Smart Shooter Unveils Smart Sight for Heavy Machine Guns

8 September, 2025

Tested in UK–U.S. trials, the SMASH 3000 intercepted drones at 400 meters while fully integrated with battle management systems.

Israeli defense company SMART SHOOTER will debut a new configuration of its SMASH 3000 fire-control system at the DSEI 2025 exhibition in London next week — this time adapted for use on heavy machine guns (HMGs).

Heavy machine guns are large-caliber automatic weapons, typically over 12.7 mm, designed to engage vehicles, drones, and light structures, and usually mounted on tripods or armored vehicles. Until now, SMARTSHOOTER’s SMASH systems were primarily paired with small arms carried by individual soldiers or remote weapon stations. Their integration with heavy machine guns marks a significant expansion of operational capability and use cases.

The SMASH family of smart sights is built on algorithm-driven fire-control technology that detects, tracks, and locks onto targets in real time. Its uniqueness lies in turning a standard weapon or firing position into a highly precise system capable of intercepting fast, unpredictable drones. The system also connects to battle management networks, giving soldiers updated situational awareness, conserving ammunition, and dramatically increasing first-shot hit probability.

The new HMG configuration follows a series of trials under Project VANAHEIM/FLYTRAP, a joint UK–U.S. initiative aimed at integrating counter-drone (C-UAS) technologies into frontline units. In exercises held across Europe from June to August, U.S. and British troops tested multiple advanced systems in realistic battlefield environments. SMASH was operated in handheld, vehicle-mounted, and remote-controlled configurations — and for the first time, the SMASH 3000 was mounted on a heavy machine gun. In parallel, the SMASH Hopper system was installed on a reconnaissance vehicle.

The trials demonstrated successful interception of drones at ranges of up to 400 meters, considered a major achievement against small unmanned aerial systems. A key advantage was system connectivity: SMASH integrated with the Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK) and battle management systems (BMS), enabling real-time transfer of target data directly to the shooter’s sight. This gave troops advanced situational awareness and allowed precise coordination against aerial threats.

According to SMARTSHOOTER CEO Michal Mor, “Project VANAHEIM gave us the opportunity to test our systems in a complex combat environment and to validate their effectiveness for general-purpose combat units. Expanding the SMASH family to heavy machine guns and vehicle-mounted stations underscores our commitment to delivering flexible, effective solutions against evolving threats.”

The joint trials also highlighted a broader lesson: there is no single “silver bullet” against the full spectrum of drone threats. The key takeaway from the Flytrap exercises was the need for layered defense — combining kinetic effectors, electronic jamming, optical and acoustic sensors — to create comprehensive, adaptable protection in the field.

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Posted in: Aerospace & Defense , AI , News

Posted in tags: Smart Shooter

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