September 15, 2026: In Ukraine, the search for drone-destruction weapons has been underway for years. The latest innovation is an Israeli computerized rifle scope, SMASH . The Israeli military tested it with infantry and special operations troops and approved it for use. Shortly thereafter, SMASH was offered to foreign militaries (and police organizations). The latest version incorporates AI (artificial intelligence) technology to improve accuracy.

Two other innovations have been shotguns, which prove to be an excellent last-resort defense against drones. The Italian shotgun manufacturer helped by providing special ammunition. Ukraine has also developed and manufactures a special 5.56mm bullet that consists of several sub-projectiles instead of a single bullet. Soldiers still have to fire several of these rounds before downing a low-flying drone.

SMASH offered several major innovations compared to the computerized sights pioneered by American firm TrackingPoint. SMASH could be mounted on any weapon with an M1913 Picatinny rail (allowing the sight to work with the trigger). The sight puts a visual block around potential targets the user is aiming at. When the user has the intended target in the block, they push a button, and the system locks that target, calculates a precise firing angle, and fires unless the user intervenes.

An American firm (TrackingPoint) pioneered this tech and in 2013 introduced its first computerized shooting system, the XS1. These initially cost $27,000, but the price has since dropped to less than half as the firm introduced more models and sales increased. These scopes were still expensive because they are sensor-equipped and computerized, to the point that initial tests showed over 70 percent of first-time users could hit a target over 900 meters away with the first shot. For a professional sniper, first-shot success averages about 25 percent and 70 percent on the second shot. Second shots aren't always possible, as the target tends to duck after the first shot. The army tested the XS1 and found it worked, but it did not adopt the system for many military sniper rifles, even though it would have been a major improvement for snipers. The major obstacle was battlefield wear and tear and the fact that most snipers were satisfied with their existing scopes. Snipers are trained to take good care of their rifles, scopes, and the growing number of electronic gadgets they now use, but the XS1 was a major leap in terms of electronics, sensors, and required maintenance. It was recognized that the XS1 technology was the future, and just as the many new (since the 1990s) sniping accessories have become rugged and reliable enough to be standard items, so will the XS1 approach, or something similar to it. Meanwhile, TrackingPoint adopted the tech for a small number of sniper rifles that could use it as-is.

In 2016, TrackingPoint introduced another version of its computerized scopes: NightDragon. This version lets you use an IR (infrared) spotlight with a range of nearly 200 meters and a scope with a sensor that makes the IR light visible to the shooter. Normally, IR is not visible to human (or animal) eyes. The computerized scope tracks the target in the crosshairs and fires when the computer determines a hit is possible. Targets can be moving as fast as 24 kilometers an hour. Costing $13,000 each, this is one of the few TrackingPoint sights available for the civilian market. Most of their computerized aiming systems are only for military or police organizations. The manufacturer sells TrackingPoint-equipped rifles mainly to police organizations or a few wealthy hunters who don’t like to miss. TrackingPoint now provides a growing list of computerized scopes for ranges of 350-1,300 meters. Prices range from $10,000 to $17,000.

SMASH costs much less than the cheapest TrackingPoint system and works with many rifles and pistols. SMASH is also coming in new versions that can shoot down small UAVs, operate at night, record video, and offer 4x magnification. Other firms are developing computer-controlled sights, and over time these sights will have more features, become cheaper, and more reliable.