South Korea's anti-drone swarm exercise used which weapons?

The exercise deployed three types of systems: 20mm anti-aircraft cannons, a laser weapon system capable of precisely burning drones at low per-shot cost, and small arms fire. Together they formed a multi-layered interception network targeting 50 small UAVs.

Why is South Korea developing counter-drone swarm capabilities?

North Korea has conducted multiple drone incursions into South Korean airspace in recent years. Combined with lessons from drone swarm tactics seen in Ukraine and the Middle East, South Korea is accelerating development of layered counter-drone defenses to address the threat of low-cost UAV attacks.

Why are laser weapons considered effective against drone swarms?

Laser systems offer a very low marginal cost per interception compared to traditional surface-to-air missiles, making them economically viable against large numbers of low-cost drones. They also provide rapid response times and precision targeting, reducing collateral risk.

South Korea Conducts First Anti-Drone Swarm Exercise:…

South Korea Conducts First Anti-Drone Swarm Exercise: 20mm Cannons and Laser Systems Deployed Against 50 Small UAVs

South Korea has reportedly completed its first live-fire exercise targeting a drone swarm, deploying 20mm anti-aircraft cannons, laser weapon systems, and small arms to intercept and destroy 50 small UAVs. Footage of the drill has circulated online, drawing attention to the tactical implications amid ongoing North Korean drone incursion threats.

21 days ago

Highlights

South Korea completed its first live-fire anti-drone swarm exercise, simultaneously engaging 50 small UAVs with 20mm cannons, laser weapons, and small arms.

The laser weapon system offers a significantly lower per-shot cost than conventional surface-to-air missiles, making it cost-effective against mass low-cost drone threats.

The exercise was conducted in direct response to repeated North Korean drone incursions into South Korean airspace in recent years.

Partial footage of the exercise was leaked via WarPeaceAndYou through the ChinaArmy channel; official results have not been publicly released by the South Korean military.

Drone swarm tactics have emerged as a major challenge to traditional air defense systems in conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, driving South Korea's accelerated counter-drone development.

South Korea's military has reportedly completed the country's first live-fire exercise specifically targeting a drone swarm, involving 50 small UAVs and a range of counter-drone weapon systems tested for interception and destruction capabilities.

Exercise Scale and Weapons Deployed

Based on footage that has emerged from the exercise, South Korea simultaneously employed three categories of countermeasures:

20mm Anti-Aircraft Cannon: A conventional high-rate-of-fire air defense weapon suited for fast-moving low-altitude targets.
Laser Weapon System: Uses a high-energy laser beam to precisely burn through drones, offering advantages in low per-shot cost and rapid response time.
Small Arms (Light Weapons Fire): Used in conjunction with the above two systems to form a multi-layered interception network.

Exercise footage was leaked by the channel WarPeaceAndYou via ChinaArmy, capturing portions of the drill in progress.

Background and Strategic Context

Drone swarm tactics have attracted significant attention across multiple conflict zones in recent years. From the battlefields of Ukraine to the Middle East, small, low-cost UAVs have posed serious challenges to conventional air defense systems. South Korea's exercise was conducted against the backdrop of repeated North Korean drone incursions into South Korean airspace, giving the drill clear real-world operational relevance.

Laser weapon systems, classified as a "soft-kill" solution, are considered cost-effective against large numbers of low-cost drones, as the marginal cost per interception is far lower than that of traditional surface-to-air missiles.

Notes on Footage

The publicly available footage represents only a partial record of the exercise. Full exercise details and official assessment results have not yet been formally released by the South Korean military.

Source: WarPeaceAndYou via ChinaArmy. For more drone warfare developments, follow the Drone Wars official X account.

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