American service members of the 1st Cavalry Division conducted large-scale multi-echelon live-fire exercises at the Fort Hood range, focusing on the integration of counter-unmanned aircraft systems into realistic combat scenarios.
The main feature of the training was that infantry troops practiced destroying aerial targets not with specialized shotguns, but by using standard-issue weapons, including M4 assault rifles, M240 machine guns, M320 underbarrel grenade launchers, and M500 shotguns, DVIDS reports.
As commanders note, shooting at moving, small-scale drones with carbines requires pinpoint accuracy, especially under conditions of gusty winds and limited visibility. This forces fighters to rely on maximum composure and communication.
Because drones give the enemy serious advantages in reconnaissance and fire adjustment, such training teaches soldiers to balance aerial threats with the execution of classic ground tasks, preparing them for the challenges of a modern multi-domain battlefield
