Beretta Defense Technologies is set to unveil a new automated weapon station designed to counter drone attacks at the Eurosatory defence show in Paris this summer.

Named the Livet, the new weapon mounts eight Benelli “Drone Guardian” shotguns in a remote-controlled turret that resembles a compact anti-aircraft system.

According to the company, which is part of the Beretta Group, Livet is equipped with target auto-tracking and remote engagement capabilities and offers rapid reaction times, which it says helps support the “protection of strategic assets and critical infrastructures”.

The system uses tungsten cartridges and can be equipped with air burst rounds that detonate in midair, which can help neutralise smaller drones by causing fragmentation damage.

The platform’s AI-integrated tracking system allows Livet to identify and lock on to targets autonomously. It can also be integrated with external short-range radar sensors or radio-frequency scanners, from which it can receive real-time coordinates to seek out threats.

Drone warfare has redefined the modern battlefield, with unmanned, often low-cost systems playing a major role in both the war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East.

First-person-view drones, which can be assembled for as little as $300, have been particularly effective in Ukraine, offering Kyiv the ability to carry out precision strikes on Russian forces while reducing the risk to its own soldiers.

Their effectiveness on the battlefield has since forced many nations to accelerate the development of new anti-drone technologies and has fuelled a boom in defence startups across Europe.

The Eurosatory show is scheduled to take place between 15 and 19 June, bringing together key players from the defence industry as well as senior state and military officials. This year’s event is due to host talks from figures including General Pierre Schill, the chief of staff of the French Army, and Catherine Vautrin, the French minister of the armed forces.