Posted on 03/16/2004 5:18:40 PM PST by bogdanPolska12
MOSUL, Iraq, March 16, 2004 — Lurking in the shadows of infantry patrols, security perimeters and raids, Army snipers are becoming the worst enemy for terrorists in northern Iraq. These highly skilled soldiers are stealthy, disciplined and precise.
“In this type of a conflict, enemies use guerilla warfare tactics because there’s no way they can engage us head on. They hide in crowds and fire at you, hoping you’ll return fire into the direction of civilians,” said Sgt. Joseph Danier, a sniper for 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team).
“We are here to avoid that. It’s not like I want to shoot people. But if I have to, I will be 100 percent positive that I’m shooting a bad guy,” he added.
Snipers are split up into two or three man teams at the company and battalion levels. One soldier mans the weapon, while the other spots and provides rear security.
In Samarra, our snipers were on rooftops providing overwatch for the platoon and could see and eliminate the enemy before we were even the ground,” said 1st Lt. William Baynes, 1st platoon leader for Company B, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment. “Their urban tactics far exceed the enemy’s ability to pop up and fire an [rocket-propelled grenade].”
Today’s snipers are prepared for these types of situations. The five-week U.S. Army Sniper School has begun to emphasize the importance of urban warfare, which helps soldiers be ready for the settings in Iraq.
“In war, the urban environment is absolutely the most dangerous place for any soldier,” said Lt. Col. Karl Reed, commander of 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment. “The buildings in Iraq are so different than in the states. The windows and doors are a different size in each house; there are more rooms than what we’re used to, and there are a lot of the little mud houses everywhere.”
Danier said that it’s imperative he receives concrete intelligence on the buildings in the area of engagement before going on an urban mission.
“If I can get the measurements of a window, then I can calculate and visualize the trajectory of the round and how it will enter the target area,” he said. “People never believe that there’s so much math applied to being a sniper.”
Another technicality for Danier to explain is that he can see a mile away through the scope of his heavy .50-caliber sniper rifle, one of four sniper rifles in use by the Army.
“Depending on the weather, which can affect my sight picture, I should be able to see an expression on a man’s face from very far away,” Danier said of the 20-plus pound weapon. Other sniper rifles include the M-4, M-24 and M-14.
“My favorite weapon to carry is the M-24, because it’s so light,” said Sgt. Randal Davis, sniper team leader for Company B, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment. “It has a day and night scope and a realistic effective firing range of 1,000 meters.”
It’s quite common for snipers to start quoting numbers about their weapons or tell you the year they were manufactured.
“We’re trained to know everything about our weapon and what to do with it in any given situation,” Lumadue said. “I guess that’s why we’re such an intimidating, lethal force, because we’re always ready and accurate.”
The graduates of the United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper School might disagree with you there. However, the record of the Sniper teams attached to the Princess Pat's regiment was superb. Virtually one shot, one kill from phenomenal ranges in mountainous terrain characterized by high winds and crosscurrents.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
The thought of these evil-low-life-mutts having their heads in the crosshairs of a high-powered rifle scope [50 cal.?] feeling all virile, potent and invincible/invisible makes me warm all over.
Perhaps, having a few heads pop off the shoulders of these in burst of red mist may make them think twice about showing their heads.
Spread it around that the bullets are coated or the hollow-points are filled with pork-fat may also make the perps nervous about getting into paradise.
They're a little better off than that, though the C3A3 Parker-Hale M82 sniper's rifle they used so successfully in Afghanistan is out of production. But they've been evaluating a couple of other possibilities, including the Navy SEALs M86 and the Marine M40A3 and the British L96A1.
In the meantime, they've worked up a very nice Designated Marksman's rifle based on the Diemaco C7, and coupled with the new 6,8x43mm ammunition developments, that might turn out to be really something. And they have the Tac-50 and other offerings from Barrett and others for the WAY-out there shots.
Neither the Canadian government nor DND are willing to comment on CF sniping in Afghanistan but unconfirmed reports put ‘kills’ by 3PPCLI snipers at more than 20. A particularly successful CF rifle is the new 12.7mm McMillan Tac-50. One shot, in the Shah-i-kot, set a gruesome new distance record for sniping — 2,430m. The combat effectiveness of the Tac-50 and CF snipers (nominated for five US Bronze Stars) has now been proven
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