That missing information matters because modern drone warfare often rewards reliability and repeatability more than one-off demonstrations, especially when soldiers must react in seconds.
Why standard dimensions and mixed magazines are a tactical selling point
Kalashnikov’s anti-drone cartridge reportedly matches standard 5.45×39mm dimensions and fits standard 30-round AK-12 magazines. That compatibility is not just a convenience; it is a logistics and training advantage. A unit does not need a new weapon, a new feeding system, or specialized magazines to carry the capability. Kalashnikov also says soldiers can load magazines entirely with anti-drone rounds or alternate them with conventional ammunition for mixed threats.
That “mix and match” approach reflects a hard battlefield reality: FPV drones share the same fight space as traditional infantry and armor threats. A rifleman who empties a magazine at a drone may immediately need to engage targets on the ground. From a conservative, common-sense perspective, this is the type of incremental adaptation that tends to spread quickly in war—because it works with existing systems rather than expanding bureaucracy, procurement delays, and expensive new platforms.
The Ukraine drone war keeps forcing cheap solutions into mainstream doctrine
The broader backdrop is the rapid proliferation of FPV drones in the Ukraine conflict, where both sides have looked for ways to knock down small UAVs that appear suddenly at close range. The research notes that Russian soldiers had been making improvised anti-drone rounds since mid-2025, including by placing small ball bearings into sleeves and loading them into rifle cartridges. Ukraine also developed an anti-drone rifle round known as “Horoshok,” creating an early precedent for this niche.
Technical analysis in the provided research warns that homemade variants can suffer steep limitations, including unpredictable dispersion and effectiveness that degrades at longer distances, with added risk of weapon damage depending on materials used. Kalashnikov’s core pitch is that engineered separation and standardized production reduce those downsides. Even if the real-world payoff is limited to short-range defense, the underlying trend is clear: drones are pushing armies to rethink what a basic rifleman must be equipped to defeat.
Sources:
Russia Trying to Get Into Anti-Drone Rifle Game With New AK Bullets
Kalashnikov tests 5.45mm anti-drone multi-bullet cartridge
Russia launches new counter-drone rifle cartridge
