Smart Shooter: Rising Small Drone Threats Drive Surge in U.S. Military Counter-UAS Demand
Israeli counter-drone systems maker Smart Shooter says U.S. military demand for kinetic counter-UAS solutions has grown sharply as small drone threats continue to evolve. VP Scott Thompson told Breaking Defense that interest spans multiple branches of the U.S. armed forces, reflecting broader trends seen in global conflicts where commercial drones are increasingly weaponized.

Highlights
- Smart Shooter VP Scott Thompson told Breaking Defense that U.S. military demand for kinetic counter-UAS solutions has grown sharply due to evolving small drone threats.
- Smart Shooter's AI-powered SMASH system enables infantry to engage small aerial targets using standard rifles, eliminating the need for costly dedicated air defense systems.
- Demand for Smart Shooter's technology spans multiple U.S. armed forces branches, reflecting C-UAS as a top U.S. defense procurement priority.
- Kinetic counter-drone systems are favored for their cost-effectiveness against mass saturation attacks by small commercial drones repurposed as weapons.
- The trend mirrors a global surge in weaponized commercial drone use observed across multiple conflict zones in recent years.
Smart Shooter: Rising Small Drone Threats Drive Surge in U.S. Military Counter-UAS Demand
Israeli counter-drone systems manufacturer Smart Shooter says demand from the U.S. military for kinetic counter-UAS (C-UAS) solutions has grown substantially as small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) threats continue to evolve. Scott Thompson, Vice President at Smart Shooter, made the remarks in a recent interview with defense media outlet Breaking Defense.
Evolving Threats Fuel Demand
Thompson noted that the growing battlefield practice of converting small commercial drones into improvised attack weapons has prompted U.S. military units to actively seek more effective counter-drone capabilities. Compared with non-kinetic approaches such as electronic warfare jamming or directed-energy systems, kinetic intercept solutions are increasingly favored for their ability to physically destroy targets.
Smart Shooter is best known for its SMASH series of smart firing control systems, which use AI-powered computer vision to significantly improve infantry accuracy against small aerial targets using standard rifles or light weapons — without requiring the procurement of large, expensive dedicated air defense systems.
Multi-Branch Military Interest
Thompson emphasized that demand is not limited to a single military branch, but extends across multiple U.S. armed forces departments — underscoring that C-UAS has become a significant priority in current U.S. defense procurement. This aligns closely with the surge in drone threats that U.S. forces have observed across multiple global conflict zones in recent years.
The Case for Kinetic Solutions
The primary advantages of kinetic counter-UAS systems lie in their cost-effectiveness and reliability. Compared with high-cost missile intercept systems, pairing existing infantry weapons with smart targeting solutions offers a relatively affordable way to address mass saturation attacks by large numbers of small drones.
Smart Shooter's technology portfolio is well positioned to meet this demand, and the company is expected to continue expanding its footprint in the U.S. defense market.
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