"Drone Hunt": Beretta Develops Eight-Shotgun Turret Against UAVs

The Italians have figured out how to turn hunting into drones into the production line. Beretta Defense Technologies unveiled the LIVET system—a turret with eight Benelli Drone Guardian shotguns. Eight barrels, one operator. Or rather, the operator doesn't have to intervene at all. The system automatically detects, tracks, and destroys small Drones.

The Benelli Drone Guardian is a semi-automatic shotgun chambered for remotely detonated ammunition. The projectile detonates at a set distance from the target, covering the drone in a spray of shrapnel. One hit is usually enough. And with eight barrels, you can either fire continuously, swapping empty guns for full ones, or cover the target in a dense fan. The Italians opted for redundancy. If one fails, another will.

The system was developed in partnership with DUALEE. LIVET is based on sensors and algorithms that rely on mechanics over humans. Soldiers don't need to aim and can focus on other tasks while the turret destroys drones. This is claimed to reduce the soldier's cognitive load. In combat, where seconds count, such automation is a significant advantage.

LIVET is scheduled to be unveiled at Eurosatory 2026, the largest arms exhibition in Paris (June 15-19). Beretta is already hinting that the system can be installed on both fixed installations and vehicles. Its flexibility and modularity are a response to the growing threat posed by FPV drones and larger UAVs.

Comments

[BAI]

I've always been interested in the question: why can't they make a machine gun that fires buckshot cartridges?

[Silver99]

You can use a quadruple Maxim machine gun from WWII, but the main problem is detecting low-flying targets; you can't station a machine-gun crew on every hill. The solution... is to use electronic countermeasures, creating continuous jamming zones.

[alexoff]

But a flying machine gun can reach the right hill. And the machine gunner can be sitting in the bunker at that time.

[tsvetahaki]

Quote from Silver99

You can't place a machine gun crew on every hill

Why on every hill? Anti-aircraft machine guns weren't placed on every patch of ground during WWII, either.
This is a close-range weapon—used to provide cover for something small but important. It's attached to a group/squad, like a machine gun.
Only if this "machine gun" is the size of a Buk or a Tor - then oh well.
But the Italian system can be produced on a very large scale...

[PROXOR]

Starlink MUST be jammed. That's the main problem, and it's IMPOSSIBLE. The only option left is to dump a ton of space junk in one crucial orbit, and Starlink satellites will start failing faster than Musk can send them. And if their space program is sabotaged a couple of times, Musk's company will fall way behind. But for that to happen, those receiving the solution would have to be Fabergé. And there's been senility and fear for their bank accounts and villas for a long time.

[Victor Alien]

Yeah, but like with a pellet in space, like someone said about shooting down satellites—a whole bunch of nails and the whole satellite constellation is dead. And by the time the remains reach the ground, everything will burn up and nothing will remain. Low orbit (I don't know the distances there) should be cleared of all satellites—that's what I think.

[Taoist]

So what do we do? Take the Saiga and either mount it with a larger magazine (there are already such drums) or convert it to belt feed.

[paul3390]

I don't think the Saiga can withstand machine gun fire, especially from a magnum. Then there's the Vepr - it was actually a machine gun in its infancy.

[Evgeny64]

"Saiga" in its infancy was "Kalash" It comes in various calibers, including 7,62. I haven't seen the Vepr as a shotgun.
If you were to slap the eight-barreled, 12-gauge Saiga on a similar turret, with electronic control, it would be a pretty good option; its automatics are well-developed, and in all respects it's no worse than any foreign version.
Only cartridges are needed for remote detonation.
Machine gun fire is not needed there; single shots from eight barrels will cover everything.

[Victor Alien]

Will one shrapnel grenade be enough? Or not?!

[Evgeny64]

If you hit it within the right radius, then probably, but you need to make such a grenade.

[PROXOR]

No one's talking about a machine gun. But one 10-shot magazine is clearly not enough. There are drums, but they only hold 20 rounds, and you need at least 50 per barrel. A Kalashnikov automatic can easily handle 50 shots.

[Krugov]

I think a Maxim-type machine gun with a belt feed from a 250-round 12-gauge magazine would be just right!

[paul3390]

A 12-gauge cartridge with buckshot weighs about 50 grams. So, the belt would weigh a whopping 12 kilos. Besides, I'm not sure a plastic shell of that diameter could even be belt-fed.

[paul3390]

The real range of buckshot is 100 meters maximum. Okay, let's say 150, if it's in the right container. So, this huge, heavy thing can protect a 300-meter radius. What's the point? What would you even use it on? Well, maybe, maybe on a convoy escort pickup truck.

[Irokez]

Quote: paul3390

What should I bet on?

On the "Spiridon" (Terminator). Instead of a grill, use it from above to defend everything in a circle and even upwards. Move in tank columns at the front and shoot FPV. There are several operators, and one mans the upper turret, or even switch to automatic. The column moves compactly, with 2-3 Spiridons mowing everything down with shells and the turret from above hitting the UAVs. The fire density will be staggering, and the tanks and BMPs will add to the fire. It's like a breakthrough force of 5-6 vehicles with artillery support for 10-20 km into the enemy's depth. A cover group can also be sent behind (to cover the rear and flanks) to consolidate and defend positions all around, intensively searching for local operators, mortarmen, and artillery. The work should be comprehensive: the force, covering forces, electronic warfare, reconnaissance, artillery, and drone handlers.

[paul3390]

It would be easier to finally develop a 30mm shrapnel shell with a programmable fuse. Or finally see the notorious Derivation on the front lines. It would be an order of magnitude more useful.

[Bayun]

A pneumatic "turret" powered by a high-pressure compressor. The effect can be greater than that of a shotgun. At 250-300 meters, it will smash flying "foam" and "plastic" into pieces.

[alexoff]

For armor, you could make something more powerful than a shotgun blast. I'm suggesting a canister shot for an AGS, which isn't used very often anyway, and this is a relatively simple, lightweight design that can be quickly deployed.

[Irokez]

I was also wondering why not make an AGS with buckshot and even put a buckshot shot in the underbarrel grenade launcher of the machine gun, even if it's a single shot before approaching the drone, but the chance of shooting down with buckshot is 50/50.

[Krasnoyarsk]

There are plenty of ideas here on VO, but the real embodiment in metal is overseas. And what about our Kulibins?
Or maybe someone not only doesn’t help them, but even hinders them?
Why are we always lagging behind?
We were falling behind in the UAVs; let's not spoil the mood by mentioning the name of the person responsible for the delay. Good, we're starting to catch up. And the thought that along with the UAVs, we need to immediately think about methods of combating them. But no, we're falling behind again.

[tsvetahaki]

Quote: paul3390

Well, maybe, let's say, for a convoy escort pickup.

So this is the solution to half the problem.

[PROXOR]

Yes, a pair for armored vehicles and one each for trucks and pickups. The only thing left is to detect these drones early. The system should have not only a visual link with the AI, but also radar detection, and receive a warning from a Nabat-type alarm.

[Apis1962]

As a hunter since Soviet times, I can say that the effective range for shotguns chambered for magnum cartridges against high-altitude targets, i.e., those moving vertically, is no more than 50 meters from the shooter. Beyond that, the shot pattern spreads out and loses its lethal force. My experience shooting Benelli magnum over/unders confirms this. It's no wonder the article mentions cartridges with remote detonation.

[paul3390]

Well, a container that opens at a certain distance is possible. I tried to build something similar myself once, and it worked somewhat. And now they say they've apparently produced some of these. True, no one's ever seen one in action.

[Apis1962]

a container is possible

A pellet-firing container does exist, but it doesn't significantly increase the effective range, and it's not remotely detonated, simply deploying after exiting the barrel. It's online, but I'm having a bad connection today due to a 404 attack.

[paul3390]

The whole question is how far it will deploy. It's adjusted, very roughly, by notches on it. In theory, you could set it to deploy at, say, 50, 70, and 90 meters. Of course, it's not about precision, but if you load these cartridges sequentially, you can create a three-dimensional cloud of shot 90 to 30 meters deep. At least something will definitely hit. But how much power does a lightweight drone need? Naturally, a lot of experimentation is needed here.

[alexoff]

I haven't seen anything like this in a while, but last year they regularly showed videos of drones flying in the tail of other drones and shooting them down with hunting rounds at point-blank range. Since there was no bolt and the spent cartridges simply flew backwards, the recoil was low. But apparently, having a company of defensive drones flying around a tank company is incredibly complex to organize.

[PROXOR]

The Chinese drone shows refute your words.

[alexoff]

Well, you compared the Chinese with a prescribed algorithm under ideal conditions and our generals in a real combat situation.

[PROXOR]

Well, I said it straight out: there is no technical problem, there are names.

[PROXOR]

Therefore, the algorithms need to be designed to fire exclusively on converging courses. When at least three shots from at least four barrels are fired at the FPV's face, that's a significant cloud of buckshot, and the chance of shooting it down approaches 100%.

[wlkw]

In fact, there was an article on this website about an American designer, describing how he actually made an automatic grenade launcher (a machine gun, an assault rifle, I don't know what to call it), but the Vietnam War ended... and he didn't have time. Yes, it all fired hunting cartridges, i.e., buckshot.
One can expect a reincarnation of this idea.

[PROXOR]

The automatic system could be the same as the Kord. The issue of feeding into the barrel needs to be addressed. The 12-gauge has a blunt-nosed case. Tokarev had a hard time designing a submachine gun chambered for the Nagant cartridge in the PPT-27.

[Roman Efremov]

The caliber is a bit small. How much buckshot is in there? It needs at least 20mm.

[Fan-fan]

The Italians did it, but we didn't. And drones don't bomb the Italians, but they do bomb us. Are they smarter than us? Where are the people in charge of our army looking? Nothing? Then they all need to be replaced before it's too late.

[Uh Neuhov]

Where are the people responsible for our army looking?

29 August 2021 Russian military equipment is capable of successfully countering threats posed by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced this in an exclusive interview with the YouTube channel "Soloviev Live," footage of which was broadcast on the Rossiya-1 television channel and on the "Smotrim" platform.
‎
"We're not lagging behind in this area, I won't make any boasts here. We're not lagging behind in any system," Shoigu said, answering a question about the state of Russia's counter-UAV capabilities.
According to him, the range of Russian anti-UAV weapons has been increased by almost a third. "It's not just the Pantsirs, which you can see here [at Army-2021], it's not just the new Pantsir, which we deployed nearby in an exclusive, semi-enclosed version, which already has a significantly increased range for detecting and interfering with unmanned aerial vehicles. I'd say we've increased [the range] by 30%—and that's just recently," Shoigu reported.
As the Defense Minister noted, electronic warfare systems against UAVs are also being developed. "We can say there's an electronic warfare system, like when a drone is flying along, and suddenly, like a paralyzed pigeon, it lands on some wires or something," Shoigu noted.

[bbb]

Rostec hasn't woken up yet.

[semen-2]

Hello comrades!
Beretta Defense Technologies has developed an advanced combat system that meets the demands of today's battlefield.
I assume that in the foreseeable future it will be tested on the battlefield and not by our armed forces.
Unlike the X-class, Rostec operates in a peacetime environment, where development deadlines can be pushed back as much as desired.

[Victor Alien]

I still don't get it—what's the point of these 8 shotguns if you can load an underbarrel grenade launcher (or the D-type for the AGS-17) with the same pellets?! And it's easier to install an automatic fuse than to cram it into a 12-gauge cartridge, for example, and then use so many barrels—what the hell?! You can use a 5,45mm or 5,56mm minigun—it'll be essentially the same thing—the pellets are slightly smaller, although there'll be more of them in a single shot. But the pellets have a shorter range than a machine gun bullet.

[wlkw]

Well, it's a concept, cobbled together from what was at hand. The main thing is how the targeting and detection system will work. And the shotgun can always be replaced with something else. As long as they have the funding. These days, quick decisions are required; the first come, first served.
Moreover, they were already pushing this gun onto the market as a “drone-killer”.
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