The Sniper Revolution

S

Sheepdog

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Interesting Artical. Cheers!

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htinf/articles/20080731.aspx

July 31, 2008: In Iraq and Afghanistan, infantry tactics have changed considerably over the last few years. This is largely gone unnoticed back home, unless you happen to know an old soldier or marine that remembers the old style of shooting. Put simply, the emphasis is on a lot fewer bullets fired, and much more accurate shooting. Elite forces, like the Special Forces and SEALs, have always operated this way. But that's because they had the skill, and opportunity to train frequently, to make it work. But the army and marines have found that their troops can fight the same way with the help of some new weapons, equipment and tactics. Plus lots of combat experience and specialized training. This includes the use of new shooting simulators, which allows troops to fire a lot of virtual bullets, in a realistic setting, without all the hassle and expense of going to a firing range.

One thing that helped, and that was developing for two decades, was the greater used of snipers. Currently, about ten percent of American infantry are trained and equipped as snipers. Commanders have found that filling the battlefield with two man (spotter and shooter) sniper teams not only provides more intelligence, but also lots of precision firepower. Snipers are better at finding the enemy, and killing them with a minimum of noise and fuss. But new rifle sights (both day and night types), have made all infantry capable of accurate, single shot, fire. With the emphasis on keeping civilian casualties down, and the tendency of the enemy to use civilians as human shields, lots of snipers, or infantrymen who can take an accurate shot at typical battle ranges (under 100 meters), are the best way to win without killing a lot of civilians.

New sniper equipment has made a big difference. The U.S. Army has been issuing the new M110 SASS (Semi-Automatic Sniper System) to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. This weapon is not a big technological breakthrough. It is based on the older AR-10 rifle. The U.S. Navy has been buying a similar weapon, the SR25. This is also known as the Mk11 Sniper Rifle System (SRS). These new semi-automatic sniper rifles are 7.62mm weapons based on the designs of M-16 creator, retired USAF Colonel Gene Stoner. The basis for the M-16 was the AR-15, and a 7.62mm version of that weapon was called the AR-10. About half the parts in the SR25 are interchangeable with those in the M-16.

The Stoner sniper rifles achieved its high accuracy partly by using a 20 inch heavy floating barrel. The "floating" means that the barrel is attached only to the main body of the rifle to reduce resonance (which throws off accuracy.) The M110 weighs 17.3 pounds in combat, and about 70 pounds with all components of the system. The M110 can use a ten or twenty round magazine. The 40.5 inch long rifle can have a six inch tube attached to the barrel, which reduces the noise and flash made when the rifle fires, and largely eliminates nearby dust rising into the air, which often gives away the snipers position.

Previously, many snipers have had success using tuned up M-14s (from the 1960s) as sniper rifles. While semi-automatic and rugged, the M14 wasn't designed to be a sniper rifle. The AR-10 was a better model for a semi-automatic sniper rifle, since it is inherently more reliable and accurate. As far back as World War II, it was known that there were many situations where a semi-automatic sniper rifle would come in handy. But it's taken over half a century to solve the reliability and accuracy problems.

The M110 has largely replaced the bolt-action M24, and provided commanders with much more effective snipers. That increase in numbers (of snipers) and their effectiveness, has changed the look (less random fire from U.S. troops) and feel (the U.S. troops appear more in control) of the battlefield. It's also easier to spot the enemy. He's usually the guy firing on automatic. The fellows firing one shot at a time are the Americans, and they are usually the last ones standing.
 
Interesting post. Ten percent does seem high and I'd back it up with statisics my DH checked out recently, but it would only be one branch and I'd get edited. I may be able to say that ten percent is possible if it's counting those that are trained to shoot like a sniper but it's not their MOS. Hope that made sense.
 
Also depends on your definition of "trained". Could be that if you counted every one who even attended a sniper/DM school as well as anyone who has ever served in a sniper/DM platoon...... may be.... but that still seems high. Then again.... some might define a sniper as someone using a scoped rifle.... hell even an ACOG would count for that.
 
One more thing. Our Marine went to advanced sniper school, but he's not a sniper because he didn't go to basic school. There are so many variables.
 
One more thing. Our Marine went to advanced sniper school, but he's not a sniper because he didn't go to basic school. There are so many variables.


Really? in 14.5 years of this I have to admit I have never heard of that.

Could it be that he took a course that was held at the school? They do sometimes have a DM school there. But to go though the Advance Course with out the Basic course under your belt is usless. Even the Officers only go though part of the class for SEO training. It is mainly sniper on sniper training, SEO (Sniper Employment Officer) training and how to train and run a Scout Sniper Plt.
 
One more thing. Our Marine went to advanced sniper school, but he's not a sniper because he didn't go to basic school. There are so many variables.

Then he is not a sniper nor should he be counted as part of the 10%.
 
I was told there are ruffly 600+ school trained snipers needed in the Corps at one time and we average about 250.
 
that 10% stat is horribly off.

Army units have 2 DMs per platoon i belive last time i was in a standard line unit. Thats about 6 per company

Brigade has 46 slots but usually heavily under trained

A CAV squadron only has 6 snipers and Zero Dm's

I just find that as way off. Even my Recon cav scout section only has 6 guys and merely two of us are sniper qualified, my brother and myself. The other two guys sent to school failed horribly. One didnt even pass PT (was embarrasing) and the other ND'ed out of the course (also embarrassing)

Right now i think there are only 3 qualified snipers in our state in the Guard but they are sending 6 more students in February. I have high hopes for them but with the sparse veg in that time of year I dont see more than 2 of them passing stalks. Also I really dont think the military likes us. They treat us like outcasts rather than good solid operators its sad.
Think about it, organizations like americansnipers.org (formerly adoptasniper) wouldnt be around if the military cared about us... The fix i think would be to promote up through E-9 with shooters and spotters and have the section leader an officer promotable to O3 then youd have lifers with a lot of experience and a real incentive to stay in slots. As it is being only promotable to e-5 as an operator it forces guys out of the section to pursue other attractive promotion routes in the military
 
One more thing. Our Marine went to advanced sniper school, but he's not a sniper because he didn't go to basic school. There are so many variables.

You can't go to the advanced course without being a school trained sniper. I have heard of guys (piggies) going to mountain sniper but not advanced. Your son probably went to an "advanced" civilian course of some sort or some sort of SMTB course from MARSOC.
 
SKT

There have been alot of guys that have went through SKT(Small Kill Team) training. When I went through back in 07 in Iraq one of the things they told us is that we will not get an ASI as a sniper. Did we get some of the training yes we did. Did we get all of the training like ballastics and such NO.. we went to the range with about 3 different systems and fired and shit ton of ammo.. we started by shooting 1inx1in squares at 100meters to set the scope and then we went to 300meters and up to 1100meters.. then we got to fire the BFG the .50 at a door at like 1350.. most of the training we got was to shoot out to about 800meters and have a 5 man team in a hide for up to 24hrs. So in about 2 weeks we got alot of trigger time but I think we missed alot of the imporant stuff.. yea we were told that we need to wet down the room if we were in one before we shot to help keep the dust down, and how to spot the bad guy.. most of the time the 25th didnt use us the right way anyway... or they would want us to get up and move to the spot where the bad guy was and bring him in for questioning.. :uhh: yea like he is going to stand there why we move 800meters in full kit wth??? anyway I think that is where they are getting there numbers from.. we had like 30 guys in our class and there was like 10 classes before us.. half from the 82nd the other from the 25th. I think there were other classes going on else where too..

Hope this helps..... and yea just enough training to make us dangerous to ourselfs...:) but I did learn alot though.. wish I could get some more training.. I need it.. deer season is around the corner..:p
 
You can't go to the advanced course without being a school trained sniper. I have heard of guys (piggies) going to mountain sniper but not advanced. Your son probably went to an "advanced" civilian course of some sort or some sort of SMTB course from MARSOC.

Our PIGs went through the Mountain course with us, but they did not get the certificate of completion unless they were 8541. (0317 now I guess)
 
As for the Army, there are only 1-2% sniper equiped/ trained soldiers. Being the Btn Sniper section.

SDM's are not snipers, they are riflemen in a squad with more training in marksmanship. They are equiped with a NM grade barreled rifle (in most cases they are not) and standard optics. The operate as a member of the squad and close the gap 300m to 600m, where MG fire is not allowed or needed.

Sniper = MOS (USMC)8541 (Army)ASI B4 (USAF)N/A (USN)is not a rating.

Unless the above, not a sniper. With the above but with out the equipment, not a sniper.
 
I am pretty sure that MARSOC is running their own sniper course, from what I heard its more of a shooting package more then anything. They wanted it to be MOS producing but that quickly got shot down.
 
Interesting Artical. Cheers!

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htinf/articles/20080731.aspx



The M110 weighs 17.3 pounds in combat, and about 70 pounds with all components of the system.


Please tell me that 70 for one rifle is a typo... I understand that it mentions the componets but please tell me if this is the case what does this contain, at partly in the most loose way as I understand that this may be opsec.

But other than the Rifle,suppressor,optics what the hell can add up to 70 pounds. Must be lots of mags unless clearly theres stuff I have no idea about.
 
Please tell me that 70 for one rifle is a typo... I understand that it mentions the componets but please tell me if this is the case what does this contain, at partly in the most loose way as I understand that this may be opsec.

But other than the Rifle,suppressor,optics what the hell can add up to 70 pounds. Must be lots of mags unless clearly theres stuff I have no idea about.

Depends, add space case or steel case like our AW's are stored in, night site, spotting scope and tripod, binos, cleaning kit, sling, magazines, drag bag. It all depends on what the CES is and I don't have access to your SAP system to find out.
 
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