A tandem mass spectrometer includes a linear time-of-flight mass analyzer and curved field reflectron mass analyzer. The curved-field reflectron mass analyzer is disposed at an end of the linear time-of-flight mass analyzer such that ions having a plurality of ion masses formed in the linear time-of-flight analyzer such that ions having a plurality of ion masses formed in the linear time-of-flight analyzer enter the curved-field reflectron mass analyzer. The tandem mass spectrometer also includes a mass selection gate disposed between the time-of-flight mass analyzer and the curved-field reflectron mass analyzer. The mass selection gate selects an ion mass from the plurality of ion masses. Furthermore, the tandem mass spectrometer also includes a dissociating component located in a path of the ions formed in the linear time-of-flight analyzer. The dissociating component causes dissociation of the ions into a plurality of ion fragments.