The German company RWS has introduced specialized Urban Drone Defense (UDD) machine gun cartridges designed to counter drones, the German media outlet Hartpunkt reported.

At the Enforce Tac 2025 defense exhibition, two types of 7.62×51 mm machine gun ammunition with plastic bullets were presented for the first time.

According to the manufacturer, these cartridges are particularly suited for use in densely populated areas due to their low collateral damage. The plastic bullets have low kinetic energy and limited penetration capability.

Project manager Christoph Denk stated that the cartridges had been primarily developed for rapid-fire machine guns with rotating barrel assemblies, such as the Dillon MG6, but could also be used with conventional self-loading rifles.

The ammunition is expected to offer a cost-effective and efficient solution for countering drones when used with specialized machine gun modules.

The cartridges are available in two configurations.

UDD Light, featuring a light blue polymer bullet weighing 1 gram, is designed for short-range engagements of up to 100 meters, making it suitable for urban environments.

According to the project manager, the risk zone for bystanders does not exceed 400 meters.

UDD Heavy, with a heavier grayish-brown bullet weighing about 3 grams, is intended for medium-range engagements of up to 300 meters in suburban or rural areas. Its danger zone extends up to 1,000 meters.

According to the developers, the ammunition’s characteristics and compatibility with assault rifles make it suitable not only for military applications but also for law enforcement operations.

Denk explained that various materials, including plastic, carbon fiber, and thin steel sheets, had been tested against the cartridges to assess their effectiveness against different UAV structures. The tests showed that plastic bullets, particularly at close range, fragmented upon impact due to their high velocity, sometimes outperforming conventional metal bullets.

The company is currently developing a tracer variant of the bullet to enable more precise targeting without specialized sighting devices.

At the same Enforce Tac 2025 exhibition, Diehl Defense unveiled an improved version of its Kinetic Defense Vehicle drone protection system, the initial version of which was first used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.