Some Ukrainian soldiers spot a drone towering hundreds of meters above as it tracks their movements. They receive a compact, polished black aluminum rifle that has no muzzle opening and fires an electromagnetic pulse instead of bullets. The unit can sever the drone’s link to the command center monitoring the battlefield. After the shot, the drone either crashes to the ground or makes an emergency landing. War spoils follow. Some drones are set to automatically return to base if the connection is lost. But there are risks. The most advanced units can preprogram attack coordinates, so interception can unintentionally trigger a grenade launch or other weapon systems.
Scenes like these form part of the drone conflict between Russia and Ukraine, fought across Ukrainian soil. The so-called rifle is actually an unmanned aircraft interception system. One of the most widely used is a Lithuanian model known as the Electronic Drone Mitigation System 4, abbreviated EDM4S.
Weighing just over five kilograms and measuring about one meter in length, EDM4S is designed for simple operation by a single soldier. When the trigger is pulled, an electromagnetic pulse is emitted and can affect targets up to five kilometers away, according to the manufacturer NT Service UAB.
The Ukrainian Army makes extensive use of it. Photos show soldiers in trenches with EDM4S in hand or aiming skyward, circulating widely on social networks documenting the war in Ukraine. Russians have increasingly deployed drones themselves. In retaliation for the civilian devastation in Kiev after the destruction of the Crimean bridge, Russian forces have used Iranian-made Shahed-136 kamikaze drones, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Specifically, on October 10 alone, Russia used 17 Shahed-136 drones launched from Belarus and Crimea, in addition to 87 missiles. Estimates place Russia’s stock of these kamikaze drones at around 400. The topic is so pressing that two European Union foreign ministers were set to discuss it at a meeting the following Monday. Diplomatic sources indicated a potential political agreement on sanctions regarding the drone trade between Iran and Russia. This update was reported by Euronews at the time.
Frontline soldiers have embraced the EDM4S as part of their anti-drone toolkit. The campaign under the banner of Lithuania and EDM4S has even inspired social media chatter with the hashtag about anti-drone weapons. In one widely shared post, the devices were nicknamed Orc Killers in a nod to a fictional weapon from popular culture.
Nordic allies and partners announced this week that NATO would intensify support for Ukraine’s air defenses. The plan includes delivering hundreds of inhibitor devices aimed at countering both Russian and Iranian-made drones, a move designed to bolster frontline protection.
Anti-drone rifles, however, come with limits. Industry observers noted that they tend to be more effective against smaller, slower drones at short range and offer limited protection against more robust systems. A veteran military analyst quoted in Spanish outlets explained that Shahed-136 drones fly relatively high, reach up to around 4,000 meters, and possess substantial size, typically around 200 kilograms, making them harder to counter with handheld rifles. In other words, bringing them down with an EDM4S could be challenging, even when the rifle claims a range of up to 5,000 meters. The practical takeaway is that such devices are part of a layered defense strategy rather than a silver bullet against all drone threats.
On social media, posts highlight equipment used by Ukrainian forces, including the EDM4S through images and captions that showcase the anti-drone jammer alongside other aerial platforms such as Yuneec H520E and Tarot 680 Pro hexacopters.
Industry observers noted that the EDM4S equipment is comparatively affordable. A prominent public statement from a Lithuanian journalist suggested that 110 EDM4S units were being prepared for shipment to Ukraine, with a reported cost of around 1.5 million euros for the batch, roughly 14,000 euros per unit. The plan involved distributing these around multiple Ukrainian military units, with the moniker Orc Killers attached as a cultural touchstone rather than an official designation.
Defense analysts argued that more advanced air defense systems would enhance protection in contested airspace. If mobility is required on the battlefield, portable systems like Stinger-type MANPADS can be deployed, along with traditional anti-aircraft artillery that uses 25 to 30 millimeter rounds. For longer ranges, modern anti-aircraft missiles would be more effective, though costs rise with capability. A military affairs expert noted that while effective, these systems are expensive relative to the cost of individual Shahed-136 drones, which can hover around twenty thousand dollars per unit.
Recent announcements from Spain indicated the provision of four Hawk missile launchers to help fortify Ukrainian air defense, with France and the Netherlands pledging further deliveries. NATO’s leadership framed these commitments as part of a broader strategy to strengthen Ukraine through advanced artillery, air defense, and armored vehicles, building a multi-layered shield against drone incursions. The sequence of events underscores a coordinated alliance response to a rapidly evolving threat landscape.
In public discourse, the EDM4S has become a focal point in assessing battlefield drone defense. Military analysts have pointed to its longstanding use in countering low, slow, and small drones while acknowledging its limited effect against high-altitude, heavier drones. The wider lesson is that counter-drone capability depends on a mix of devices and tactics, combining electronic interference, kinetic systems, and robust air-defense networks to blunt the drone threat effectively on future battlefields.
The EDM4S is not an experimental novelty on the Ukrainian battlefield. Reports from military correspondents note that Ukraine began leveraging the EDM4S drone-reduction system well before the 2022 full-scale invasion, a response to prior drone threats and ground-based countermeasures. With the 2022 escalation, the use of such systems to neutralize drones emerged as a central element of strategic defense, integral to achieving battlefield success against a broad spectrum of aerial threats.