Swiss Guard Soldiers Carry Anti-Drone Rifles Ahead of Pope Francis’ Funeral

Swiss Guard soldiers have been spotted wielding huge anti-drone rifles ahead of Pope Francis’s funeral this weekend — with a no-fly zone already in place around Vatican City.

Pope Francis’ funeral will take place on Saturday in an open-air ceremony in front of St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City in Rome, Italy — with world leaders including Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky seated outside.

The Swiss Guard, a military body tasked with protecting the pope, are planning one of the most complex and secretive security operations in Vatican history to guard against aerial attacks and the threat of drones during the funeral.

Security measures deployed by the Swiss Guard include anti-drone weapons, a no-fly zone enforced by fighter jets, and advanced jamming technology deployed across Rome and in the skies above Vatican City.

Ban on All Aircraft and Anti-Drone Weapons

Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reports that the Vatican airspace has been locked down with a blanket ban on all aircraft — from commercial planes to hobbyist drones to prevent any airborne threats. A no-fly zone is being patrolled by NATO Boeing E-3A airborne warning and control surveillance jets with sophisticated anti-drone jamming systems and radar domes mounted on the fuselage.

According to The Telegraph of London, soldiers in the Swiss Guard have been spotted carrying two types of anti-drone weapons designed to neutralize drones flying in restricted airspace and block them from transmitting video feeds or GPS signals.

These devices disrupt the connection between the drone and its remote operator, interfering with communication signals and forcing the drone to either land safely or crash.

The Telegraph of London describes the weapons as resembling oversized machine guns, with no visible markings. One model, an all-black anti-drone gun with a white plastic plate at the front, weighs approximately 17 pounds.

Furthermore, snipers will be placed strategically on nearby roofs for Pope Francis’ funeral, while crowd barriers are already erected inside and outside the basilica. Around 8,000 security agents will also be in place for the funeral, including 2,000 uniformed police and another 1,400 plain-clothes officers.

As many as 170 foreign delegations, such as Prince William and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, are expected to descend on the Vatican for Saturday’s funeral, along with crowds of up to 200,000 people to pay respects to Pope Francis. The Swiss Guard are an independent military corps that has been protecting the Catholic pope since the 1500s.