slamic Republic of Iran Army

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Iranian Army

Structure Iranian Army Order of Battle Personnel List of senior officers Army Rank insignia Equipment Current equipment History Military history of Iran Historical equipment Iranian Imperial Guard This box: view • talk • edit

The Islamic Republic of Iran Army In Iran, it is also called Artesh, which is Persian for “army.” As of 2006, the regular Iranian Army was estimated to have 350,000 personnel (220,000 conscripts and 130,000 professionals), according to the CSIS.^[1] Conscripts serve for 18 months and have limited military training. ^[2]

Iran has two parallel land forces with some integration at the command level: the regular Artesh, and the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution or Pasdaran (IRGC).

Contents [hide] 1 History 1.1 Antiquity 1.2 The pre-revolutionary (Pahlavi) period 1.3 Post-revolution 1.4 1987 2 Current status 3 Equipment 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

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[edit] History

Main article: Military history of Iran

[edit] Antiquity

A national army of sorts has existed in Iran since the establishment of the Persian Empire. National armies usually appeared throughout the country’s points of strength, while in times of weakness mercenaries and conscript armies were recruited temporarily from fiefdoms. The original core of full time troops and imperial body guards were called the Immortals, these were established in 580BC by Cyrus the Great. These were replaced by the Junishapur Shâhanshâh (King of Kings) in the Sassanid Dynasty after a period of disunity and chaos in the country. Following the Arab invasion of Iran and eventual resurgence of Iranian dynasties a new full time army was formed by the name of Qezelbash in the Safavid Dynasty. The Qajar period saw several attempts to re-model the traditional Iranian military based on western models. These were met with limited success at the time.

Iranian military armor, steel and leather, dated 1450CE. New York Metropolitan Museum of Art

.

Training over the centuries has varied wildly, however until the Qajar era it was common to see many train for combat in Zurkhaneh (Persian: House of Strength زورخانه).

[edit] The pre-revolutionary (Pahlavi) period

Iranian soldiers

Following the rise of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1925 the new Imperial Iranian Army became a priority. Dramatic reforms brought in a host of western advisors and over the course of the next 50 years the army was to become the worlds 5th strongest by 1979. Throughout the 1970s the Imperial Iranian Ground Forces, as they were then known, underwent a rapid transformation and increase in strength.

In 1979 the Army was a largely mechanized and armored force of about 285,000 troops; Organized in 3 corps, with headquarters in Tehran area, in Shiraz in the south, and in Kermanshah near the Iraq border. There were additional plans for a fourth corps to be established at the Chah Bahar complex at the eastern end of the Persian Gulf. Major ground formations included 3 armored divisions (One more in organization in Sistan Baluchestan) each with six tank battalions and five mechanized infantry battalions, 3 infantry divisions, 2 Iranian Imperial Guard Divisions and 4 independent brigades (1 armored, 1 infantry, 1 airborne and 1 Special Forces) and the Army Aviation Command. These combat units, backed up by the usual complement of support units, were said to be 85 percent operational.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6kZ-p2PhuQ&feature=related

[edit] Post-revolution

Immediately after the 1979 revolution a series of purges gutted the core of the Army’s western trained senior commanders. This left it poorly prepared when Iraq invaded Iran in the advent of Iran-Iraq War, a situation similar to that faced by the Soviet Union during the opening stages of Operation Barbarossa. A new cadre of commanders, shaped by their experiences in the war, drastically reduced reliance on foreign supplied equipment and training. Following the war the military pursued a dramatic restructuring, much of it under total secrecy. While still only a mere shadow of its pre-revolutionary self, the Artesh rapidy re-asserted its abilities and started to grow again.

[edit] 1987

Takavaran 1979

In 1987, and on the verge of the end of the Iran-Iraq war the Artesh was organized as follows:

• Three mechanized divisions,
  • Each of which composed of three armored and six mechanized battalions organized into three brigades
• Seven infantry divisions,
• One Special Forces division composed of four brigades,
• One airborne brigade,
• One Air Support Command,

and some independent armored brigades including infantry and a “coastal force.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu_aI8Auk_M&feature=related

[edit] Current status

Force structure, order of battle, and unit identifications for Iranian forces differ greatly among sources. It is unclear which identifications are accurate. The evolution of Iranian units over time is somewhat opaque, and rather dated wartime designations are often published, sometimes confusing brigades with divisions. During the Iran-Iraq war some brigades formed the nuclei of new divisions, and may have reverted to that status with the end of the war.

Iranian marine commandos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMiyPXrlnyc&feature=related

Jane’s reported that the Army was commanded via three army level headquarters with 12 divisions.^[3]. The IISS reported in the Military Balance 2008 that there five Corps level regional headquarters, four armoured divisions with some independent brigades, six infantry divisions with some independent brigades, one special forces brigade, two commando divisions with some independent brigades, plus an airborne brigade. There were also six artillery groups, and aviation forces. ^[4] The number of divisions reported has not changed for some years. Often reported formations include the 23rd Special Forces Division, established in 1993-1994, and the 55th Paratroop Division. One source reports that the 23rd Special Forces Division is amongst the most professional units in the Iranian Army, with 5,000 regulars soldiers and strictly no conscripts.

The regular armoured divisions are sub-divided into three brigades.

The regular army also has a number of independent brigades and groups, though there is almost no reliable data on the size and number of these smaller independent formations. These include one logistics brigade, an infantry brigade, an airborne brigade, special forces (Takavar) brigades, and five artillery brigades/regiments. There are also coastal defense units, a growing number of air defense groups, between four and six army aviation units, and a growing number of logistics and supply formations.

There are a variety of other reports of doubtful veracity. Some sources claim that small light formations in the regular army include an Airmobile Forces Group created after the Iran-Iraq War. This formation is said to include the 29th Special Forces Division, which was formed in 1993-1994, and the 55th Paratroop Division. Other sources^[who?] claim that the commando forces of the regular army and IRGC are integrated into a Corps of about 30,000 soldiers, with integrated helicopter lift and air assault capabilities. These airborne and special forces troops are said to train together at Shiraz.

[edit] Equipment

Main article: Equipment of the Iranian Army

The main battle tank of Iran is the Zulfiqar MBT, named after a legendary sword. Born as the brainchild of Brigadier General Mir-Younes Masoumzadeh, deputy ground force commander for research and self-sufficiency of the armed forces, the Iranian Zulfiqar [Zolfaqar] main battle tank is developed from major components of the American M-48 tank. One of the features of the Zulfiqar tank which has drawn the attention of the Defense Ministry is that indigenously-made parts have been used in it. The testing prototypes of the tank were tested in 1993. Six semi-industrial prototypes of the tank were produced and tested in 1997. The IISS estimates that 100 are now in service.^[5]

[edit] See also

• Iran military
• Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps
• Iranian military industry

[edit] References

1. ^ “Iranian Armed Forces, CSIS (Page 14)“, 2006-07-25.
2. ^ Untitled Document
3. ^ Untitled Document, probably originally from Jane’s World Armies. post 2004
4. ^ IISS Military Balance 2008, p.242
5. ^ IISS Military Balance 2007, p.224

[edit] External links

• First Persian Military Web Site
• Iranian Military Pictures & videos
• Iran Military Multimedia and Forum

[hide] v • d • e Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army · Navy · Air Force · Islamic Revolutionary Guards

Retrieved from “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Republic_of_Iran_Army“

Categories: Military of Iran | Iranian Army

تاریخچه ژ۳ در ایران

بیش از 35 سال است که سلاح ژ 3 مدل آ۳ (بهترین مدل ژ۳)به عنوان اسلحه سازمانی در اختیار ارتش و نیروهای مسلح ایران می باشد.این سلاح در ابتدا بصورت تعداد محدودی توسط کارخانه هلکروکخ اقدام به راه اندازی خط تولید این سلاح در صنایع مسلسل سازی ارتش ( جنگ افزار سازی فعلی ) نمود.بعد از پیروزی شکوهمند انقلاب اسلامی متخصصین آلمانی ایران را ترک کردند.در جریان پیروزی انقلاب اسلامی با هجوم مردم به کارخانه و اشغال آن بسیاری از مدارک فنی و ابزار آلات تولید آن معدوم و مفقود گردید.سپس با تلاش متخصصین متعهد و انقلابی ایرانی کارخانه ، خط تولید بازسازی و راه اندازی گردید.این سلاح خوب به   کیفیت بالا ساخت و مونتاژ در تعداد بالا و ساخت ارزان معروف بوده و در برابر بعضی از شرایط محیطی مثل گرد و غبار و آلودگی های ناشی از اشتعال باروت در هنگام شلیکر حساس نمی باشدابن اسلحه اصلا نیاز به نظافت ندارد.بدلیل استفاده از این سلاح در ارتش ایران و انعقاد پیمان منحله سنتوبین سه کشور ایران ، ترکیه و پاکستان ، این دو کشور نیز نسبت به انتخاب این سلاح برای نیروهای مسلح خود مبادرت ورزیدند ، و هم اینک تولید سلاح ژ3 تحت امتیاز شرکت هلکروکخ در این دو کشور ادامه دارد.

تاریخچه جهانی ژ۳

در طول دهه پنجاه ارتش آلملن غربی همانند سایر ارتش های کشورهای عضو ناتو نیاز به یک سلاح انفرادی با قابلیت شلیک فشنگهای51* 62/7 ناتو را احساس می کرد.در ابتدا آلمان ها سلاح اف ان فال FN FAL ساخت بلژیک را برای این منظور انتخاب کردند.در سال 1956 با ایجاد تغییراتی در سلاح سیرکا شوروی ارتش آلمان سلاحی تحت نام G1 ا تولید نمود.( لازم به ذکر است که سلاح سیرکا مادر دو سلاح معروف کلاشینگف و CEMTE که خود مدل ابتدایی سلاح ژ3 است ، می باشد این سلاح شاهد تحولاتی با دو نگرش متفاوت در طول تغییرات خود بوده است که یکی نگرش روسها و آقای کلاش نیکف بوده و دیگری نگاه اروپای غربی و مهندسان شرکت CEMTE اسپانیا و نهایتا شرکت هکلرو کخ آلمان بوده است) بنا به دلایل واضحی آلمان ها خاستار به دست آوردن خودکفایی و تولید این رده از سلاح ها بودند.در ابتدا تقاضای ساخت اسلحه fal بلژیکی در آلمان مطرح شد که این امر از سوی کشور بلژیک به دلیل مشکلاتی که ارتش آلمان در هنگام اشغال آن کشور در زمان جنگ جهانی دوم برای آنها ایجاد کرده بودند با مخالفت روبرو شد.در نتیجه آلمان ها متمایل به کارخانه اسلحه سازی Cemt e شدند.یک مدل از سلاح های ساخت کارخانه مذکور با نام مدل A مورد پسند ارتش آلمان واقع گردید و آنها توانستند امتیاز تولید آن را از کارخانه اسپانیایی خریداری نموده و خط تولید آنرا به آلمان و کارخانه هکلروکخ در شهر اوبرندورف ( هم اینک کارخانه هکلروکخ در این شهر می باشد ) انتقال دهند.در سال 1959 ارتش آلمان غربی با تکمیل و بهینه سازی طرح نهایی سلاح Cemt e مدل A ، اسلحه ژ3 را به جهانیان معرفی کرد از آن زمان تاکنون اسلحه ژ3 در بسیاری کشورها ( نزدیک به 50 کشور جهان ) بکار گرفته شده این سلاح در مدل های پیشرفته تر مانندآ۳ که سلاح سازمانی ارتش ایران است ساخته شده و بهترین مدل ژ۳ به شمار می آید چندین کشور هم اینک در حال تولید این سلاح تحت لیسانس کارخانه هکلروکخ آلمان می باشند.کشورهای ایران یونان ، پاکستان ، ترکیه و پرتغال از این جمله اند.

مشخصات:
1)جنگ افزاري است خودكار كه بوسيله ناظم آتش بصورت خودكار و به ضامن در مي آيد.
2)تنها اسلحه انفرادی در جهان که داغ نمی کند و لوله آن انحراف پیدا نمی کند.
3)با فشار مستقيم گاز باروت مسلح مي شود.
4)با خشاب 20تيري تغذيه ميشود .
5)بوسيله نفر حمل ميشود.
6)دستگاه نشان روي آن بسادگي قابل تغيير و تنظيم است

مختصات :
1)كاليبر 62/7ميليمتر (30/0اينچ)
2)وزن بدون خشاب ۱۰۰/4كيلوگرم
3)طول سلاح بدون سرنيزه 5/102سانتيمتر
4)سرعت ابتدايي گلوله در ثانيه اول ۱۲۰۰متر بر ثانيه
5)نواخت تير بطور علمي ۷۰۰الي۷۵۰تيردر دقیقه
6)نواخت تير بطور عملي ۲۰۰الي ۲۵۰تير در دقيقه
7)تعداد خان 4 عدد
8)گردش خان از چپ به راست
9)برد مفید ۱۰۰۰متر
10) برد موثر4000متر
11)برد نهايي 7000 متر

سازمان وخدمه :
جنگ افزار ژ-3 سلاحي است انفرادي ،داراي يك نفر خدمه در كليه رسته ها.

انواع قنداق:

چوبی-پلاستیکی- کاچویی- و فلزی کشویی

مقدورات:
1.قدرت زياد نسبت به تفنگهاي مشابه با اندازه طول فشنگ ومرمي.
2.دقت تير به خاطر طول مناسب لوله.
3.مجهز به دوربين براي استفاده در مسافتهاي بيشتر از ۱۰۰۰متر .

۴.لگد کم نسبت به سلاح ام۱۶.

۵۰موارد گیر نسبت به دیگر سلاح های انفرادی بسیار کمتر است.

اعمال مکانیکی سلاح:

اعمال رفت:

.تظاهر:
عبارت است از ظاهر شدن يك عدد فشنگ در مسير گلنگدن توسط فشار صفحه خوراك دهنده.
2.ادخال:
عبارت است از هدايت يك عدد فشنگ در مسير گلنگدن كه توسط شاخه هاي گلنگدن در اثر پيشروي آلات متحرك فشنگ مزبور را در مسير گلنگدن قرار گرفته توسط شاخه هاي گلنگدن به داخل لوله هدايت مي گرددوعمل ادخال انجام مي شود.
3.بسته كردن:
ضمن پيشروي آلات متحرك پيشاني جنگي گلنگدن به ته خزانه لوله چسبيده و عمل بسته شدن انجام مي گيرد.بنابراين بسته شدن برخورد پيشاني گلنگدن به ته خزانه لوله مي باشد.
4.چفت شدن:
چون در موقع بسته شدن پيشاني جنگي به ته لوله برخورد مي كند در اين حال بدنه آلات متحرك در اثر فشار فنر ارتجاع هنوز به سمت جلو حركت مي نمايد در نتيجه اين فشار به هادي سوزن منتقل مي گردد و سبب مي شود كه غلطكهاي روي هادي سوزن حركت نمايند و از داخل گلنگدن خارج مي شود و در داخل مقر خود در بدنه قرار مي گيرد.
5)ضربت زدن:
در موقع چفت شدن فاصله سوزن وپيشاني جنگي كم مي گردد وهنگامي كه ماشه مي چكانيم چخماق به ته سوزن ضربت زده و نوك سوزن از سوراخ پيشاني جنگي خارج شده و به ته چاشني فشنگ ضربت مي زند.

اعمال برگشت:
ـ زمانيكه آلات متحرك در اثرفشار گازباروت به عقب حركت مي نمايد اعمال زير انجام ميشود:
1)رها شدن:
فشار گاز باروت به پيشاني جنگي گلنكدن سبب مي گردد كه غلطكها به مارپيچهاي مقر خود برخورد نموده و به داخل گلنكدن برود و در نتيجه به هادي سوزن فشار آورد و فاصله بين گلنكدن متحرك را برقرار مي نمايد.
2)باز شدن:
جدا شدن پيشاني جنگي گلنكدن از ته خزانه لوله.
3)مسلح شدن:
ضمن عقب نشيني آلات ماهيچه تحتاني آلات متحرك چخماق را به عقب مي خواباند ودر نتيجه سرپايه آتش با دهانه عقبي چخماق درگير ميشود و جنگ افزار مسلح ميگردد.
4)اخراج:
خارج شدن پوكه از خزانه لوله توسط فشنگ كش.
5)پرش:
پرتاب پوكه بخارج توسط فشنگ پران.

گير و رفع گير

۱)بدنه خشاب فرورفتگي دارد يا خشاب قر شده است.
رفع گير :خشاب را عوض كنيد

۲)فشنگ كثيف يا معيوب است .
رفع گير :فشنگ را عوض كنيد.

۳)عدم چفت شدن (غلطكها در مقر مربوطه قرار نمگيرد. )
1)دستگيره آتش محكم به جلو رها نشده است.
رفع گير :مجددا دستگيره ها را به عقب بكشيدو رهاكنيد.

انواع مهمات ژ-3

جنگی- رسام- آتش زا- ثاقب- جنگی واترپروف(ضد آب)- آموزشی- گازی- گازی مخصوص پرتاب نارنجک تفنگی- جنگی ثاقب آتش زا- پلاستیکی

برگه ناظم:

سه وضعیتی” ضامن (پایین)- تک تیر(وسط)- رگبار(بالا) جدیدا ارتش ایران ژ۳رو با برگه ناظم ۴ وضعیتی تولید می کند که حالت سه تیر(با هر بار گذاشتن انگشت هر بار بر روی ماشه سه تیر شلیک می شود)بین رگبار و تک تیر قرار می گیرد.

قدرت نفوذ در بدن:

سلاح ژ۳ در برد موثر خود که 4000متر است بعد از اصابت گلوله به بدن شخص در هنگام خروج از بدن شخص شعاعی به اندازه ۱ متر ایجاد می کند .گلوله این سلاح می تواند با ایجاد شعاعی به اندازه یک متر از بدن ۳۰ رنجر عبور کن دبه همین دلیل سلاح ژ۳ به کشنده ترین سلاح انفرادی در جهان معروف است.در زمان جنگ تحمیلی ۲۰درصد موفقیت ایران مدیون سلاح ژ۳ است به همین دلایل در زمان جنگ تحمیلی عراقی ها به ژ۳ توپ ایرانی می گفتند.

متعلقات سلاح ژ۳:

۱)سرنیزه

۲) لوله رابط مخصوص رتاب نارنجک تفنگی

۳) جعبه تنظیف(این سلاح در بسیاری از موارد نیاز به نظافت ندارد)

۴) دوربین(از این سلاح می توان به عنوان یک سلاح تک تیرانداز استفاده کرد)

۵)دستگاه نشانه روی کار در شب

۶) انواع فشنگ ها

مختصات سلاح ژ۳

خشاب ها ۲۰ و ۴۰ و ۱۰۱ و ۳۰۰ تیری

کالیبر ۶۲/۷*۵۱ میلیمتر

نواخت تیر ۷۵۰ تا ۷۰۰ تیر در دقیقه

انرژی دهانه 290 – 300 کیلو پوند متر

برد موثر 4000 متر

برد مفید ۱۰۰۰متر

برد نهایی ۷۰۰۰متر

تعداد خان ۴ راستگرد

طول سلاح 1020 میلی متر

طول لوله 450 میلی متر

سرعت دهانه ۱۰۰۰- ۱۲۰۰ متر در ثانیه

وزن سلاح بدون خشاب ۱00/4 کیلو گرم

وزن خشاب خالی 284 گرم

وزن فشنگ 24 گرم

شعاع دید 572 میلی متر

تک تیراندازان آمریکایی در هنگام آموزش و استفاده از آموزش های خویش در عراق

Sniper

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2008)

Arkansas Army National Guard

soldiers practice sniper marksmanship at their firing range near Baghdad, Iraq, in 2005.

A Special Reaction Team with an M24 sniper weapon system in 2004.

A sniper is an infantry combatant or serviceman (e.g. police officer) who specializes in shooting from a

concealed position over longer ranges than regular infantry, often with a specially designed or adaptedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9MHvLfs6Vk&NR=1

sniper rifle. A sniper requires skill in marksmanship, camouflage, and field craft. Military snipers are also adept at carrying out methods of infiltration, reconnaissance, and observation techniques.^[1]

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[edit] Etymology

The term sniper was first attested in 1824 in the sense of the word ‘sharpshooter’.^[2] The verb to snipe originated in the 1770s among soldiers in British India with the idea of “to shoot from a hidden place”, in allusion to snipe hunting, where a game bird known for being extremely difficult to hunt and then shoot is hunted. Those who were skilled at the hunting of this bird were thus dubbed “snipers”.^[2]

During the American Civil War, the common term used in the United States for much of the same function of a sniper was ‘skirmisher‘. A Civil War army often protected itself by using such soldiers to thwart the enemy from flanking the main body of their attack force.^[3] They were deployed individually on the extremes of the moving army to primarily scout for the possibility of an enemy ambush. Consequently, a “skirmish” only denotes a clash of the smallest scope,^[4] in similarity to the reference of snipers. In general, a skirmish was a limited combat, involving troops other than those of the main body.^[3] The term ’sniper’ was not in widespread use in the United States until after the American Civil War.^{[citation needed]}

In the last few decades, the term ’sniper’ has been used very loosely. Gun confiscators used this term so loosely that some people even called it sniping when a handgun was used; the term ’sniper rifle’ was considered very “scary sounding” and was very effective in inciting fear, evoking a lot of unsettling images, such as a lone gunman, undetectable, on the hunt.^[5]­^[6]

The term ’sniper’ has been used in more serious tones especially by media in association with police precision riflemen, those responsible for assassination, any shooting from all but the shortest range in war, and any criminal equipped with a rifle in a civil context. In the Bosnian War, and for much of the Siege of Beirut, the term ’sniper’ was used to refer to what were generally ill-trained soldiers who terrorized civilians, mainly by firing at them from windows and rooftops.^{[citation needed]} During the Siege of Sarajevo, the main street of the city became known as “Sniper Alley“.

This has rather expanded the meaning of the term. It has also given the term ’sniper’ mixed connotations. Official sources often use more positive connotative terms to describe snipers, especially for police snipers: counter-sniper, precision marksman, tactical marksman, sharpshooter, precision riflemen, and precision shooter. Some of these alternatives have been in common use for a long time; others are closer to undisguised euphemisms.

[edit] Snipers in warfare

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A sniper from the Jalalabad Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) looks for enemy activity along the hilltops near Dur Baba, Afghanistan, November 2006.

Different countries have different military doctrines regarding snipers in military units, settings, and tactics. Generally, a sniper’s primary function in warfare is to provide detailed reconnaissance from a concealed position and, if necessary, to reduce the enemy’s fighting ability by striking at a small number of high value targets, especially officers, communication and medical personnel.

Soviet Russian and derived military doctrines include squad-level snipers, which may be called “sharpshooters” or “designated marksmen” in other doctrines (see below). They do so because this ability was lost to ordinary troops when assault rifles (which are optimized for close-in, rapid-fire combat) were adopted. See the “Soviet sniper” article for details.

Military snipers from the US, UK, and other countries that adopt their military doctrine are typically deployed in two-man sniper teams consisting of a shooter and spotter. A common practice is for a shooter and a spotter to take turns in order to avoid eye fatigue. German doctrine of largely independent snipers and emphasis on concealment developed during the Second World War have been most influential on modern sniper tactics, currently used throughout Western militaries (examples are specialized camouflage clothing, concealment in terrain and emphasis on coup d’oeil).

Typical sniper missions include reconnaissance and surveillance, target marking for air-strikes, counter-sniper, killing enemy commanders, selecting targets of opportunity, and even anti-matériel tasks (destruction of military equipment), which tend to require use of rifles in the larger calibers such as the .50 BMG. Snipers have of late been increasingly demonstrated as useful by US and UK forces in the recent Iraq campaign in a fire support role to cover the movement of infantry, especially in urban areas.

[edit] Snipers during the First and Second World Wars

^[7]

[edit] First World War

During the First World War, snipers appeared as deadly sharpshooters in the trenches. At the start of the war, only Imperial Germany had troops that were issued scoped sniper rifles. Although sharpshooters existed on all sides, the Germans specially equipped some of their soldiers with scoped rifles that could pick off enemy soldiers showing their heads out of their trench. At first the French and British believed such hits to be coincidental hits, until the German scoped rifles were discovered. During World War One, the Germans received a reputation for the deadliness and efficiency of their snipers, partly because of the high-quality lenses the Germans could manufacture. Soon the British army began to train their own snipers in specialized sniper schools. Until the end of the war, the British tried to close the gap between the German and their own snipers. British and German sniper teams operated in pairs, with one sniper and one spotter with binoculars. On the Eastern Front, Imperial Russia never introduced specialized sharpshooters or snipers, allowing the German snipers to pick off their targets without danger from counter-snipers.

[edit] Second World War

[edit] European Theatre

German sniper aiming his Kar98k with 4x Zeiss ZF42 scope.

During the Second World War, snipers reappeared as important factors on the battlefield. During the interbellum, most nations had dropped their specialized sniper units, notably the Germans who had had such a reputation during the First World War. However, during the Spanish Civil War, the effectiveness and dangers of snipers once again came to the fore. The only nation that had specially trained sniper units during the 1930’s was the Soviet Union, mostly because of their involvement in Spain. Soviet snipers were trained in their skills as marksmen, in using the terrain to hide themselves from the enemy and the ability to work alongside regular forces. This made the Soviet sniper training focus more on ‘normal’ combat situations than those of other nations. During the 1940 campaigns of Germany, it appeared that lone, well hidden snipers could halt the German advance for a significant amount of time. For example during the close-in on Dunkirk, British snipers were able to significantly delay German infantry trying to reach Dunkirk. This prompted the British to once again upscale their training of specialized sniper units. British snipers were trained in the obvious marksmanship skills and taught to blend in with the environment, often by using special headgear that concealed them. However, the British Army offered sniper training exclusively to officers and non-commissioned officers, which reduced their effectiveness considerably.

One of the best known battles involving snipers, and also the battle that made the Germans reinstate their specialized sniper training, was the Battle of Stalingrad. Their defensive position inside a city filled with rubble meant that Soviet snipers were able to inflict significant casualties on the German Wehrmacht. Because of the urban nature of fighting, snipers were very hard to spot and seriously dented the morale of the German attackers. Though German sharpshooters appeared spontaneously, often armed with captured scoped Mosin-Nagant rifles, Germany re-established its own sniping school and set out to reclaim its reputation of the First World War. Germany drastically increased the number of snipers per unit. German training emphasized shooting at long-range targets to deliver a feeling of insecurity to the enemy, the ability to creep up on enemies and maintain hidden with enemies nearby, plus especially good camouflaging. Germany evolved the most efficient ways of camouflaging, both by using the environment (branches etc.) and by the development of specially designed, reversible camouflage clothing. German snipers were also issued with special shovels and knives to create the best possible hiding places and shelters. As they had done during the First World War, German snipers also changed location after a few shots to further reduce their chances of being spotted. They were also issued highest-quality adjustable scopes (Soviet scopes were not adjustable).

In the United States armed forces, sniper training was only very elementary and focused on being able to hit targets over long distances. Snipers were required to be able to hit a body over 400 meters, and a head over 200. There was almost no concern with the ability to blend into the environment. Sniper training also varied from place to place, resulting in a wide range of qualities of snipers. The main reason the US did not extend their training beyond long-range shooting was the limited employment of US soldiers until the Normandy Invasion. During the campaigns in North Africa and Italy, most fighting occurred in arid and mountainous regions where limited concealment was possible, in contrast to Western and Central Europe. This made for disaster in Normandy and the rest of the campaign in Western Europe, where they encountered the well trained German snipers. In Normandy, German snipers remained hidden in the dense vegetation and were able to encircle American units, firing at them from all sides. The American and British forces were surprised by how near the German snipers could come and safely attack them, as well as by their ability to hit targets over long distances. A famous mistake made by the green American soldiers was to lie down and wait when targeted by German snipers, this allowed the snipers to pick them off one after another. Often German snipers infiltrated Allied lines, and sometimes when the front had moved away, they fought from their hiding places until they were out of rations or ammunition and tried to surrender.

After the war, many elements of German sniper training and doctrine were copied by other countries.

[edit] Pacific Theatre

In the Pacific War, the Empire of Japan also trained snipers. In the jungles of Asia and the Pacific Islands, snipers posed a serious threat to the British, Australian, Canadian and US troops. Japanese snipers were specially trained to use the environment to conceal themselves. Japanese snipers used foliage on their uniforms and dug well-concealed hide-outs that were often connected with small trenches. There was no need for long range accuracy, because most combat in the jungle took place within a few hundred meters. Japanese snipers were known for their patience and ability to remain hidden for long periods. However, they almost never left their carefully camouflaged hiding spots. This resulted partly from their training and partly from their fighting mentality, the Japanese fought until death and would seldom retreat. This meant that whenever a sniper was in the area, the location of the sniper was known after a few shots. It also meant a continuous lowering of the quality of Japanese snipers. The Allies also used their own snipers in the Pacific, notably the US Marines, who used a Springfield rifle with elongated scope that allowed for very long range shooting.

[edit] Common sniper rifles used during World War II

Some common sniper rifles used during the Second World War include: the Soviet M1891/30 Mosin Nagant and, to a lesser extent, the semi-automatic SVT-40; the German Mauser Kar 98k and semi-automatic Gewehr 43; the British Lee-Enfield No. 4; the Japanese Arisaka 97; and the American M1903 Springfield.

[edit] Range

The longest range recorded for a sniper kill currently stands at 2,430 metres (2,657 yd, or 1.51 miles), accomplished by Corporal Rob Furlong, a sniper from Newfoundland, Canada, on March 2002 during the war in Afghanistan. Corporal Rob Furlong made this record-breaking kill while he was participating in Operation Anaconda, in March of 2002. He was serving with Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) at the time. To make the kill, he used a .50 caliber BMG (12.7 mm) McMillan TAC-50 bolt-action rifle.^[8]

If one takes the time-in-flight of the bullet with air resistance to be conservativelyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trajectory_of_a_projectile#Trajectory_of_a_projectile_with_air_resistance about 1.5× the flight time without air resistance, that would be about 4.5 seconds (2,430m ÷ 823m/s^[9] = 2.95s). Over that time, neglecting any aerodynamic lift on the bullet in flight, it would drop almost 100m on its way to the target.

The previous record was held by U.S. Marine sniper Carlos Hathcock in February 1967 during the Vietnam War, at a distance of more than 2,500 yards using a scope-mounted Browning M2 .50 machine gun.^[10][11][12]

By contrast, much of the US/Coalition urban sniping in support of operations in Iraq is at much shorter ranges, although in one notable incident on April 3, 2003, Corporals Matt and Sam Hughes, a two-man sniper team of the Royal Marines, armed with L96 sniper rifles each killed targets at a range of about 860 metres (941 yd) with shots that, due to strong wind, had to be “fire[d] exactly 17 meters (56 ft) to the left of the target for the bullet to bend in the wind.”^[13]

[edit] Police

Honolulu Police Department Specialized Services Division Counter-Sniper Team does aerial platform training.

Law enforcement snipers, also commonly called police snipers, and military snipers, differ in many ways, including their areas of operation, training, and tactics. A police sharpshooter is part of a police operation and usually takes part in relatively short missions. Police forces typically deploy such sharpshooters in hostage scenarios.^{[verification needed]} This differs from a military sniper, who operates as part of a larger army, engaged in warfare. Often as part of a SWAT team, police snipers are deployed alongside negotiators and an assault team trained for close quarters combat.^{[verification needed]} As policemen, they are trained to shoot only as a last resort, when there is a direct threat to life; the police sharpshooter has a well-known rule: “Be prepared to take a life to save a life.”^[14] Police snipers typically operate at much shorter ranges than military snipers, generally under 100 metres (109 yd) and sometimes even less than 50 metres (55 yd). Both types of snipers do make difficult shots under pressure, and often perform one shot kills.

Police units which are unprepared for tactical operations may rely on a specialized SWAT tactical team, which may have a dedicated sniper team member.^[14]

Some police sniper operations begin with military assistance.^[15]

Police snipers placed in vantage points, such as high buildings, can provide security for events.^[16]

The need for specialized training for police sharpshooters was made apparent in 1972 during the Munich massacre when the German police could not deploy specialized personnel or equipment during the standoff at the airport in the closing phase of the crisis, and consequently all of the Israeli hostages were killed.^{[citation needed]} The use of snipers of the German army was impossible due to the German constitution’s explicit prohibition of the use of the military in domestic matters. This situation was later addressed with the founding of the specialized police counter-terrorist unit GSG 9.

In one high-profile incident, a SWAT sniper in Columbus, Ohio prevented a suicide by shooting a revolver out of the individual’s hand, leaving him unharmed.^[17]

[edit] Training

A US Marine extracts a fired cartridge casing and chambers a new round into his M40A3.

Good training is essential to provide a sniper with the skills needed to perform well. Military sniper training aims to teach a high degree of proficiency in camouflage and concealment, stalking and observation as well as precision marksmanship under various operational conditions. Trainees typically shoot thousands of rounds over a number of weeks, while learning these core skills.

Snipers are trained to squeeze the trigger straight back with the ball of their finger, to avoid jerking the gun sideways. The most accurate position is prone, with a sandbag supporting the stock, and the stock’s cheek-piece against the cheek. In the field, a bipod can be used instead. Sometimes a sling is wrapped around the weak arm (or both) to reduce stock movement. Some doctrines train a sniper to breathe deeply before shooting, then hold their lungs empty while they line up and take their shot. Some go further, teaching their snipers to shoot between heartbeats to minimize barrel motion.

[edit] Consistency

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A sniper, using a modified M14 rifle uses two stakes to help steady his aim while providing overwatch in Iraq.

The key to sniping is consistency, which applies to both the weapon and the shooter. The consistency of a sniper rifle is how precise the bullet travels from the rifle to its target when fired.^{[verification needed]} While consistency does not necessarily ensure accuracy (which requires training), sniping cannot be accurately carried out without it.

Although there is always a degree of randomness due to physics and the nature of bullets, a precision sniping rifle must limit this effect. When fired from a fixed position, all shots must be extremely close together, even at long range. Similarly, a sniper must have the ability to estimate the range of the target, the velocity of the wind, the altitude and elevation of the sniper and the target,^{[citation needed]} the temperature of the environment and gun barrel, and any other major factors that can alter the shot. Mistakes in estimation compound over distance and can decrease lethality or cause a shot to miss completely.

Snipers generally prefer to zero their weapons at a target range, although it can also be done in the field. This is where the sniper calibrates his rifle with his scope at a particular range (typically at the most common encounter distance) such that shots will reliably strike their target. A rifle must maintain its zero in the field, or else it must be re-zeroed before the next encounter. Once zeroed, the rifle can be adjusted for other distances or for wind using estimates, calculations, and scope features.

The military need for consistency is highest when a sniper is firing the first shot against an enemy unaware of the sniper’s presence. At this point, high-priority targets such as enemy snipers, officers, and critical equipment are most prominent and can be more accurately targeted. Once the first shot has been fired, any surviving enemy will attempt to take cover or locate the sniper, and attacking strategic targets becomes more difficult.

The need for police sniper consistency is high when in a hostage situation. Firing a shot but failing to immediately incapacitate an armed threat is likely to result in the death of hostages, and cause the aggressor to cease negotiations and retreat to cover. In this situation, lives can depend on the result of a single shot, and it is this pressure that police snipers must overcome when firing.

A sandbag serves as a useful platform for shooting a sniper rifle. In the field, a bipod is more common, although any soft surface such as a rucksack will steady a rifle and contribute to consistency. In particular, bipods help when firing from a prone position, and enable the firing position to be sustained for an extended period of time. Many police and military sniper rifles come equipped with an adjustable bipod.

[edit] U.S. military

Snipers are volunteers accepted for sniper training on the basis of their aptitude as perceived by their commanders. Military snipers may be trained as Forward Air Controllers (FACs) to direct military air strikes, as Forward Observers (FOs) in artillery target indication, or as mortar fire controllers (MFCs).

Effective sniping in a military context may necessitate assuming a stationary position for days at a time. Fatigue and muscle stiffness often result from the mandatory immobility. Also, urination and defecation into a bag or other container may become essential.^{[citation needed]} These factors alone contradict much of the glamor in being a sniper portrayed in popular films, such as in the film Shooter.^{[verification needed]}

[edit] British military

Frederick Russell Burnham in Africa

The first British sniper unit began life as Lovat Scouts, a Scottish Highland regiment that earned high praise during the Second Boer War. The unit was formed by Lord Lovat and reported to an American, Major Frederick Russell Burnham, the British Army Chief of Scouts under Lord Roberts. Burnham fittingly described these scouts as “half wolf and half jackrabbit.”^[18] Just like their Boer opponents, they were well practiced in the arts of marksmanship, field craft, and military tactics. They were also the first known military unit to wear a ghillie suit.^[19] They were skilled woodsmen but also practitioners of discretion: “He who shoots and runs away, lives to shoot another day.” After the war, this regiment went on to formally become the British Army’s first sniper unit, then better known as sharpshooters.^[18]

[edit] Targeting

US Army sniper team in Afghanistan with M24 SWS, 19 October 2006.

The range to the target is measured or estimated as precisely as conditions permit and correct range estimation becomes absolutely critical at long ranges, because a bullet travels with a curved trajectory and the sniper must compensate for this by aiming higher at longer distances. If the exact distance is not known the sniper will compensate incorrectly and the bullet path will be too high or low. As an example, for a typical military sniping cartridge such as 7.62 × 51 mm NATO (.308 winchester) M118 Special Ball round this difference (or “drop”) from 700 metres (766 yd) to 800 metres (875 yd) is 200 mm (8 in). This means that if the sniper incorrectly estimated the distance as 700 m (766 yd) when the target was in fact 800 m (875 yd) away, the bullet will be 200 mm (8 in) lower than expected by the time it reaches the target.

Laser range-finders may be used, but are not preferred on the battlefield because a laser can be seen by both the sender and the receiver. One useful method is comparing the height of the target (or nearby objects) to their size on the mil dot scope, or taking a known distance and using some sort of measure (utility poles, fence posts) to determine the additional distance. The average human head is 150 mm (6 in) in width, average human shoulders are 500 mm (20 in) apart and the average distance from a person’s crotch to the top of their head is 100 cm (39.4 in).

U.S. Air Force Airman positions herself in the brush during an exercise scenario at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. She is one of only five enlisted female snipers in the Air Force, is attached to the 354th Security Forces Squadron, 2006.

To determine the range to a target without a laser rangefinder, the sniper must use the mil dot reticle on a scope to accurately find the range. Mil dots are used like a slide rule to measure the height of a target, and if the height is known, the range can be as well. The height of the target (in yards) ×1000, divided by the height of the target (in mils), gives the range in yards. This is only in general, however, as both scope magnification (7×, 40×) and mil dot spacing change. The USMC standard is that 1 mil (that is, 1 milliradian) equals 3.438 MOA (minute of arc, or, equivalently, minute of angle), while the US Army standard is 3.6 MOA, chosen so as to give a diameter of 1 yard (36 inches) at 1,000 yards (1,000 m). Many commercial manufacturers use 3.5, splitting the difference, since it is easier with which to work.

Explanation: 1 MIL = 1 milli-radian. That is, 1 MIL = 1×10^-3 radian. But, 10^-3 rad x (360 deg/ (2 x Pi) radians) = 0.0573 degrees. Now, 1 MOA = 1/60 degree = 0.01667 degrees. Hence, there are 0.0573/0.01667 = 3.43775 MOA per MIL, where MIL is defined as a milli-radian. On the other hand, defining a mil-dot by the US Army way, to equate it to 1-yard (1 m) at 1,000 yards (1,000 m), means the Army’s mil-dot is approximately 3.6 MOA.

It is important to note that angular mil (mil) is only an approximation of a milliradian and different organizations use different approximations. Please see three definitions of the angular mil.

At longer ranges, bullet drop plays a significant role in targeting. The effect can be estimated from a chart which may be memorized or taped to the rifle, although some scopes come with Bullet Drop Compensator (BDC) systems that only require the range be dialed in. These are tuned to both a specific class of rifle and specific ammunition. It must be noted that every bullet type and load will have different ballistics. .308 Federal 175 grain (11.3 g) BTHP match shoots at 2,600 ft/s (790 m/s). Zeroed at 100 yards (100 m), a 16.2 MOA adjustment would have to be made to hit a target at 600 yards (500 m). If the same bullet was shot with 168 grain (10.9 g), a 17.1 MOA adjustment would be necessary.

Shooting uphill or downhill can require more adjustment due to the effects of gravity. Wind also plays a significant role, the effect increasing with wind speed or the distance of the shot. The slant of visible convections near the ground can be used to estimate crosswinds, and correct the point of aim. Recently, a small device known as a cosine indicator has been developed. This device is clamped to the tubular body of the telescopic sight, and gives an indicative readout in numerical form as the rifle is aimed up or down at the target.^{[verification needed]} This is translated into a figure used to compute the actual range to the target.

All adjustments for range, wind, and elevation can be performed by “holding over” by eye, also known as Kentucky windage. The most accurate way is called “dialing in” the scope. This adjusts the scope so that the crosshairs point at the target, while also accounting for the effect of the factors above. With precision mechanics, dialing in is more accurate, as the eye can more easily line up and hold the target.

For moving targets, the point of aim is in front of the target. This is known as “leading” the target, where the amount of lead depends on the speed and angle of the target’s movement. For this technique, holding over is the preferred method. Anticipating the behavior of the target is necessary to accurately place the shot.

[edit] Sniper equipment

Main article: Sniper equipment

M40A3

A US Marine sniper wearing a ghillie suit.

The major components of a sniper’s equipment include a sniper rifle, ammunition, suppressor, camouflage, and/or a ghillie suit.

[edit] Sniper tactics

[edit] Shot placement

Shot placement varies considerably with the type of sniper being discussed. Military snipers, who generally do not engage targets at less than 300 m (330 yd), usually attempt body shots, aiming at the chest. These shots depend on tissue damage, organ trauma, and blood loss to make the kill.

Police snipers who generally engage at much shorter distances may attempt more precise shot at particular parts of body or particular devices: in one event in 2007 in Marseille, a GIGN sniper took a shot from 80m at the pistol of a policeman threatening to commit suicide, destroying the weapon and preventing him from killing himself.^[20] Less lethal shots (at arms or legs) may also be taken at criminals to sap their will to fight or reduce their mobility. In a high risk situation police snipers may take head shots to ensure an instant kill. In instant-death hostage situations, police snipers shoot for the cerebellum, a part of the brain that controls voluntary movement that lies at the base of the skull. Some ballistics and neurological researchers have argued that severing the spinal cord at an area near the second cervical vertebra is actually achieved, usually having the same effect of preventing voluntary motor activity, but the debate on the matter remains largely academic at present.

[edit] Targets

Snipers can target personnel or materiel, but most often they target the most important enemy personnel such as officers or specialists (e.g. communications operators) so as to cause maximum disruption to enemy operations. Other personnel they might target include those who pose an immediate threat to the sniper, like dog handlers, who are often employed in a search for snipers.

A sniper identifies officers by their appearance and behavior such as symbols of rank, talking to radio operators, sitting as a passenger in a car, having military servants, or talking and moving position more frequently. If possible, snipers shoot in descending order by rank, or if rank is unavailable, they shoot to disrupt communications.

Since most kills in modern warfare are by crew-served weapons, reconnaissance is one of the most effective uses of snipers. They use their aerobic conditioning, infiltration skills and excellent long-distance observation equipment and tactics to approach and observe the enemy. In this role, their rules of engagement let them engage only high value targets of opportunity.

Some rifles, such as the Denel NTW-20 are designed for a purely anti-materiel (AM) role, e.g. shooting turbine disks of parked jet fighters, missile guidance packages, expensive optics, and the bearings, tubes or wave guides of radar sets. A sniper equipped with the correct rifle can target radar dishes, water containers, the engines of vehicles, and any number of other targets. Other rifles, such as the .50 calibre rifles produced by Barrett and McMillan are not designed exclusively as AM rifles, but are often employed in such a way, providing the range and power needed for AM applications in a lightweight package compared to most traditional AM rifles. Other calibers, such as the .408 Cheyenne Tactical and the .338 Lapua are designed to be capable of limited AM application, but ideally suited as anti-personnel rounds.

[edit] Relocating

Often in situations with multiple targets, snipers must use a special kind of tactic. After firing a few shots from a certain position, snipers are known to move unseen to another location before the enemy can figure where he is and mount a counterattack. Snipers will frequently use this tactic to their advantage, creating an atmosphere of chaos and confusion. An experienced marksman will make it seem as if an entire squad of snipers is engaging the targets. In sniper jargon, this is known as “relocating”.

[edit] Sound masking

As sniper rifles are often extremely powerful and loud, it is common for snipers to use a technique known as sound masking. This tactic, in the hands of a highly skilled marksman, can be used as a substitute for a noise suppressor. Very loud sounds in the environment, such as artillery shells air bursting or claps of thunder, can often mask the sound of the shot. This technique is frequently used in clandestine operations and infiltration tactics.

[edit] Psychological warfare

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Only during the 20th century have snipers been considered heroes of war, and before were often given names such as “Filthy dogs”, “Devil Rats” and “Bottom feeders” due to their inability to be seen or caught. Credit for this reputation traces to the American Revolution, when American “Marksmen” would intentionally target British officers, an act considered uncivilized by the British Army at the time (this reputation would be cemented during the Battle of Saratoga, when Benedict Arnold allegedly ordered his marksmen to target British General Simon Fraser, an act that would win the battle and French support). However, the British side used specially selected sharpshooters as well, often German mercenaries.

To demoralize enemy troops, snipers can follow predictable patterns. During the Cuban revolutionary war, the 26th of July Movement always killed the foremost man in a group of Batista’s soldiers. Realizing this, none of them would walk first, as it was suicidal. This effectively decreased the army’s willingness to search for rebel bases in the mountains. An alternative approach is to kill the second man in a row, leading to the psychological effect that nobody will want to follow the “leader” on first position.

The phrase “one shot, one kill” has gained notoriety in popular culture as a glorification of the “sniper mystique.” The phrase embodies the sniper’s tactics and philosophy of stealth and efficiency. The exact meaning can be explained thus:

• A single round should be fired, avoiding unnecessary and indiscreet firing
• Every shot should be accurately placed

Whether the phrase actually reflects reality is of course subject to debate, but it has been widely used in literature and movies.

[edit] Counter-sniper tactics

Main article: Counter-sniper tactics

The occurrence of sniper warfare has led to the evolution of many counter-sniper tactics in modern military strategies. These aim to reduce the damage caused by a sniper to an army, which can often be harmful to both fighting capabilities and morale.

The risk of damage to a chain of command can be reduced by removing/concealing features which would otherwise indicate an officer’s rank. Armies nowadays tend to avoid saluting officers in the field and eliminate rank insignia on BDUs. Officers can seek maximum cover before revealing themselves as good candidates for sniping through actions like reading maps and using radios.

Friendly snipers can be used to hunt the enemy sniper. Besides direct observation, defending forces can use other techniques. These include calculating the trajectory of a bullet by triangulation. Traditionally, triangulation of a sniper’s position was done manually, though radar-based technology has recently become available. Once located, the defenders can try to approach the sniper from cover and overwhelm him. The United States military is funding a project known as RedOwl, which uses laser and acoustic sensors to determine the exact direction from which a sniper round has been fired.^[21]

The more shots a sniper fires, the more chances the defenders have to locate him, so they often try to draw fire, sometimes by offering a helmet slightly out of concealment. A tactic successfully employed in the Winter War by the Finns is known as “Kylmä-Kalle” (Cold Charlie).^{[citation needed]} They used a shop mannequin or other doll dressed as a tempting target, like an officer. The doll was then presented as if it were a real man sloppily covering himself. Usually, Soviet snipers were unable to resist the temptation of an apparently easy kill. Once the angle where the bullet came from was determined, a shot of a large calibre gun such as a Lahti L-39 “Norsupyssy” (“Elephant rifle”) anti-tank rifle was shot at the sniper’s direction to eliminate him.

Other tactics include directing artillery or mortar fire onto suspected sniper positions, the use of smoke screens, and placing tripwire-operated munitions, mines, or other booby-traps near suspected sniper positions. Even dummy trip-wires can be placed to inconvenience sniper movement. Where anti-personnel mines are unavailable, it is possible to improvise booby-traps by connecting trip-wires to hand grenades, smoke grenades or flares. Even though these may not kill the sniper, they will reveal his location. Booby-trap devices should be placed close to likely sniper hides or along the probable routes used into and out of the sniper’s work area. Knowledge of sniper field craft will assist in this task.

One very old counter-sniper tactic is to tie rags onto bushes or similar items in a danger area. The rags flutter in the breeze creating random movements in the corner of the sniper’s eye, which they find distracting. The main virtue of this tactic is that it is easy to use, though it will definitely not stop a professional sniper from selecting targets, and may in fact provide a sniper with additional information about the wind near the target.

The use of canine units was also very successful, especially during the Vietnam War. A trained dog can easily determine the direction of the sniper from the sound of the bullet and will lie down with his head aiming at the sniper to give his handler the direction of the firing.

[edit] Snipers in irregular and asymmetric warfare

A Georgian sniper takes aim at Ossetian rebels in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict.

Main article: Asymmetric warfare

The use of sniping (in the sense of shooting at relatively long range from a concealed position) to murder came to public attention in a number of sensational U.S. cases, including the Austin sniper incident of 1966, the John F. Kennedy assassination, and the Beltway sniper attacks of late 2002. However, these incidents usually do not involve the range or skill of military snipers; in all three cases the perpetrators had U.S. military training, but in other specialties. News reports will often (inaccurately) use the term sniper to describe anyone shooting with a rifle at another person.^{[citation needed]}

Sniping has also been used in asymmetric warfare situations, for example in the Northern Ireland Troubles, where in the early 1970s a number of soldiers were shot by concealed riflemen, some at considerable range.^{[verification needed]} There were also some instances in the early 1990s of British soldiers being shot with .50 caliber Barrett rifles by sniper teams collectively known as the South Armagh sniper. In Northern Ireland, in addition to the uses listed above, a sniper was quite often a form of bait called a “come-on”, whereby the sniper’s position would be made obvious to a British patrol so as to draw them into an ambush in their attempt to close with the sniper.

The sniper is particularly suited to combat environments where one side is at a disadvantage.^{[citation needed]} A careful sniping strategy can use a few individuals and resources to thwart the movement or other progress of a much better equipped or larger force. Because of this perceived difference in force size, the sniping attacks may be viewed as the act of a few persons to terrorize (earning the moniker ‘terrorists’) a much larger, regular force — regardless of the size of the force the snipers are attached to. These perceptions stem from the precept that sniping, while effective in specific instances, is much more effective as a broadly deployed psychological attack (see elsewhere in article).

In the civil war between Bosnian Muslim, Croatian forces, and Bosnian Serbs in the early 1990s, Serbian snipers in Sarajevo used sniping as a terror tool by shooting at any person, whether military or civilian, adult or child.^{[citation needed]} These snipers would be classified as war criminals for deliberately targeting non-combatants.

Snipers are less likely to be treated mercifully if captured by the enemy.^{[citation needed]} The rationale for this is that ordinary soldiers shoot at each other at ‘equal opportunity’ whilst snipers take their time in tracking and killing individual targets in a methodical fashion.

[edit] War in Iraq

Main article: Iraq War

In 2003, the U.S.-led multinational coalition composed of primarily U.S. and U.K. troops occupied Iraq and attempted to establish a new democratic government in the country. However, shortly after the initial invasion, violence against coalition forces and among various sectarian groups led to asymmetric warfare with the Iraqi insurgency, civil war between many Sunni and Shia Iraqis, and al-Qaeda operations in Iraq.

Through November 2005, when the Pentagon had last reported a sniper fatality, the Army had attributed 28 of 2,100 U.S. deaths to enemy snipers.^[22] More recently in 2006, insurgent snipers such as the “Juba” have caused problems for American troops, where it was claimed the “Juba” had shot 37 American soldiers in Iraq as of October 2006.^[23]

In 2006, training materials obtained by U.S. intelligence showed that snipers fighting in Iraq were urged to single out and attack engineers, medics, and chaplains on the theory that those casualties would demoralize entire enemy units.^[24] Among the training materials, there included an insurgent sniper training manual that was posted on the Internet. Among its tips for shooting U.S. troops, there read: “Killing doctors and chaplains is suggested as a means of psychological warfare.”^[22]

[edit] Selected snipers in history

Marie Ljalková with an SVT-40. She was a Czechoslovak sniper who fought for the Soviet Union during World War II.

Sergeant H.A. Marshall of The Calgary Highlanders. Canadian snipers in the Second World War were also trained scouts. Specialized equipment includes Lee Enfield No. 4 Mk I(T) rifle and scope combination and a camouflaged Denison smock. PAC Photo, by Ken Bell (September 1944).

British Army sniper in the Second World War with Lee Enfield No. 4 Mk I(T) rifle. IWM Photo.

Even before firearms were available, soldiers such as archers were specially trained as elite marksmen.

[edit] Before the 20th century

• Ninja or Shinobi (16th century Japan) – supposedly trained to cover retreating armies, targeting officers from concealed positions.^{[citation needed]} One of Japan’s most famous warlords, Takeda Shingen, was possibly fatally wounded by a sniper.^[25]
• Lord Brooks, who represented the Parliamentarians in the English Civil War, was the first recorded British sniper victim.^{[citation needed]}
• Timothy Murphy (American Revolutionary War) – killed British General Simon Fraser during the pivotal Battle of Saratoga, hampering the British advance and causing them to lose the battle.
• Patrick Ferguson (American Revolutionary War) – developer of the world’s first breech-loaded military rifle (which advanced sniping and sharpshooting tactics), fights with his Corps of Riflemen (recruited from the 6th and 14th Foot) at the Battle of Brandywine, where Ferguson may have passed up a chance to shoot George Washington.^[26]
• Napoleonic Wars – Use of Marine sharpshooters in the mast tops was common usage in navies of the period, and Admiral Nelson’s death at Trafalgar is attributed to the actions of French Sharpshooters. The British Army developed the concept of directed fire (as opposed to massive unaimed volleys) and formed Rifle regiments, famously the 95th and the 60th who wore green jackets instead of the usual redcoats. Fighting as Skirmishers, usually in pairs and trusted to choose their own targets, they wrought havoc amongst the French during the peninsular war against Napoleon’s Forces.
• British Rifleman Thomas Plunkett (Peninsular war) – shot French General Colbert at a range of between 200 metres (219 yd) and 600 metres (656 yd) using a Baker rifle.^[27]
• Colonel Hiram Berdan (American Civil War) – commanded 1st and 2nd US Sharpshooters, who were trained and equipped Union marksmen with the .52 caliber Sharps Rifle. It has been claimed that Berdan’s units killed more enemies than any other in the Union Army.
• Sgt. Grace (American Civil War) – sniped Major General John Sedgwick at the then incredible distance of 730 m (800 yd) during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, with a British Whitworth target rifle causing administrative delays in the Union’s attack, leading to Confederate victory. Sedgwick ignored advice to take cover, his last words according to urban legend being, “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this dist-” upon which he was shot. In reality, he was shot a few minutes later.
• Major Frederick Russell Burnham – assassinated Mlimo, the Ndebele religious leader, in his cave in Matobo Hills, Rhodesia, effectively ending the Second Matabele War (1896).^[28] Burnham started as a cowboy and Indian tracker in the American Old West, but he left the United States to scout in Africa and went on to command the British Army Scouts in the Second Boer War. For his ability to track, even at night, the Africans dubbed him, He-who-sees-in-the-dark,^[29] but in the press he became more widely known as England’s American Scout.^[30]

[edit] 20th century

• Billy Sing (Gallipoli Campaign, World War I) – killed between 150 and 201 Turkish soldiers.
• Francis Pegahmagabow (World War I) – Native Canadian sniper credited with 378 kills
• The Finnish Korpraali (Lance Corporal) Simo Häyhä ‘Valkoinen Kuolema’ (the White Death) was a sniper during the (Winter War) and is regarded by many as the most effective sniper in the history of warfare, being credited with killing up to 542 Soviet soldiers (an average of 5 a day) using a SAKO m/28-30 (Pystykorva) and iron sights.
• Junior Lieutenant Vasily Zaytsev (World War II) – credited with killing 225 German officers and soldiers during the Battle of Stalingrad; subject of the film Enemy at the Gates and the book War of the Rats, both fictionalized accounts. His total number of verified kills was 242,^{[citation needed]} but some argue it was more than 400.^[31]
• Gefreiter (Private) Matthias Hetzenauer (World War II) – Austrian sniper who was credited with 345 kills on the Eastern Front, the most successful in the Wehrmacht.
• Obergefreiter (Private First Class) Josef ‘Sepp’ Allerberger (World War II) – Austrian sniper credited with 257 kills on the Eastern Front.
• Lieutenant Lyudmila Pavlichenko (World War II) – female sniper with 309 confirmed kills, making her the most successful female sniper in history.
• Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock (Vietnam war) – achieved 93 confirmed kills. He held the record of longest confirmed kill at a distance of 2250 meters (made with a scoped M2 Browning machine gun) for 35 years until 2002.^[10][11][12]
• Adelbert F . Waldron (Vietnam war) – achieved 109 confirmed kills.
• Master Sgt. Gary Gordon and Sgt. First Class Randy Shughart – Operation Gothic Serpent – Delta Force snipers awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions protecting the injured crew of a downed helicopter during the Battle of Mogadishu. Dramatized in the film Black Hawk Down.

[edit] 21st century

• PPCLI Canadian Soldier Corporal Rob Furlong (Operation Anaconda, Afghanistan) – holds the record for the longest-ever recorded and confirmed sniper kill at 2,430 metres (1.509 miles) using a .50 caliber (12.7 mm) McMillan TAC-50 rifle.^[8][32]
• Juba (Arabic: جوبا‎) (a.k.a. “Joba”) is the nom de guerre of an alleged sniper involved in the Iraqi insurgency featured in several videos of Iraqi insurgents in action. It was claimed he had shot 37 American soldiers.

[edit] See also

Look up sniper in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Designated marksman
• Skirmisher
• Scout Sniper
• Urban sniper
• Special forces
• Snipers of the Soviet Union
• Jäger (military)
• Adopt a Sniper
• Anti-tank rifle

[edit] References

[edit] Sources

• Plaster, Maj. John (2008). The History of Sniping and Sharpshooting. Paladin Press. ISBN 978-1-58160-632-4.
• Plaster, Maj. John (1993, rev. 2006). The Ultimate Sniper: An Advanced Training Manual for Military & Police Snipers. Paladin Press. ISBN 0-87364-704-1.
• Bartlett, Derrick (April 12, 2005). Sniper Tactics: Going for the Gun. Retrieved on January 26, 2006.
• Law, Clive M. (2005). Without Warning: Canadian Sniper Equipment of the 20th Century. Service Publications. ISBN 1-894581-16-4.
• Shore, C. (1988). With British Snipers to the Reich. Lancaster Militaria. ISBN 0-935856-02-1.
• Brooksmith, Peter (2000). Sniper: Training, Techniques and Weapons. St. Martin’s Press. ISBN 0-312-26098-9.
• Pegler, Martin (2004). Out of Nowhere: A History of the Military Sniper. Osprey. ISBN 1-84176-854-5.
• “Snipers, tireurs d’élite et armes de précision du monde” Edition Mission Spéciale Production. 2006 * [1]

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Sniper

• HowStuffWorks: How Military Snipers Work
• Russian Snipers of the Great Patriotic War Including High Score lists by Christopher Eger, military historian
• World War II – German sniper training film

سلام

من طاها هستم،35 ساله در دوران خدمت در ارتش دارای درجه گروهبان سوم در رسته پیاده نظام بودم.از آنجایی که هنوز تا حدی عشق نظام هستم،بنابراین تو این سایت ثبت نام کردم تا تحاربم رو با علاقه مندان در میان گذاشته و از هم چیزی در موارد اسلحه،جنگ افزار و هنر جنگ مطالبی را یاد بگیریم.

با احترام

طاها

Hi every body

I am Taha.A  former sargent in Iran’s Army.I was serving as an infantry,and right now I am out of army,but still i am feeling  that still intrested in guns and military.On account of this fact ,I am here to share my knowledge  and gain more knowledge about military system,but more that the military itself .Beside introducing  some facts about Iran’s army ,I want to share some common fact about the conections between army and politics.

I am waiting for your comments.

Rigards

Taha Salehi Mava