PDW cal. 7.92x24mm anti-drone weapon function

After Russian FPV drones hunted ordinary citizens in the streets of Kherson and the rise of 12-gauge shotguns as the primary protection against FPV drone attacks, it is now time for multi-projectile anti-drone ammunition in PDWs (Personal Defense Weapons).

Flemish weapon project 7.92x24mm 3-P taken out of the fridge as a personal anti-drone weapon 

The situation on the battlefield is changing rapidly, with soldiers barely firing a shot and focusing on the small screen of their FPV drone controller. Current PDW calibers 9x19mm and 5.7x28mm can hardly be used efficiently as protection against an FPV drone attack.

Shotguns are large and are carried as a primary weapon for short-range drone protection. Can a pistol be used as protection against FPV drones? A Flemish weapon project that is still on hold...

No weapons or ammunition can be purchased from VBR-Belgium, and no ammunition is available anymore. This is only information from an old Flemish ammunition project from 2005! 

The 7.92x24mm caliber

Glock 17 with 7.94x24mm 3-P impact 

The 7.92x24mm caliber was developed in 2005 in Roeselare, West Flanders, by Rik Van Bruaene of the weapon technical design agency VBR-Belgium, in response to the poor performance of the 5.7x28mm FN - PDW concept (see page 7.92x24mm). The design motive was to develop a new PDW caliber with the widest possible range of applications. After concluding that in a shootout, only the technique of multiple hits on the target can efficiently neutralize an opponent, and following the highly effective stopping power of 12-gauge shotguns, VBR-Belgium investigated whether a pistol could also have a shotgun function. The result was the 7.92x24mm 3-P cartridge.

The 7.92x24mm 3-P cartridge

7.92x24mm S 3-P and 7.92x24mm N 3-P cartridge

The 3-P test project conducted in Flanders was carried out in the PDW caliber 7.92x24mm with the 7.92x24mm S 3-P and 7.92x24mm N 3-P cartridges. The 7.92x24mm caliber has a 24mm long case, allowing multiple projectiles to be loaded. This is not the case with the competing American .30 Super Carry caliber, the 5.7x28mm caliber, and only to a limited extent with the 9x19mm caliber.

7.92x24mm N 3-P cartridge with the impact of 3 projectiles from one cartridge

The main projectile of the 7.92x24mm N 3-P cartridge is heavy enough and has sufficient energy to achieve the required 12 inches or 304mm penetration of the FBI test protocol in bare gelatin. Here in the photo, the main projectile has flown out of the 320mm long gelatin block. Such deep penetration of the projectiles from the 7.92x24mm N 3-P cartridge was intended for personal defense.

The 7.92x24mm S 3-P cartridge

7.92x24mm S 3-P cartridge with the impact of 3 projectiles from one cartridge

The main projectile of the 7.92x24mm S 3-P cartridge is significantly lighter than that of the 7.92x24mm N 3-P cartridge, resulting in less deep penetration and more in line with the other two secondary projectiles.

7.92x24mm S 3-P cartridge with the impact on gelatin of 3 projectiles from one cartridge

The spread of projectiles from a 7.92x24mm S 3-P cartridge and the penetration depth varies between 200 and 290 mm (7 and 11.5 inches). The spread remains the same and offers interesting possibilities in compact and micro-compact pistols.

Heavy clothing impacts 7.92x24mm S 3-P cartridge

 

3 impacts from one 7.92x24mm S 3-P cartridge 

7.92 projectiles with 4 layers of denim still on the secondary projectile

7.92x24mm S 3-P on a bulletproof vest

  Impact of 3 7.92mm projectiles at close range

Unlike the 5.7x28mm cartridge, the civilian ammunition of the 7.92x24mm caliber cannot penetrate bulletproof vests. This is also not the case with the 7.92x24mm S 3-P cartridge.

The new NIJ-3A MT-PRO-GEN7 bulletproof vests from Engarde are certified against the 7.62x25 Tokarev and 5.7x27mm SS197 calibers and are extremely suitable for stopping the 7.92x24mm caliber with civilian ammunition.

7.92x24mm as an anti-drone pistol?

It is clear that a double-barrel shotgun in 12 gauge has too few shots to stop an FPV drone. A Glock 17 in 7.92x24mm caliber has 18 to 21 shots, with each cartridge containing 3 or more projectiles that can be fired at the FPV drone per shot.

A compact pistol as a personal defense weapon against FPV drones is a possible new function of this Flemish 7.92x24mm PDW weapon project.

The Flemish PDW-Sidearm project was designed in the 9x19mm and 7.92x24mm Short calibers and can therefore also be considered as an Anti-Drone - Personal Defense Weapon. From the applications of various types of anti-drone ammunition, it appears that firing short bursts of fully automatic fire is the most efficient against drones, where a kind of cloud of anti-drone fragments is fired at the drone in a short time.

The AD-PDW Sidearm is much shorter than a 12-gauge shotgun and can be carried as a backup weapon with the SCAR-L or another assault weapon.

An AD-PDW Sidearm can be carried in a thigh holster just like a pistol, but it has a much greater effect against attacking drones than a pistol.