Rostec, the Russian state technology corporation, has unveiled a new assault rifle cartridge designed to counter drones, according to a report from TASS. The cartridge, named Mnogotochiye, is produced by High Precision Systems Holding Company, a Rostec subsidiary, and was showcased in the company's 'Nash Krash' ('Our Crash' Test) engineering project.
In a demonstration, the cartridge was shown to down an enemy FPV drone with a single shot. The test involved hitting a drone to which a soda bottle had been attached, to visualize the impact. "We switch to single-shot firing mode and try to hit it. And we hit it with the first shot!" the presenter said, as quoted by TASS.
TASS reported that the cartridge's effectiveness stems from its unique design. According to an engineer involved in the development, the round consists of three elements that spin upon exiting the barrel, stabilizing its flight. "Each bullet element rotates like a whirl, making it quite difficult for it to deviate from its trajectory," the engineer explained.
The report also detailed the cartridge's effective range, which varies by caliber. "As compared to shotgun rounds, we have operational ranges of 100-150 [meters], depending on the caliber. The range for the 7.62 [mm caliber] is up to 300 [meters]," the engineer said, according to TASS.
The announcement comes amid growing military focus on drone countermeasures. While the report frames the cartridge as a direct response to the threat of FPV drones, the broader strategic context was not elaborated upon in the sources.