EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Army integrates SMASH smart fire control system on M4A1 rifle to target aerial drones.

U.S. Army enhances individual counter-drone capabilities by integrating the Smartshooter SMASH 2000L attached to an M4A1 assault rifle. On June 6, 2025, during Project Flytrap at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, a soldier from the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment demonstrated the use of this advanced fire control optic during a live training event. The exercise underscored a tactical transformation in modern infantry warfare, introducing precision counter-drone engagement to the level of a single dismounted soldier.
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A U.S. soldier from the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment aims through a Smartshooter SMASH 2000L sight mounted on an M4A1 rifle during Project Flytrap at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, on June 6, 2025. (Picture source: U.S. DoD)

In direct response to evolving aerial threats, the U.S. Army awarded Smart Shooter Ltd. a $13 million contract in May 2025 for the supply of SMASH 2000L systems. The agreement falls under the Army’s Transformation In Contact (TIC 2.0) initiative, a strategic program focused on rapidly fielding next-generation technologies to frontline units. This contract marks the beginning of a formal procurement phase for SMASH systems, following years of evaluation, field testing, and limited operational deployment. Smart Shooter CEO Michal Mor emphasized the system's growing relevance, stating that it provides maneuvering forces with a significant tactical advantage by transforming standard rifles into precision anti-drone platforms.

The SMASH 2000L is developed and produced by Smart Shooter Ltd., a defense technology company based in Yagur, Israel. The firm specializes in fire control systems designed to improve small arms accuracy and lethality in complex battlefield environments. The SMASH 2000L represents a lightweight, compact iteration of the company’s proven SMASH technology, specifically engineered for integration with standard assault rifles such as the M4A1. It allows operators to effectively engage not only ground targets but also small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), which pose growing threats in modern combat zones.

The core of the SMASH 2000L system lies in its electro-optical targeting suite paired with an AI-driven fire control mechanism. Using onboard sensors and imaging software, the system scans for aerial or terrestrial targets, locks onto them using advanced computer vision algorithms, and calculates ballistic solutions in real time. Once the operator designates a target and applies trigger pressure, the SMASH system controls the exact moment of firing, ensuring the round is discharged only when a direct hit is assured. This trigger control, known as “one shot one hit,” eliminates human-induced error from recoil, movement, or stress, dramatically enhancing engagement precision.

Weighing approximately 1.1 kg, the SMASH 2000L retains the tactical mobility required for infantry missions while bringing capabilities traditionally reserved for vehicle-mounted or stationary systems. The unit includes a day sight, a built-in targeting computer, and is compatible with standard optics mounts. It has been combat-tested in various conflict zones and is in use with several NATO-aligned countries for counter-drone and special operations roles. The system can also operate in semi-automatic or manual modes, depending on mission requirements and rules of engagement.

Project Flytrap provides a realistic, multinational training framework for evaluating cutting-edge military technologies. By deploying the SMASH 2000L in a dynamic operational setting, the U.S. Army is assessing not only its technical effectiveness but also its interoperability with existing infantry doctrine and equipment. The field trial reflects a broader strategic objective: enabling every soldier to act as an autonomous counter-UAS node, capable of defending against low-cost, high-risk aerial threats in real time.

This successful deployment may signal a shift in procurement and operational planning across allied ground forces. The rising use of drones by both state and non-state actors has elevated the importance of responsive, decentralized air defense at squad and platoon levels. Recent combat experiences from Ukraine and Israel have underscored the urgency of equipping infantry units with this kind of precision fire control system. In Ukraine, commercial and military-grade drones have been used extensively for reconnaissance, fire correction, and strike missions. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces have turned off-the-shelf UAVs into frontline weapons, deploying them in swarms or individually to drop munitions or crash into soft targets. These drones have become a daily hazard for dismounted troops, often appearing at low altitude and striking before conventional defenses can respond.

In Israel, the Israel Defense Forces have faced similar threats during recent urban and cross-border engagements. Militants have used modified quadcopters and first-person view drones to deliver explosives directly onto IDF patrols, vehicles, and outposts. These attacks often take place in tight urban environments where heavy air defense systems cannot operate. In such situations, individual soldiers equipped with fast-reacting, automated fire control optics like the SMASH 2000L are the last and only line of defense against incoming threats.

The modern battlefield is no longer defined solely by tanks and artillery but increasingly by the presence of low-cost, hard-to-detect aerial systems capable of deadly effects. The SMASH 2000L gives every U.S. soldier the ability to meet these threats with precision and autonomy. It shifts the advantage back to the operator by providing a technological edge in a domain previously reserved for larger and more complex systems. With the increasing use of drones in asymmetric warfare, such as in the Sahel, the Caucasus, and Southeast Asia, the ability to counter these threats at the individual level has become not only desirable but essential.