Three methods of perturbing the ground state of the He-4 dimer by electric fields are treated: the Stark shift by large static electric fields; dissociation by a pulsed electric field; and the coupling of a plane wave to the interaction-induced quadrupole moment of the dimer. The second process, with coupling to the interaction-induced polarizability anisotropy of the dimer, appears to offer the best prospect for observable perturbation of the dimer. The estimates are based on results of ab initio calculations of properties of the He-He system.