Israeli defense firm Smart Shooter showcased a new optical device for assault rifles that the company said virtually guarantees rounds on target.
SMASH 2000 Plus is a ruggedized optical device that can be placed on a wide range of legacy small arms, including the M4 Carbine.
The system works by tracking potential ground and aerial drone targets using a day or night mode with a traditional red dot sight picture. Once found, it works out a firing solution even as a soldier’s natural breathing and fatigue draws his aim off target. All a soldier has to do is hold the trigger down.
When the solution is calibrated, the round is let loose, hitting the target and nothing else, Smart Shooter officials told Army Times at the Association of the United States Army’s annual conference in Washington, D.C., this week.
“The human factor is the main reason soldiers and policemen miss the target ... because they are under stress and fatigued,” said Nir Kaveh, Smart Shooter’s marketing director.
“What we promise here is that almost every bullet will be on target, by controlling the exact moment when the bullet is released," Mazor added. “So if you’re not on target, you won’t be able to fire.”
In essence, the system adds digital precision to rifles and ammunition already fielded to troops.
While the system is designed for the rigors of close-quarters combat, it’s also able to quickly revert back to free-fire mode through the click of a button.
During one trial, Kaveh said the company took a group of Israeli soldiers and drastically increased the proportion of rounds on target.
Indeed, SMASH 2000 has been in use by the Israel Defense Forces since earlier this year, according to the company. However, Kaveh wasn’t allowed to specify which units and where the system was being fielded.
SMASH 2000 Plus is the latest variant of the SMASH system. The new variation is specifically designed to also lock, track and accurately hit fast and maneuverable tactical drones during the day and at night.
“Drones are increasingly used by insurgents to improve their situational awareness and even drop bombs on patrols," Michal Mor, CEO of Smart Shooter, said in a company release.
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“Their [drones'] small size and speed make them hard for a normal shooter to tackle effectively, but SMASH makes it easy, denying enemy forces those advantages,” she added.
SMASH has been successfully tested by U.S. special operations forces and other military agencies, the company said.
The platform is also undergoing testing with the Australian Defence Force, as a combined effort with Thales Australia as part of the Australian Army’s F-90 assault rifle upgrade program.
Also of note, the SMASH system provides an optional video recording function of engagements for training or after-action debrief and analysis. Like all optics, it still needs to be “zero’d in" to the rifle on which it’s mounted.
The company also offers a SMASH 2000M with a 4x increase in magnification, as well as a SMASH 2000N with enhanced night capabilities
Kyle Rempfer was an editor and reporter who has covered combat operations, criminal cases, foreign military assistance and training accidents. Before entering journalism, Kyle served in U.S. Air Force Special Tactics and deployed in 2014 to Paktika Province, Afghanistan, and Baghdad, Iraq.
