To counter unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), an Israeli defense firm has developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled smart fire control system designed to give soldiers an edge against airborne threats for the U.S. Army.

The SMASH 2000L from Smart Shooter reportedly transforms a standard rifle into a high-precision anti-drone platform.

Source: U.S. Army

Making this possible is an AI-driven fire control unit equipped with electro-optical sensors, computer vision and proprietary target acquisition software, the company explained, which enables the system to scan, detect, target and track small aerial threats, such as quadcopters or fixed-wing drones. The system, its developers suggest, will only permit the rifle to fire when a guaranteed hit is computed.

Further, The SMASH 2000L is part of a broader family of SMASH fire control systems developed by Smart Shooter, which includes earlier iterations such as the SMASH 2000, SMASH X4 and SMASH Hopper. The “L” variant is reportedly a lighter, more compact version, weighing roughly 2.5 lbs and that fits on standard Picatinny rails.

The system uses real-time image processing and automatic target recognition to enable shooters to accurately hit their targets.

The developers explained that the SMASH 2000L’s scope assists the operator by tracking the target’s movement and guiding the aim point until the reticle aligns with it. Once aligned, the system authorizes the shot, thereby eliminating human error in timing.