Army orders rifle-mounted smart scopes to down small drones
AI Analysis
The U.S. Army has awarded Smart Shooter a $10.7 million contract for SMASH 2000LE rifle-mounted smart scopes to counter small drones, adding to a previous $6.1 million order by a Pentagon task force and a $6 million order by the Marine Corps. These systems utilize AI and computer vision to detect, track, and engage both ground and aerial targets, including tethered drones, and are part of a layered defense strategy.
Key Takeaways
- The Army is procuring SMASH 2000LE smart scopes from Smart Shooter for $10.7 million, with delivery expected July-September.
- The SMASH 2000LE system enhances rifle accuracy against drones and ground targets using AI-powered target tracking.
- The system is jamming-resistant and effective against tethered drones.
- The Army is implementing a layered defense approach, utilizing smart scopes for close-range drone engagement after larger systems engage threats at a distance.
- Recent conflicts (Ukraine, Israel, Iran) have highlighted the increasing threat posed by small drones, driving the need for enhanced counter-UAS capabilities.
Why It Matters
This procurement signals a shift towards equipping individual soldiers with advanced counter-drone capabilities, addressing a critical vulnerability on the modern battlefield. The adoption of AI-assisted targeting systems represents a significant step in improving the effectiveness of dismounted troops against low-cost, readily available drone technology. This layered defense approach is crucial for mitigating the increasing drone threat in complex operational environments.
Army orders rifle-mounted smart scopes to down small drones
The Army has announced a $10 million purchase of SMASH 2000 drone tracking devices that mount on a soldier’s rifle. Army photo by Spc. Julian Winston.
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The Army is buying rifle-mounted smart scopes that soldiers can use to shoot down small drones, similar to the advanced fire control systems being used by Marines.
Smart Shooter recently announced that it had received a $10.7 million contract from the Army for its SMASH 2000LE fire control systems and related support services, a company news release says. The smart scopes are scheduled to be delivered between July and September.
Neither the company nor the Army specified how many systems the service is buying under the contract. In March, a Pentagon task force ordered just over 200 of the scopes in a $6.1 million order.
The SMASH 2000LE is mounted on the top of a rifle like a traditional optical scope but its fire control system allows shooters to detect, track, and hit both ground and aerial targets, such as small drones, the news release says.
The Army did not say how many of the drone-tracking scopes it was buying in the $10 million contract. A similar order of $6 million by the Marine Corps in March purchased close to 200 of the devices. Army photo by Spc. Elijah Magaña.
The system can be added to any type of assault rifle, said Scott Thompson, vice president and general manager of U.S. operations for Smart Shooter.
“Once the user identifies the target (independently or using the detection system guidance) and locks on it, SMASH tracks its movements and synchronizes the shot,” Thompson said in a statement to Task & Purpose. “This is done using computer vision, AI, and advanced algorithms.”
The system is resistant to jamming and can be used to destroy tethered drones — such as those controlled by fiber optic cables instead of radio waves — during both day and night, Thompson said.
An Army spokesperson declined to say which units will receive the smart scopes but confirmed the devices are part of the Army’s growing use of layered defenses against small drones. In a layered strategy, larger equipment engages incoming drones and threats farther away from troops while soldiers with smart scopes use their individual weapons to destroy small drones that penetrate closer.
Drone defense on modern battlefield
Ukraine, Israel, and Iran have all used small drones to devastating effect, underscoring the U.S. military’s need to bolster its drone defenses. In addition to the Army, Smart Shooter also has contracts with the Marine Corps and a Pentagon task force that coordinates defenses against drones, according to the company.
As part of its efforts to counter small drones, the Army has experimented with a new type of ammunition