Slovenia's Valhalla Turrets Tests ASGARD Counter-Drone System With US Gatling Gun

Slovenian defense company Valhalla Turrets has completed several days of live-fire testing of its ASGARD remotely operated weapon system, demonstrating a configuration designed to provide mobile protection against unmanned aerial threats.

The tests involved an American-made Dillon Aero M134D six-barrel Gatling gun chambered in 7.62×51 mm NATO ammunition.

Valhalla announced the results on November 5, reporting that thousands of rounds had been fired during the testing program.

The Slovenian Armed Forces supported the trials, which took place at the Postojna military training area between October 26 and 30 as part of a broader evaluation of domestically developed defense technologies.

The ASGARD configuration was demonstrated on a military vehicle from the Oshkosh JLTV family.

High-Rate Fire for Short-Range Drone Defense

The M134D uses an electrically driven rotating barrel assembly and can deliver approximately 3,000 rounds per minute in the configuration described.

The weapon's high rate of fire is intended to improve the ability to engage small and maneuvering aerial targets, particularly drones operating at relatively short distances.

Unlike missile-based counter-drone systems, a Gatling-equipped remote weapon station uses conventional ammunition, potentially offering another option for engagements where the use of guided missiles would be disproportionately expensive.

However, the operational effectiveness of such systems depends on several factors, including target detection, tracking accuracy, engagement distance and ammunition expenditure.

Valhalla has not published independently verified interception rates or detailed results showing how many airborne targets were successfully destroyed during the latest tests.

The system's remotely operated configuration allows personnel to control the weapon from within a protected vehicle rather than exposing a gunner directly to incoming threats.

ASGARD is part of the manufacturer's modular remote weapon station portfolio, which is designed to accommodate different armament configurations.

Slovenian Army Supports Domestic Weapons Development

The latest evaluation formed part of a wider Slovenian Armed Forces testing program involving several defense technologies.

In an October 27 announcement, the military confirmed that the trials included Valhalla's MANGART 25 air defense system, the lighter LOKI 762 weapon station and ASGARD.

Additional live-fire testing is scheduled for December 7 to 11.

Based in Komenda, Slovenia, Valhalla Turrets has been expanding its portfolio of remotely operated weapon stations and mobile air defense technologies.

In October, AdriaDefense reported on the company's new Skythunder configuration, combining a 20 mm rotary cannon with 70 mm laser-guided rockets.

The latest ASGARD trials concern a separate, smaller-caliber weapon configuration and provide further evidence of the company's continued development work in the counter-drone segment.

The tests come as European armed forces explore ways to combine missiles, guns, electronic warfare and drone interceptors to counter increasingly numerous and relatively inexpensive aerial threats.

For Valhalla, the next milestones will be additional testing, operational evaluation and any subsequent procurement decisions. The company has not announced a new production contract arising from the latest trials.