Fiocchi Ammunition, operating under the CSG Group, has introduced a new line of counter-drone ammunition engineered for standard-issue assault rifles, addressing a critical gap in infantry-level UAV defense. The new ammunition is available in 5.56x45mm NATO and 5.45x39mm, with a 7.62x51mm variant already in development. Designated the 5.56x45 SJ 77 MB DD W-BITE and the 5.45x39 DD W-BITE MB, the ammunition employs tungsten sphere projectile technology derived from the 12-gauge counter-drone shotshells Fiocchi debuted at DSEI 2025. The rounds are fully compatible with standard magazines and have been tested in most modern carbines and service rifles. The decision to develop rifle-caliber counter-drone ammunition came directly from field feedback. After the 12-gauge rounds proved effective in testing, Fiocchi's technical director, Costantino Fiocchi, noted that adding shotguns to standard infantry loadouts is logistically complicated, and many front-line soldiers simply do not have access to them. The rifle-caliber solution allows a soldier to swap magazines and immediately engage UAV targets without any weapon modification or additional training on a different platform. Development began in late September 2025, and a final prototype was confirmed following testing with the Italian Army's C-UAS Centre of Excellence at the Army Air Defence Command in Sabaudia in early December 2025. The 5.56x45 variant is expected to be available in late April 2026.Target customers include infantry and special forces units, convoy and patrol elements, personnel defending forward positions and critical infrastructure, and law enforcement in urban environments. The development was conducted in cooperation with the Italian Armed Forces, with validation testing carried out by Italian special forces and army units."By enabling counter-drone capability directly through standard-issue rifles, we are helping address one of the most urgent operational gaps identified in recent conflicts," said Petr Marijczuk, CEO of the CSG Ammo+ division. No commercial availability has been announced for the counter-drone line, which is positioned as a military and law enforcement product.For more information, read CSG’s press release. With small UAVs now a fixture on the modern battlefield, should counter-drone ammunition become a standard part of every infantryman's loadout alongside conventional rounds?