Israel Weapon Industries delivers anti-drone rifle system to Thailand

ARBEL ADS doesn’t require external equipment or retraining and it’s fitted onto a soldier’s existing weapon, letting soldiers use familiar weapons with standard 5.56 mm ammunition.

By JNS

Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) has delivered its ARBEL Anti-Drone System (ADS) to Thailand’s Ministry of Defense. The system is deployed and now operational in Thailand’s military, the company reported on Thursday.

The ARBEL ADS is a computerized fire control system designed to improve accuracy.

When the shooter pulls the trigger, the first round fires as in a standard rifle.

While the trigger remains pulled, the system controls the fire cadence at an optimal rate.

This eliminates the need for the controller to operate the trigger, allowing the shooter to focus on target tracking and aiming.

In drone interception scenarios, where targets are small, fast-moving, and maneuver unpredictably at a distance, ARBEL ADS automates follow-up shots to enable accurate engagements.

ARBEL ADS doesn’t require external equipment or retraining. It’s fitted onto a soldier’s existing weapon, letting soldiers use familiar weapons with standard 5.56 mm ammunition.

They don’t need to learn a new platform and the system is optics-agnostic and compatible with a wide range of sighting systems.

“Small tactical drones have become a direct and growing threat to soldiers on the battlefield. We developed the ARBEL ADS to give soldiers an effective means of defending themselves against this evolving threat, while providing armed forces with a critical tactical advantage in an increasingly complex battlespace,” said SK Group’s Vice Chairman Ronen Hamudot.

IWI offers two options for the ARBEL ADS: 1) a complete IWI-manufactured rifle or 2) installed in a customer’s existing weapon.

Thailand’s defense ministry chose the latter. IWI simply replaced the rifle’s lower receiver with the ARBEL ADS.

Thailand military officials are in discussions with IWI about an additional order for its ARBEL Anti-Drone Systems.

Across Southeast Asia, several countries are at various stages of procuring the ARBEL ADS, with additional deployments expected in the coming months, the company reported.

“We see rising demand across the region for solutions that can help soldiers meet [the drone] challenge,” said SK Group Vice President Doron Korol.

IWI is part of the SK Group, the main supplier to the Israeli Army and Israeli Police.

Its products are used by military, law enforcement and special forces in over 60 countries.