The Indian Army has been observed operating a 105mm towed field gun equipped with a protective anti-drone cope cage, highlighting how the growing use of FPV drones and loitering munitions is changing the way conventional artillery units operate. Images from an Army exercise show a large metal mesh framework installed around the gun and crew positions. The structure provides protection from overhead and side attacks while still allowing the artillery system to function in the field. The modification is significant because towed artillery pieces are increasingly exposed to drone-based surveillance and attacks. Once an artillery position is located by an unmanned aerial vehicle, enemy forces can potentially use FPV drones or loitering munitions to attack the gun and its crew. The Indian Army has previously experimented with similar cope-cage arrangements on other platforms. Some designs can reportedly be folded or removed when unrestricted movement is required during firing or repositioning. The principle behind the latest modification is straightforward: create a physical barrier between the drone threat and vulnerable areas of the weapon system. A cope cage does not make an artillery gun immune to drone attacks. Instead, it acts as an additional layer of passive protection. Depending on its design and the direction of an incoming attack, the mesh could interfere with a drone’s approach or reduce the likelihood of a dropped munition reaching critical components or crew areas. The development also reflects lessons emerging from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where artillery has become a frequent target of persistent drone surveillance, FPV attacks and loitering weapons. These battlefield experiences have demonstrated that artillery survivability increasingly depends not only on mobility and camouflage but also on protection against attacks from above. India’s interest in such equipment appears to be expanding beyond individual field modifications. Procurement activity during 2026 has reportedly included requirements for anti-drone cages intended for artillery pieces and other military equipment. Such modifications could be particularly useful for the Army’s large inventory of legacy towed guns. Although newer self-propelled and mounted artillery systems can reposition rapidly, traditional towed guns remain relevant because of their relatively simple logistics, mobility and lower operating costs. Lightweight passive protection could therefore provide a cost-effective way of improving the survivability of existing artillery fleets while more sophisticated counter-drone capabilities are introduced. The 105mm gun’s cope cage should therefore be regarded as one element of a broader defensive system rather than a replacement for electronic warfare, hard-kill counter-UAS weapons or battlefield air defence.
