Ireland plans to use shotguns and helicopter-mounted machine guns to counter potential drone attacks during its EU presidency, The Irish Times reported, citing military officials. Ground forces are said to be "purchasing shotguns and training troops to use them for self-defense" against drones, while helicopter crews are training to counter drones using built-in machine guns.
The military is also equipping small propeller trainer aircraft with anti-drone capabilities. Irish Navy personnel are also learning to shoot down unmanned aerial vehicles, "conducting live firing exercises with ships' secondary weapons for short-range defence" and preparing to use air burst munitions.
According to the newspaper, these measures, combined with state-of-the-art electronic countermeasures, are intended to create a "multi-layered" defense system against potential drone incursions, both during Ireland's presidency of the EU Council and during future military operations. The defense systems will be used mainly at military facilities, including Casement Airport in west Dublin, where world leaders will gather during the presidency.
