The King learned how to shoot down a drone on a visit to an army base on Thorney Island on Thursday.
Charles looked through the sight unit of an air defence missile launcher, as if to acquire an enemy drone, but did not fire the equipment.
He was visiting Bakers Barracks on the peninsula in Chichester Harbour, on the border of Hampshire and West Sussex.
The island is the headquarters of the 7th Air Defence Group which provides all of the UK’s ground based air defence assets.
As well as the equipment demonstration, he spoke to deployed personnel via a live link, thanking them for their efforts, before meeting their families, who he described as ‘amazing’.
The King, who arrived by helicopter wearing a suit and regimental tie, was greeted by a 21 gun salute and hundreds of personnel and their families.
He then witnessed an immersive air defence demonstration, showcasing the unit’s short-range and medium-range capabilities.
The demonstration lasted eight minutes and saw three separate waves of drones and two armoured vehicles.
King Charles visited the Royal Regiment of Artillery at Baker Barracks in West Sussex on Thursday
Charles was pictured laughing as he met with families of personnel serving abroad during the visit
The King even sliced a cake with a blue and yellow centaur design, the insignia of the 7th Air Defence
He asked Lieutenant Colonel Maarten Magee several questions during the demonstration and pointed up at some of the drones, around 30 feet above.
He then entered a camouflage net where he was shown a lightweight multiple launcher (LML), which if fired could have eliminated the target within approximately four seconds.
Charles looked through the sight unit, turning it left and right, before asking questions about its operation.
Magee said afterwards, ‘What an absolute pleasure. We spend our lives working in the institution of which he’s the head.
‘So what an absolute privilege to have him to speak to our soldiers, see our equipment, and get hands on the kit that we use every day.
‘I think as an aviator himself, air defence has always been something he’s been interested in, but he was more interested in how we’re dealing with modern threats, so the drone technology.
‘We are trying to keep up with the speed of progress of the modern war that we may end up being part of. He’s fascinated because he will come and see military units all doing innovation, all trying to stay ahead of the curve so we can be as competitive and effective as we can be.’
Asked about the King’s operation of the LML, another soldier who had been showing him how to use it said the King would have passed if it had been training.
The King was also shown a lightweight multiple launcher (pictured)
The King also met with members of the Force Atlantic rowing team during the visit
Magee added that the King was surprised by how difficult it was to operate.
‘I think the lesson he probably took from that was how hard it is to acquire a target,’ he said. ‘What I said to him is, this is about the easiest circumstances within which he could try and acquire something with our weapon systems.
‘The reality is the soldiers will be cold and wet and under threat and it will probably be at nighttime, it will be a real challenge.’
Following the demonstration, the King then officially opened the new Junior Ranks’ Restaurant.
He unveiled a plaque draped with a union flag, to cheers from school children and locals from the island.
Inside the restaurant, Charles spoke to deployed personnel, in the Falklands, Saudi Arabia, Estonia and Cyprus, via a live link.
He told them, ‘Thank you all very much, it’s a great pleasure to see you.
‘Is it the middle of your lunch?,’ he added to laughter, then said, ‘Thank you all very much for all your efforts, they’re much appreciated they really are.’
A gun salute was given for the arrival of the King at the barracks on Thorney Island
The King meeting the crowds. The island is the headquarters of the 7th Air Defence Group which provides all of the UK’s ground based air defence assets
Hundreds of personnel and their families greeted the King, who arrived wearing a suit and regimental tie
One of the personnel he spoke to directly was Sgt Jack Harding who has been in the Falklands since October.
‘It won’t be long hopefully until you’re back, only another month or two,’ he said, adding, ‘Well done.’
He later spoke to Harding’s family and his daughter Poppy, 5, handed the King a letter.
His wife, Charley, said afterwards they had written the letter together. She said it contained, ‘How it was an amazing opportunity, it’s not something you get everyday, and just how much support the royal family are for the military.
‘She’s hoping for a reply, so fingers crossed. She has really struggled [when her dad goes away].’
She said the children had been excited to meet Charles, ‘It’s all they’ve been going on about for the last few days.’
Charles also met Jade McGowan, 36, and asked about her seven month old twins Hamish and Brodie.
In response to her saying there was no return date for her husband, he said, ‘Poor old long suffering other halves. I don’t know how you do it, you’re amazing.’
The King was visiting Bakers Barracks on the peninsula in Chichester Harbour, on the border of Hampshire and West Sussex
The King also met Force Atlantic, a team of four soldiers from the base who finished rowing the Atlantic ocean in January, taking 45 days 11 hours 48 mins.
‘Not too many blisters, I hope,’ he said.
Charles also met serving personnel from the Commonwealth, as well as local faith leaders.
He then cut a cake with a blue and yellow centaur design, the insignia of the 7th Air Defence.
‘I’ll need an enormous sword,’ he said on seeing the size of the cake, then lifted out a piece, ‘I must examine the Victoria sponge.’
Thorney Island was first used as a Royal Air Force base during the Second World War, before Baker Barracks were built in the 80s.
The base has its own sandy beach and is home to the army’s inshore sailing training centre.
The King holds the title of Captain General of the Royal Artillery, first assumed by King George VI in 1947 and subsequently by Queen Elizabeth II from 1952.
The Royal Artillery, also known as the Gunners, describe themselves as the British Army’s ‘eyes, ears and firepower’.
Founded in 1716, they are made up of 14 regular regiments and seven reserve regiments.
Three of its regiments form the units of the 7th Air Defence, the focus of Charles’ visit today.
