Clay target crackshots: Shotguns tipped to help soldiers defend against drones
In the hills near Limassol, a constant cracking sound echoes across the valley.
The British Army's Clay Target Shooting Team is visiting Cyprus for a development camp in the sun.
Shotguns fire cartridges one after another, splitting the small discs as the team move between shooting positions.
"Cyprus offers a unique environment," said Major Jason Wright, British Army Clay Target Shooting Team.
"It's much different to the targets, weather and typography of shooting grounds in the UK."
But far from the picturesque mountainsides of the Mediterranean island, soldiers are shooting at flying objects, not in sport, but in war.
New lease of life
Shotguns have been given a new lease of life in Ukraine.
The triumphant comeback serves as a last-ditch effort to take down an incoming FPV drone.
And for a skilled marksman, it often works.
Shotguns have enjoyed centuries of success in game hunting, sport and combat.
During the First World War, the trench gun was so successful that Germany thought it was breaking the laws of war.
A hundred years later, the shotgun's renewed role on the battlefield means soldiers need the skills to match.
The similarities between clay target shooting and defending against drones with a shotgun are hard to miss.
"I think moving targets are a much more relevant target when it comes to operational shooting," said Maj Wright.
He added that there's a "crossover between our sport and operational shooting".
"I think there's some real connections," he said.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Clay Pigeons
Having a team of crack shots in the Army's back pocket gives the UK Armed Forces a chance to better prepare for future conflicts.
After all, members of the team represent Great Britain and the home nations in international competitions.
There's already a historical military precedent.
During the Second World War, RAF gunners were taught to shoot down enemy aircraft by practising on clay pigeons.
However, the sport needs to grow if it is to be used for training to defend against drones.
Lance Corporal Taylor Demann, British Army Clay Target Shooting Team, said: "It goes through waves, but it's starting to become more popular now. We've seen a nice rise in shooters and more interest. It's slowly growing.
"The SA-80 stuff is very static. There's a lot more to mentally think about with this sport."
More shotguns than we need, but fewer than we want
In Iraq and Afghanistan, the British Army deployed with the L128A1 semi-automatic combat shotgun but, since the end of both wars, the Army's supply rarely sees the light of day.
New wars require new weapons. A combat shotgun may appear on the list.
The Experimentations and Trials Group have been testing tactical shotguns as a defence against uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), among other measures.
The Ministry of Defence won't go into detail about the success of trials or whether clay target shooting could be used to teach soldiers to shoot drones.
"The UK has a range of Counter-UAS capabilities on offer to defend and protect our personnel and infrastructure," said an MOD spokesperson.
"For operational security reasons, we will not go into detail about the countermeasures we employ."
They added that it will learn lessons from Ukraine and follow recommendations in the Strategic Defence Review.
Join Our Newsletter
