IWI (Israel Weapon Industries) Company announced today that it has launched an innovative product that, according to the company, revolutionizes the use of light weapons worldwide: the ARBEL system. The revolutionary computerized weapon system was presented to Zona Militar, where we had the privilege of observing its particular characteristics on a shooting range.
IWI’s ARBEL system represents an innovative advancement in technological matter for light weapons and is specifically aimed at providing a more effective and efficient response on the modern battlefield in light of the threats it provides, including fast-moving enemies in covered or urban environments and scenarios overwhelmed by the use of both surveillance and munition-carrying drones. To this end, the Israeli company has advanced in recent years in the development of this innovative system, ARBEL, which seeks to transform traditional light weaponry into one supported by electronic systems that provides a more precise response to these types of threats.
In the specific case of ARBEL, we’re not talking about a separate system that the soldier must carry, but rather a transformation of the weaponry they already possess, which, when coupled with the technological advancements proposed by IWI, maximizes the weapon’s response even in situations of stress or fatigue, which are typical issues in combat situations.
According to the firm that is part of the SK Group, ARBEL offers a solution that enhances lethality, precision, and therefore, the soldier’s survival on the ground. How does it achieve this? Through a system integrated into individual weaponry, primarily consisting of a computer platform, a firing mechanism with various sensors, and a high-performance removable battery. This system is installed on various machine guns, and even after extensive use of its battery, if it fails, the machine gun will continue to function in standard mode.
Following press inquiries, IWI representatives stated that ARBEL impacts various aspects beyond providing survival and a more precise response to an enemy. It’s important to note that more accurate shots translate to considerable ammunition savings, allowing soldiers to carry more ammunition in the field or have less weight during their mission.
During the demonstration of the ARBEL system, Zona Militar was able to observe its performance on a NEGEV machine gun, one of the most modern and combat-proven within the IDF. The demo highlighted the Negev’s precision as a support machine gun, both when using the ARBEL system and in standard mode. According to observations, the accuracy with the new integrated system improves substantially, leading to hit rates ranging from 80 to 90% with moving targets.
In this way, the ARBEL solution improves the precision of a machine gun’s standard operation by 2 to 3 times, depending on the combination of various sensors that detect the operator’s conditions and transmit information to the system to enhance precision. In this case, factors such as fatigue, stress, or certain physical and mental impairments of the soldier have much less impact on shot precision, leading to a balanced operator response in a hostile environment.
IWI also explains that the ARBEL’s power system offers around 60 hours of continuous operation without recharging, capable of operating in adverse environmental conditions, day or night. To date, the company has made progress in integrating the ARBEL system into light weapons such as the NEGEV, ARAD, or even any other AR-15 rifle. Integration is straightforward, requiring only the replacement of the lower receiver of the machine guns and the installation of the new computerized system.
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