U.S. Marines Open First Counter-Drone Training Lanes to Shoot Down Drones With Rifles and Shotguns

U.S. Marines are now training to shoot down small drones traveling at speeds exceeding 90 mph using M27 rifles, M1014 shotguns, and grenade launchers as part of the Marine Corps’ first dedicated counter-drone training lanes at Twentynine Palms, California. Marines engaged simulated hostile unmanned aerial systems at distances as short as 20 meters while also employing electronic warfare, creating a layered defense against the type of fast-moving first-person-view (FPV) drone threat reshaping modern ground combat. Read full Defense News at this link …

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jeremiah Smith fires an M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle during counter-drone training at Twentynine Palms, California, on July 17, 2026, as Marines practice engaging fast-moving small unmanned aerial systems at close range. (Picture source: U.S. Marine Corps)

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