Ukraine’s RGW-90 Matador Grenade Launcher Just Got Smarter
But does it still matter in the age of drones?
The RGW-90 Matador has been making Russian armor crews rethink their life choices since it started showing up in Ukraine in 2022.
Lightweight, sometimes effective, and disposable—much like the average Russian conscript—the Matador has proven itself as a solid anti-armor and anti-structure weapon. But now, thanks to a German-Israeli collaboration, it's getting a significant upgrade: the SMASH sight.
I’ve written in the past about the SmartShooter scope that uses a computer to allow soldiers using regular assault rifles to shoot down drones with lethal precision.
Now, debuting at IDEX-2025 in the UAE, the RGW-90 Matador sports the same cutting-edge targeting system from SmartShooter, an Israeli defense company.
The SmartShooter SMASH scope is an ingenious weapon optic – but it’s more than just a scope, it’s a full-blown machine vision system equipped with a laser rangefinder, ballistic computer, and automatic target recognition. The shooter locks onto a target, pulls the trigger, and the system calculates the perfect moment to release the round.
Scaled up from an assault rifle and slapped on a grenade launcher in Ukraine, it turns an already formidable weapon into something approaching an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) in a grenade launcher’s body. With this kind of tech, even an inexperienced soldier can land a precision shot, making this system a significant force multiplier for infantry units operating in urban or contested environments.
A Smart Addition—or Just Overkill?
According to tests, this new sight significantly increases the probability of hitting moving targets at long distances.
And while that sounds great on paper, let’s talk reality. The Matador’s standard effective range is about 600 meters—assuming the SMASH sight allows operators to hit at max range, that’s still nowhere near the reach of modern FPV drones, which have made tank-hunting a long-range, non-line-of-sight affair.
The introduction of machine vision to a grenade launcher is undoubtedly innovative, but does it truly justify the cost and weight?
For traditional infantry, an ATGM like the Javelin or even the venerable RPG-7 still has its place due to proven battlefield utility and relative simplicity.
The SMASH-equipped Matador might fill a niche role, such as giving light infantry an option to engage armor and fortified positions more effectively without relying on dedicated anti-tank teams.
However, given the proliferation of cheap and expendable drones, which can neutralize heavy armor from miles away, the battlefield might be moving past weapons like the Matador in favor of high-tech loitering munitions and precision drone strikes.
For those unfamiliar, the Matador is a 90mm man-portable, disposable anti-armor and anti-structure weapon developed by Germany, Israel, and Singapore.
It evolved from the German Armbrust and is designed for urban combat, where it can punch through walls or disable armored vehicles with its dual-mode warhead. The projectile’s propulsion system makes it highly accurate, and its low back-blast makes it ideal for confined spaces—like buildings or trenches.
Its versatility is one of its greatest strengths. In urban combat scenarios, it can be used to breach walls, create entry points, or clear out enemy fortifications. But you wouldn’t need the SmartShooter scope for this type of work.
Its anti-armor capabilities allow it to disable lightly armored vehicles and older-generation tanks.
The warhead can be used in both high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) and high explosive squash head (HESH) modes against armor, walls, or other fortifications respectively. Modes are selected by adjusting a fuse extender: extending it for HEAT mode and leaving it retracted for HESH mode.
Similar to the Armbrust, the counter-mass counteracts the recoil of the weapon upon firing. The counter-mass consists of shredded plastic, which is launched out of the rear of the weapon when it is fired.
This plastic is rapidly slowed by air resistance, allowing the weapon to be fired safely within an enclosed space. In addition, the positioning of the counter-mass takes into consideration the center of gravity of the weapon to ensure good balance for better accuracy
Since 2022, Ukrainian forces have been putting Matadors to work against Russian APCs and IFVs. While it’s not a guaranteed tank killer—reactive armor can sometimes absorb the hit—it has proven effective at stopping vehicles and making life miserable for any infantry unlucky enough to be nearby.
In one reported incident, a Ukrainian brigade nailed a Russian tank with an RGW-90, stopping it dead in its tracks and turning the crew into a fine mist. This ability to halt advancing armor, even if not outright destroying it, is still a major battlefield advantage.
A Weapon for Today or a Relic of Yesterday?
The addition of the SMASH sight is impressive, but let’s be real—does this upgrade make sense in an era where cheap FPV drones are neutralizing tanks from kilometers away?
The Matador’s role in modern combat is shifting. While it's still a great tool for urban warfare and special operations, its effectiveness against armor is now competing with battlefield innovations that weren’t even on the radar when this weapon was first designed.
Infantry forces will always need portable anti-armor options, but the question is whether an enhanced grenade launcher is the best answer.
It’s a case of “good, but is it good enough?” Against weaker armored vehicles, it remains a viable and flexible tool. However, against Russia’s ever-evolving drone fleet—assuming they can afford to keep making them—it might only be a temporary solution.
The future is likely to favor systems that can engage targets from greater distances with higher destructive power.
Still, in the hands of Ukrainian forces, anything that helps turn Russian tanks into smoldering scrap metal is worth a look.
But as for revolutionizing the battlefield? That might be asking too much from a very smart, but ultimately limited, grenade launcher.
Having said all of that, I still think Ukraine should be putting SmartShooter scopes on every weapon system.
Not everyone has a natural propensity for shooting straight. When we identify those soldiers in basic training, we ensure that they get extra time at the range to increase their shooting skills. But in Ukraine, time isn’t always a luxury. I say let technology do the aiming whenever possible.
Not only will this conserve limited ammunition, but it will make Ukrainian forces much more lethal in engagements. When every round, from any weapon, is guaranteed to hit, Russian forces won’t know what hit them – literally.
My verdict on the Matador grenade launcher with a SmartShooter scope: Niche weapon for limited battlefield scenarios – mostly urban warfare – but I’m still optimistic about putting computerized scopes on weapon systems to make our allies much more lethal.
That's it for today, friends.
Слава Україні!
Hi Wes, another good article. My thought is this upgrade creates an awesome bunker buster, a useful tool in the current infantry heavy battles being fought in complex terrain since vehicles moving in open ground are too good a target for FPV drones. Keep up the good work.
Interesting evolvement. Realistic review. And there will be no wundervaffe to change the battlefield. But every little drop helps.