Israeli defense-tech company SmartShooter launched trading on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) on Thursday with a valuation of NIS 900 million, marking one of the most notable defense-sector IPOs of the year. The listing comes a week into Operation Roaring Lion (aka Epic Fury), launched by Israel and the US against Iran.
SmartShooter, best known for its AI‑powered SMASH fire‑control systems, raised NIS 200 million in new capital as part of the offering, following demand totaling NIS 472.5 million. Existing shareholders sold an additional NIS 60 million in a secondary offering. The IPO was underwritten by Rosario Underwriting and Phoenix Underwriting.
The company’s shares began trading under the ticker SMSH.
Michal Mor, SmartShooter’s co-founder and CEO, described the IPO as a pivotal moment for the company, saying that the company's listing on the TASE was “a significant milestone in our journey to bring proven precision-hit capabilities to the battlefield. We are grateful to our investors for their trust in our vision and business strategy. We intend to use the proceeds from this IPO to accelerate our global expansion, establish local assembly lines in the US and Europe, and maintain our technological edge through increased R&D.”
Mor also addressed the national mood amid the ongoing war with Iran, adding that the company aims “to strengthen the hands of IDF soldiers and security forces, wishing for their safe return home.”
Precision technology for a new era of drone warfare
SmartShooter’s flagship SMASH systems use artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision, and machine learning to transform standard infantry rifles into precision-guided weapons. The system automatically locks onto and tracks targets such as small, fast, low‑flying drones and releases a round only when a hit is highly probable.
This capability has become increasingly critical as Israel and its regional partners confront a surge in unmanned aerial threats.
Iranian Shahed‑type drones, deployed by Tehran and its proxies from Yemen to Lebanon and Russia, have become a central feature of the current war. Iran has launched thousands of its Shahed-series attack drones at countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Azerbaijan.
The Shahed’s low cost, long range, and swarm potential have challenged traditional air‑defense systems and forced militaries to seek more agile, soldier‑level counter‑UAS solutions.
SmartShooter’s portfolio includes handheld-operated remote-controlled unmanned ground-vehicle-mounted solutions, designed to maximize hit probability against aerial and land targets.
This integration of AI-driven ballistic algorithms transforms standard weapons into smart-shooting platforms, ensuring accuracy, minimizing collateral damage, and enhancing situational awareness.
The IDF has already integrated SmartShooter systems into operational units, and the technology is also in use by the US, United Kingdom, Germany, and other NATO militaries, many of which are also currently adapting to the growing proliferation of Iranian‑style kamikaze drones.