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The U.S. Army is giving its soldiers a high-tech edge in the fight against drones, and it’s called SMASH.
On June 6, during a live-fire exercise in Germany, a soldier from the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment utilized the SMASH 2000L smart scope mounted on an M4A1 rifle to target drones in the sky.
The demo was part of Project Flytrap, a multinational training event.
A U.S. Soldier assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment is seen using the Smartshooter SMASH 2000L attached to an M4A1 carbine rifle during Project Flytrap at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, Hohenfels Training Area in Germany. This event took place on June 6, 2025. The SMASH 2000L allows the weapon user to engage unmanned aerial systems efficiently, automatically locking onto and firing at targets. (Note: The photo has been intentionally blurred for operational security.) (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Elijah Magaña)
The smart scope weighs about 2.5 pounds and fits onto standard-issue rifles. It has already been used by NATO partners and tested in combat zones.
In the Ukraine conflict, both parties are deploying low-cost drones to either drop explosives or conduct surveillance on enemy forces. Similarly, in Israel, terrorists have been known to send quadcopters into military zones. Such drones are designed to be swift, quiet, and highly effective.
A U.S. Soldier assigned to 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment peers through the scope of a Smartshooter SMASH 2000L attached to an M4A1 carbine rifle during Project Flytrap at Joint Multinational Readiness Center, Hohenfels Training Area, Hohenfels, Germany, June 6, 2025. The Smartshooter attachment provides the weapon operator with unmanned aerial system lock-on functionalities that fire automatically at its targets. (This photo has been blurred for operational security purposes) (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Elijah Magaña)
Until now, stopping drones often meant using big, complex systems but SMASH changes that. With SMASH, a single soldier can knock a drone out of the sky without needing backup.
