‘One Bullet Will Not Be Enough’: Shooting Down Drones With a Standard Rifle
IWI’s Arbel system brings computing power to the trigger mechanism, aiming to help soldiers land fast, consecutive hits on fleeting threats—especially small tactical drones
Drone warfare is here to stay, and at Israel Weapon Industries (IWI), the answer taking shape is not a separate anti-drone gun but a standard rifle upgraded at its most decisive point: the trigger. The company’s Arbel system brings computing power into light arms so that soldiers can land multiple hits in the brief, high-pressure moments when a target appears and disappears just as quickly.
I visited the expansive and sophisticated headquarters of Israel Weapon Industries to learn how the anti-drone system works.