Snipers in Afghanistan receive new weapon

Photo By Staff Sgt. Matt Leary | Soldiers from Task Force Fury peer down the small arms range at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan while conducting sniper training April 19. (US Army Photo by Spc. Matthew Leary/Task Force Fury PAO)  

KHOST, AFGHANISTAN

04.21.2007

Courtesy Story

Combined Joint Task Force - 82 PAO

By Spc. Matthew Leary,
Task Force Fury Public Affairs Office

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan – The sound of gunshots echoed at the small arms range at Forward Operating Salerno April 19, and to the normal observer it would have seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary.

But a closer look at the weapons being fired, the slightly elongated barrels, nondescript camouflage tan paint and oversized scope, would serve as an immediate testament that this was not your ordinary weapons qualification range.

Soldiers from Task Force Fury fielded a new sniper rifle, the XM110 semi-automatic sniper system, the first unit to receive the new weapon system in a combat zone.

The new rifle has several new features, but the most prominent is the improved rate of fire it offers.

"It's semi-automatic, so it allows for rapid re-engagement of targets," said Staff Sgt. Jason R. Terry, a sniper instructor with the U.S. Army Sniper School.

Older style rifles, such as the commonly used M24 Sniper Weapon System, are bolt-action weapons that require the sniper to manually feed another round into the chamber after each shot. The automatic firing capabilities of the SASS will cut down on the lag time in between shots, Terry said.

Snipers have a unique role within the Army, going out in pairs and conducting reconnaissance and providing long-range precision fire in support of missions, Terry said.

Because of their movement in small groups, snipers focus on being undetected by the enemy, said Pfc. Joel D. Dulashanti, a sniper with Troop C, 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.

For this reason, the SASS has also been fitted with a suppressor, a metal tube that fits over the barrel of the rifle and significantly reduces the signature blast, Terry said. No longer is there the obligatory loud crack of the shot or small cloud of dust rising off the ground from the gases emitted from the barrel.

This advancement will make locating snipers in the field, even after they have fired a shot, difficult for enemy forces.

Terry and a team of other experts travelled along with the equipment, providing training on the SASS and delivering the equipment to the units.

"We brought them into the country with us, and they'll stay here," Terry said.

The three-day training course on the SASS was designed to familiarize the Soldiers with the new weapons system. Most of those in the class had already been to the U.S. Army Sniper School, so the introduction of the new weapon merely augmented the snipers' arsenal, Terry said.

The training consisted of class instruction and time spent on the range, said Dulashanti.

"We learned to maintain and operate the weapon, what we can fix ourselves and what we can't," he said.

Since snipers are a limited resource, ensuring the equipment is operable is imperative, said Kyle P. Gleason, an equipment specialist with Tank Automotive and Armorist Command. Gleason is handling the maintenance portion of the class while the SASS is distributed here in Afghanistan.

"I teach them the basics," Gleason said. "Here's your rifle, here's what it can do and here's how you take care of it."

If a weapon malfunctions or a component of it breaks, it is a serious loss of support to the unit. The training addressed the issue of how to determine what level of maintenance on the weapon is needed, and who is capable of providing it, Dulashanti said. Soldiers were also cautioned on particularly fragile parts that need to be carefully maintained due to the fact that only the manufacturer can repair them.

The training provides a better understanding of the weapon and reassured the Soldiers of its use, said Spc. Aaron J. Fillmore, an infantryman with Troop C, 4-73rd Cav., who has been assigned to the sniper section.

"I think it's a pretty simple gun to maintain and operate," he said. "It was good to get the familiarization with the weapon."

Getting the Soldiers comfortable with the SASS was the exact purpose of the training, Terry said.

And even though it is the first time the SASS has been distributed and trained on downrange, the overall mission was a success, Gleason said.

"It's been absolutely astounding," said Gleason. "We got here and they were all for the training."

In the end, it's about providing competent and accurate fire and reconnaissance for maneuver units while they conduct operations here, said Staff Sgt. Jose L. Galvan, a sniper instructor from the U.S. Army Sniper School. The semi-automatic fire provided by a XM110 SASS is a notable improvement.

"They now have a semi-automatic weapon that can shoot out to the ranges of a sniper rifle," he said.

• Date Taken: 04.21.2007
• Date Posted: 04.23.2007 11:51
• Story ID: 10066
• Location: KHOST, AF