Japanese Sailors Armed with SMASH 3000 Anti-Drone Sights

The crew of a Japanese destroyer conducted training exercises with rifles equipped with Israeli SMASH 3000 anti-drone sights.

This became known after Militarnyi analyzed photographs released by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

The firing exercises were conducted using Howa Type 20 rifles. The exercises were carried out by the crew of the destroyer JS Teruzuki, part of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s 3rd Surface Combatant Group.

As of today, Japan is procuring these Israeli sights for all branches of its Self-Defense Forces—the Ground, Air, and Maritime Self-Defense Forces.

It is reported that on January 26, 2026, the Contracts Division of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Ship Logistics Support Department signed a contract for the maintenance of SMASH 3000 sights and the procurement of spare parts for them.

As of 2026, Japan had contracted for approximately 900 sights of this type. The main supplier of these sights is Solid Solutions.

In addition, in August 2026, Militarnyi reported that the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force had begun using Israeli SMASH 3000 anti-drone sights to combat drones. They are mounted on standard Type 20 assault rifles.

SMASH is a compact fire control module developed by the Israeli company SMARTSHOOTER. It is mounted on the standard Picatinni rail of a small arms rifle, transforming it into a high-precision system without replacing the weapon itself.

The system combines a laser rangefinder, a ballistic calculator, and a computer vision module that recognizes, acquires, and tracks the target in real time.

The principle of operation is as follows: the shooter aims the weapon through the sight’s optical path and presses the target lock button.

The algorithm then predicts the target’s future position, taking into account the object’s movement and the weapon’s sway in the shooter’s hands.

As early as 2025, the first sights began to be delivered to the Ground Self-Defense Force. At the same time, the ministry is placing additional orders as part of a large-scale effort to equip the infantry with the capability to counter drones.