Asger Risom
Smart triggers and sensor tech mark next step in counter-drone fight.
European militaries are rapidly testing and buying new tools that give ordinary rifles a chance against fast, low-flying drones. The shift reflects a wider scramble for affordable counter-drone measures as the Ukraine war shows how pervasive uncrewed systems have become on the modern battlefield.
Interest is now coalescing around a small Israeli device designed to make a soldier’s shot count when it matters most.
Rising demand
Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) told Business Insider that at least 10 European countries have either acquired or seriously evaluated its Arbel system since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The company declined to identify customers, but said adoption is accelerating across the continent as militaries search for low-cost defences.
Semion, IWI’s head of Europe, said the tool is already in use with several armed forces worldwide. Based on current trends, he expects that by next year up to half of European nations will have bought the system or be close to doing so.
The demand stems from drones’ dominance in Ukraine, where quadcopters, first-person-view (FPV) systems and cable-controlled variants are used for surveillance and precision strikes.
Small arms as last resort
FPV drones, often armed with explosives, can evade jamming when connected through fibre-optic lines. When electronic warfare fails, troops have no option but to shoot them down — a task that is notoriously difficult even for skilled marksmen.
Arbel is pitched as a way to improve those odds. The small computer slots into an assault rifle or light machine gun and analyses how the shooter moves, stabilises the weapon and applies pressure to the trigger. Once activated, a soldier keeps the drone in sight and holds the trigger; Arbel fires only at the optimal split-second.
Semion said the system can strike drones at about 450 metres in daylight and 200 metres at night. It adds roughly 400 grams to a weapon and runs on a battery. He described drones as “the new bullets on the battlefield,” arguing that personal anti-drone protection should become as standard as helmets or vests.
Limits and responsibilities
The device does not identify targets itself, leaving responsibility with the soldier. Early versions of Arbel have existed for years, but only the explosion of drone warfare in Ukraine pushed European militaries to view it as a credible solution.
Arbel is part of a growing ecosystem. US forces have trained with the Smart Shooter optic, which calculates trajectories and signals when a shot is viable. AimLock, demonstrated at a special operations event this year, uses target-recognition technology to enhance weapon accuracy for counter-drone use.
Layered defences
While rifle add-ons fill a crucial gap, Western countries are also investing heavily in interceptor drones. Ukraine has already deployed these widely, using cheap units to ram or disable Russian drones during combat.
Together, these efforts reflect a strategic realisation: drones are now a permanent fixture of warfare, and the tools to stop them must be equally widespread.
Sources: IWI, Business Insider
