SMASH 2000 being tested by US Special Forces in fight against Islamic State.
By ANNA AHRONHEIMIsraeli-made Smart Shooter system used in Syria(photo credit: STAFF SGT. WILLIAM HOWARD SPECIAL OPERATIONS JOINT TASK FORCE-OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE)
US Special Forces have been pictured in Syria with the Israeli-made Smart Shooter SMASH 2000 sighting system mounted on their M4A1 carbines.“Coalition Forces zero Smart Shooter sighting devices during a familiarization range near al-Tanf Garrison, Syria,” read one caption to the photo published to the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) on May 30. “Coalition and partner forces regularly train on various weapon systems in a joint effort to help set conditions for the enduring defeat of Daesh [ISIS] in Syria.”According to a statement provided to The Jerusalem Post by US Special Operations Command (SOCOM), they purchased 98 SMASH 2000 systems from Smart Shooter in March 2019 to evaluate the system’s capability in the field “as part of a broader acquisition assessment process” for “a potential individual-level solution to enhancing Special Operations Forces capabilities for countering unmanned aerial systems.”The results of the evaluation are pending.According to Task and Purpose, United States Special Operations Command purchased 98 SMASH 2000 systems from Smart Shooter in March 2019 “to evaluate the capability in an operational environment.”The system, which is fully developed, manufactured and produced in Israel by Smart Shooter, has been in use by the IDF and available to international forces around the world, with the main customer being the US Special Forces.Dr. Abraham Mazor, VP BD & Marketing of Smart Shooter told The Jerusalem Post that it was the first time that the company was aware of the fact that the system is in use by customers operating in Syria.“The US Special Forces bought the system to use in real combat situations,” he said, explaining while the US military for obvious reasons won’t share when and where the system is used “we are proud that the US armed forces appreciate the performance of the system.”The system is “100% SMARTSHOOTER” Mazor told the Post. The company “is in direct communication” with the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM), working with them for US Special Forces and the IDF.“We are proud of this connection,” he said. “We are proud of any of our products that work for increased survivability and safety of the US and Israeli forces.”
Last August the US Air Force tested the cutting edge fire control system at the Beale Air Force Base in California but this seems to be the first time troops have used the system in the war-torn country where troops continue to face threats from ISIS.In the photos, troops are seen using the system to fire at a box carried by a drone, a known tactic used by IS terrorists against coalition forces.While the drones and other incendiary aerial devices are cheap and usually toys that can be bought on the civilian market, they are fast and remain a challenge even for skilled sharpshooters.Like many militaries across the world, the US has been testing various counter-drone systems in combat zones. The SMASH 2000 gives troops a precision anti-drone system on their weapon with built-in targeting algorithms that can track and hit drones flying at high speeds at ranges of up to 120 meters with the first shot.With the system, the user selects and locks onto the target. As soon as the trigger is squeezed, the system calculates the target’s movement and predicts its next location using advanced image processing and algorithms. SMASH 2000 prevents the bullet from being fired until the target is precisely in its cross hairs.The SMASH 2000 fire control system has been using innovative technologies to help militaries and other security or law enforcement agencies accurately neutralize moving targets. It has a built-in storage system allowing for videos and images to be recorded for training and debriefings.
