Chongqing Builds Multi-Barrel Hemispherical Anti-Drone System as Northrop Unveils Raid Hunter

Chinese military contractor Chongqing Construction Industry Group has developed a multi-barrel weapon concept designed to counter drone threats approaching from multiple directions. According to patent documents, the system consists of multiple barrel assemblies connected to a shared propellant chamber. Each assembly is fitted with a feed tube holding spherical projectiles and a spring mechanism that automatically pushes the next projectile into the firing position after each shot.

At the moment of firing, propellant gas drives a locking block to close the feed port and prevent gas leakage. When chamber pressure drops, a return spring pushes the locking block back to reopen the feed channel, allowing the next projectile to advance into the firing position. The design permits multiple barrel assemblies to be mounted at different angles, enabling simultaneous fire in multiple directions.

The system employs a fixed multi-barrel hemispherical array layout that eliminates aim delay without requiring a rotating turret, offering sub-second detection-to-fire response and no firing dead zones or blind spots. The design targets combat scenarios in which drone swarms close in from multiple directions simultaneously, aiming to improve interception probability against small unmanned aerial vehicles approaching from various angles. The technical solution bears a high degree of resemblance in appearance and function to the multi-barrel hemispherical array system previously demonstrated by Picket Defense Systems.

In August 2026, Northrop Grumman released a new chain gun positioned as defensive equipment to protect critical infrastructure from drone swarm attacks, employing precision-guided firing to engage fast-moving aerial threats. The evolving operational patterns of drone swarms are driving anti-drone system technology toward faster response times and broader coverage, and the multi-barrel hemispherical array configuration is regarded as one of the important technical directions for next-generation anti-drone systems.