European militaries are showing growing interest in technology that turns standard service rifles and machine guns into last-resort drone killers, an Israeli weapons maker says, as countries look for cheaper ways to counter the surge in uncrewed systems threatening infantry on the modern battlefield.

A representative of firearms manufacturer Israel Weapon Industries told Business Insider that at least 10 European countries have either purchased or shown interest in the Arbel system—a micro-computer designed to optimize a gun for shooting down drones—since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.

IWI declined to name buyers and interested parties. But Semion, the head of Europe for the company who requested to be identified only by his first name for security reasons, said that by next year he expects 40 to 50% of European countrieswill either have procured the Arbel system or be close to doing so, reflecting growing investment in cost-efficient anti-drone defenses across the continent.

The System

Arbel is a tiny computerized fire control system that can be integrated into light machine guns or assault rifles, giving a soldier a more accurate shot on the battlefield in scenarios that require quick reactions or against moving targets—such as small drones.

Developed over nine years by IWI, the system was first deployed by Israel Defense Forces personnel in Gaza in October 2023. It consists of an electromechanical trigger unit, a detection unit, a processing unit, and a replaceable battery.

When activated, the system lets a soldier hold down the trigger while Arbel automatically releases rounds at the moments they’re most likely to hit the target. The system’s sensors study the shooter’s behavior—their weapon movement, stability, and trigger pressure. With the trigger held down, all the soldier needs to do is keep the drone in their sight; Arbel decides exactly when each round should go.

The system can bring down drones at roughly 450 meters in daylight and 200 meters at night. It adds about 400 grams to a rifle and 900 grams to a light machine gun. The battery provides up to 50 hours of operational time when armed.

Semion said the system is inexpensive but declined to disclose any specifics on cost.

Why Now

Drones of all shapes, sizes, and functions are playing key roles on the battlefield in Ukraine, but one of the most problematic for soldiers on both sides is the small quadcopter known as a first-person-view (FPV) system.

FPV drones are often armed with explosives that turn them into inexpensive precision-strike weapons. To defeat them, soldiers use signal jamming to interfere with their control connections. However, FPV drones are increasingly being controlled by fiber-optic cables that connect directly with an operator rather than radio frequencies, making them immune to electronic warfare.

Ukraine has tested fiber-optic FPV drones that can operate beyond 20 kilometers, far exceeding the previous 5-10 km limit for radio-controlled systems. Russia began deploying fiber-optic drones on the battlefield in mid-2024, eroding Ukraine’s technological edge.

When electronic warfare fails, the only option is to shoot them down with small arms—but even that requires precision and a lot of luck. Drones are hard targets to hit with anything other than a shotgun, and even then there’s no guarantee. They can move quickly and in unexpected ways.

Semion likened equipping a soldier with Arbel to equipping them with a helmet and bulletproof vest, saying that drones today “are the new bullets on the battlefield.”

Competing Systems

Arbel is one of several systems that offers to help soldiers use small arms to battle the drone threat without needing to pack on too much extra gear.

Israeli company Smart Shooter has supplied its SMASH system to the U.S. Army under a contract awarded in October 2022. The rifle-mounted optic tracks threats, calculates trajectory, and notifies the user when they have a reasonable chance of hitting it. The U.S. Marine Corps plans to begin fielding the SMASH 2000L starting in fiscal year 2025, and British forces have acquired around 500 units for close combat troops.

At SOF Week 2025, U.S. company AimLock demonstrated its aided target recognition technology, which the company’s CEO Bryan Bockmon said could support the counter-drone fight by enhancing various weapons platforms. Founded in 2013 and based in Colorado, AimLock has developed Core Targeting Modules for integration across air, ground, and maritime systems.

Beyond rifle attachments, Western countries are also racing to develop interceptor drones as an anti-drone capability, following Ukraine, which has invested heavily in the production of these small systems and uses them widely to take down Russian threats. Polish company Advanced Protection Systems unveiled an interceptor drone that autonomously tracks and knocks down UAVs through direct collision.

Low-Tech Solutions

Militaries are also exploring even simpler approaches. Ukraine has developed a specialized 5.56mm anti-drone round called “Horoshok” (pea) that breaks into pellets mid-air, allowing soldiers to shoot down drones using existing rifles without carrying extra weapons.

Russian forces have been observed using modified shotgun ammunition, taking pellets from buckshot rounds and repurposing them for standard 5.45x39mm rifle rounds. A 30-page report by Ukrainian special forces details Russian use of 12-gauge shotguns as the primary anti-drone measure in conjunction with electronic warfare capabilities.

France recently developed the Proteus anti-drone system using a 1970s-era 20mm anti-aircraft cannon mounted on a 1980s four-wheel truck. The Netherlands is cobbling together mobile anti-drone systems by fitting remote-controlled weapon systems on wheeled armor ahead of the first delivery of Rheinmetall’s specialized Skyranger 30 in 2028.

Strategic Implications

The widespread adoption of small-arms-based counter-drone systems reflects a fundamental shift in infantry tactics. With drones cementing themselves as a permanent feature of the modern battlefield, militaries are racing to acquire personal anti-drone defenses in case soldiers find themselves on the receiving end of these weapons.

Early versions of Arbel have been on the market for a few years, but only recently—after Russia launched its full-scale invasion and drone usage exploded on the battlefield—has the system been viewed as a viable anti-drone solution.

European nations are acutely aware of the rising drone threat, and there is increasing demand for counter-drone solutions. Denmark’s counter-drone firms MyDefence and Weibel Scientific report a surge in clients seeking technology to protect airports, military installations, and critical infrastructure following mysterious drone intrusions into NATO airspace.

The race to equip infantry with personal counter-drone capabilities highlights how quickly the threat has evolved. Systems like Arbel, Smart Shooter, and AimLock offer relatively inexpensive solutions—adding a few hundred dollars and a few hundred grams to existing weapons—compared to deploying sophisticated air defense systems or firing million-dollar interceptor missiles at thousand-dollar drones.

As fiber-optic drones render electronic warfare increasingly ineffective, kinetic solutions are becoming the only reliable last line of defense. For European militaries watching Russia’s drone tactics in Ukraine, the message is clear: every infantryman needs the ability to shoot down drones, and they need it now.