French Navy conducts first anti-drone training exercise
French marine riflemen used both jammer rifles and shotguns to engage micro-UAVs at sea. (Photo: French Navy)
France's Naval Action Force (FAN) has conducted a dedicated exercise to train ship crews, marine riflemen and fast jet pilots in countering asymmetric drone threats.
To test anti-drone warfare techniques, the FAN's training division worked with participating units on the dedicated training event held off the Brittany coast near Brest on 27 June.
Taking part were the FREMM frigate Bretagne, the OPV Enseigne de vaisseau Jacoubet, Dassault Rafale M aircraft from 11F and 12F squadrons and the Amyot d'Inville Battalion of marine riflemen.
This allowed the marines to test their jamming and neutralisation equipment at sea and surface ship crews to face different types of UAV and USV threats. Rafale pilots, meanwhile, had the opportunity to engage a high-speed USV.
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The Bretagne was first confronted with aerial drones with flight speeds varying from 97 to 165kt. The effectiveness of the ship's 76mm gun and secondary weapons, such as remotely operated 20mm cannon and 12.7mm machine guns, was tested.
Following these air attacks, micro-drones took off from the FREMM's helicopter deck to test the jamming capabilities of the BADA counter-UAS rifle and practice neutralisation using shotguns loaded with special ammunition.
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