South Korea’s air force has conducted its first live-fire exercise successfully countering a swarm of drones, shooting down all 50 simulated aerial targets using a combination of Vulcan cannons, a portable laser system, and shotguns, military officials said.

Axar.az reports, citing Asia First News Agency, the drill was carried out on Tuesday by the Air Force Missile Defense Command at a training range on South Korea’s west coast. It reflects growing global concerns over the increasing use of coordinated drone swarms in modern warfare.

According to the air force, eight 20 mm Vulcan cannons engaged 50 low-flying drones approaching from about one kilometer away. The systems created a dense barrage of fire that destroyed 44 drones before they reached defensive positions.

The remaining six drones that penetrated the first layer of defense were intercepted at close range using a portable laser weapon and shotguns, completing the exercise with a reported 100% interception rate.

Officials said the drill marked the first time the South Korean air force tested an integrated response against a coordinated drone swarm using existing air defense assets.

“This was our first exercise to defend against the growing threat of drone swarms using existing assets, including Vulcan cannons,” said Colonel Nam Hyung-joo, chief of intelligence and operations at the Air Force Missile Defense Command.

“We will continue to develop our counter-drone capabilities based on the results and lessons learned from the exercise,” he added.

The exercise comes as militaries worldwide accelerate efforts to strengthen defenses against low-cost mass drone attacks, which have become a defining feature of recent conflicts and pose increasing challenges to traditional air defense systems.