Precision shooting is coming to the infantry:
An Israeli company, working with Sig Sauer, recently showed a version of its high-tech, smart-shooter technology that the U.S. Army is currently evaluating in its Next Generation Squad Weapon Fire Control competition.
Smart Shooter Ltd. demonstrated its SMASH Fire Control System at a Sig-hosted range day for SHOT Show 2020. The SMASH is designed to help improve the accuracy of any shooter engaging stationary or moving targets in both day and night conditions, said Devin Schweiss of Smart Shooter Inc.
The SMASH "allows you to acquire, lock on and engage targets" using a weapon-mounted optic and special pistol grip that "allows the weapon to fire only when it's a guaranteed hit," he said.
I wrote about this trend on the Naval Institute Blog, and argued that enemies will also get the technology that allows you to kill whatever you can look at eventually. This will end the American advantage of fighting against "spray and pray" enemies who count on luck and volume of fire to hit anything.
I referred to SMASH-type fire as Dumb but Controlled (DBC). Eventually guided rounds will be the technology for precision rifles, and argued for multiple lanes of response:
The response to this technologically pushed development must take place in three realms:
1. Revised Marine boot camp training that exploits the Marine training advantage, without wasting time on marksmanship.
2. New technology to protect Marines and to better identify and target enemy super shooters.
3. Exceptional small unit leaders who exploit revised tactics based on revised training and new technology to nullify enemy super shooters and allow Marines to shoot first.
The change is beginning. Let's look ahead to adapt first.
