The tactical application of less-lethal kinetic impact munitions has undergone a significant shift as agencies seek to reduce the risk of head and neck injuries associated with direct-fire deployment. Many departments have adopted 'skip-firing' or subsurface deployment—aiming projectiles at the ground in front of a subject to allow the munition to lose energy before making contact. However, without standardized training, this technique introduces a high degree of unpredictability. The 2026 training landscape is now prioritizing the formalization of ricochet mitigation and surface-interaction physics within POST-certified programs.
Key Details
Traditional launcher qualification often focuses on a static target at a fixed distance. The new instructional standards move away from this model, requiring officers to demonstrate proficiency in 'surface-dependent trajectory analysis.' This involves understanding how different urban materials—asphalt, concrete, packed dirt, and wet surfaces—affect the bounce height and remaining kinetic energy of 40mm foam or wood batons. Current research indicates that a projectile fired at a 15-degree angle onto concrete retains approximately 70% of its velocity but gains a high degree of vertical instability. Training programs are now being redesigned to include 'zone-based' qualification, where the objective is to land the projectile within a three-foot area of the ground to achieve a predictable impact on the lower extremities of a target.
Broader Context
The push for these standards follows several high-profile incidents where 'skipped' rounds behaved unexpectedly, striking bystanders or hitting subjects in sensitive areas due to surface irregularities. In response, national training associations are advocating for a 'Science-Based Ballistics' approach. This move is partly driven by the need to provide a more rigorous defense for officers in use-of-force reviews. If an officer can demonstrate they were trained in specific subsurface tactics and the munition's behavior was a statistical anomaly of the surface, rather than a lack of officer precision, the liability profile changes significantly.
Implications for Law Enforcement
Command staff must recognize that subsurface deployment is no longer an 'ad-hoc' tactical choice but a specific skill set requiring dedicated certification. This means that agencies must update their range facilities to include varied surface lanes or utilize mobile training platforms that simulate different ground materials. Furthermore, instructor-level courses must now include modules on 'Environmental Ballistics,' ensuring that those teaching the techniques can articulate the risks associated with different strike angles. Agencies should also consider updating their use-of-force manuals to explicitly define when subsurface fire is preferred over direct fire, based on the proximity of the crowd and the surrounding architecture.
Conclusion
Modernizing less-lethal training requires moving beyond basic marksmanship and into the complexities of urban ballistics. By adopting standardized ricochet mitigation protocols, agencies can maximize the effectiveness of their less-lethal tools while minimizing the collateral risks inherent in traditional deployment. The future of less-lethal proficiency lies in the ability to command not just the launcher, but the environment in which it is used. Professionalizing these subsurface tactics is a critical step in maintaining public trust and operational safety.
