Moi,
joskus taannoin oli puhetta kanadalaisten ta:tten toimista Afganistanissa vuonna 2002. Tässä kanadalaisen lehdistön tarina asiasta.
Miellyttäviä lukuhetkiä!
Carpe Diem,
MJ
Cdn snipers lauded as experts in Afghan action
Canadian Press
A world-record shot by a Canadian sniper detachment could never have been made with the ammunition they were issued when they left Edmonton last winter, the triggerman said in a recent interview.
The Canadian .50-calibre rounds have a maximum range of between 2,200 and 2,300 metres. The U.S. rounds, they discovered, "fly farther, faster," said Cpl. "Bill", a 26-year-old native of Fogo Island, Nfld. The two-man Canadian team, coupled with American Sgt. Zevon Durham of Greenville, S.C., made the kill from 2,430 metres on the second shot. The first blew a bag from the hand of their target, an al-Qaida fighter walking on a road.
"He didn't even flinch," said Bill, who spoke to The Canadian Press on condition that his real name not be used.
"We made a correction and the next round hit exactly where we wanted it to. Well, a bit to the right."
The kill, one of more than 20 unofficially accredited to Canadian snipers during Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan's Shah-i-Kot Valley, beat the 35-year-old record of 2,500 yards, or 2,250 metres, set by U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Carlos Hathcock in Duc Pho, South Vietnam.
Soldier of Fortune magazine estimated the number of kills made by the Canadians after talking to several U.S. soldiers in Kandahar for a cover story in its August edition.
The snipers themselves will not confirm the figure.
But judging from accounts given by Canadians involved in the first major coalition offensive of the Afghan war, the figure of at least 20 sounds conservative.
Outfitted with British desert fatigues and an array of equipment from all over the world, the five Canadians divided into two detachments earned the respect of their American brothers-in-arms after helping rescue dozens of paratroopers pinned down by enemy fire.
The five have been nominated for one of the highest awards given by the United States military - the Bronze Star, two of them with Vs for Valor, marking exceptional bravery.
Awarding of the American medal, which was to have been done at a ceremony along with other Anaconda veterans in Kandahar in April, has been delayed by Canadian protocol officials.
But more important to the Canadians are the gestures from their American brethren who, while nearly killing them several times over with friendly fire, owe many lives to their shooting skills.
"They trusted us to do our job, without question," said Master Cpl. "James", a 31-year-old native of Kingsville, Ont., who also asked that his identity not be revealed.
At one point during a series of battles, one of the Canadians was without his rifle. Enemy bullets were hitting the earth all around.
Mortars were dropping in front and behind them, some within 10 metres, bracketing their position and getting closer all the time.
"They really hammered us," said Bill.
He tried to get to their rifles but couldn't. Finally, an American sniper tossed him his rifle and said: "Here, you know how to use this better than I do."
They held off the enemy until darkness descended and they escaped.
"They were instrumental in helping us achieve our goals out there," said 1st Lieut. Justin Overbaugh, 25, of Missoula, Mont., the soldier who recommended Bill and James for Bronze Stars.
"They are professionals; they are very good at what they do; they train hard, they are very mature, they are tactically and technically proficient so when it came time to do business, they were on," he said.
"If they told me I was going out right now, I'd be begging, kicking, screaming, crying for them to come with us."
Bill and James said they pulled off several shots from 2,400 metres or more.
"Shots out that far are 60 per cent skill and 40 per cent luck, or vice versa," said Bill. "Usually, it takes two or three rounds, sometimes five.
"Normally, a sniper wouldn't take that many shots, but they were out so far we felt confident they couldn't tell where we were."
At daybreak one morning, the two Canadians were set up overlooking a compound when al-Qaida fighters started "pouring out of buildings like ants."
Bill started shooting while James called in a mortar attack, followed by B-52, F-16 and Apache helicopter strikes.
In a separate incident, Bill and James found themselves looking up at a large dark object screaming out of the sky directly above them.
It was a 220-kilogram American bomb.
"We hit the deck and covered our heads with our hands," said James.
The bomb landed 30 metres away, nose in, and never went off.
Bill and James looked at each other in disbelief.
"By the grace of God, it was a dud," said Bill. "It landed 15 metres from the B company (U.S. 101st Airborne Division) trenches. A guy got up, walked out of the trench and kicked the thing."
On another occasion, an Apache fired a missile right over their heads. It slammed into a rock wall 200 metres behind them. The snipers took it all in stride.
"Unless you have walked in their shoes or been part of a Special Forces unit, you cannot understand the closeness in proximity that a sniper is to the enemy," said Capt. Paul Madej, Operation Enduring Freedom chaplain, who debriefed the Canadians.
"The Canadian snipers are professional, well-trained soldiers who walk into harm's way and fulfilled their mission. They represent the best and they have our respect."
Canadian Forces Sniper's Rifle — the 12.7mm McMillan Tac-50
'Big Mac' — McMillan's Tac-50Neither 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.
Browning's 'Fifty' Leads the Way to Big-Bore Sniper's RiflesThe US Army began exploiting the highly accurate, single-shot fire capability of their 12.7mm M2HB HMG in Vietnam, fitting some of these weapons with telescopic sights for long-range sniping. Until recently, a sniper firing such an M2 held the distance record.* The success of these telescope-equipped M2HB immediately suggested development of a dedicated 12.7mm sniper's rifle. A number of so- called BMG civilian competition rifles have been marketed including a Barrett design adopted by the US Army. The CF followed in April 2000 with an order for the powerful 12.7mm McMillan Bros 'Tactical'.
Tac-50 Data and SpecificationsRole: Specialist's Sniping RifleCF-ese: Rifle, Sniper, .50calibre, McMillan, TacticalTranslation: 12.7mm McMillan Tac-50 rifleIn Service: total number unknown
Sniping With the 12.7mm — is Bigger really Better ?The CF obviously thinks so and the performance of the 3PPCLI sniper teams in Afghanistan seems to bear this out. 'Big Macs' were used by the primary shooters with C3A1 and C7A1 (or C8) as back up. Despite the difficulty of emplacing as large and heavy** a rifle as the McMillan, the CF snipers were extraordinarily successful — even when supplies of the special 'match' ammunition were exhausted and standard 12.7mm rounds had to be borrowed from neighbouring US forces.
" ... the proof of the pudding ... "Sarajevo illustrated the need for a rifle capable of out-ranging other snipers who, otherwise, operated with impunity. The 12.7mm round is capable of penetrating walls or light armour. No doubt the Tac-50 will prove its usefulness for years to come. What remains to be seen, however, is whether the sheer size and weight of the 'Big Mac' will hobble it when compared with the new .338 Lapua.
* M2 accuracy may stem from the machinegun's proportionately very long barrel — 90 calibres as compared to 70 calibres for the GPMG.** Tac-50s are 145cm long and weigh a hefty 12kg. The famous Ghillie suits and other camouflage techniques are used to hide the rifle's location but careful emplacement is also required since dust kicked up by the muzzle blast from a 12.7mm round can give away a position. Suppressors (seen top left) help reduce muzzle blast as well as sound but tend to heat up (generating an IR signature) with repeated firing.
Photo Credits — Tac-50: CASR , top left: Canadian Tactical , middle right: Leupold , other images: Department of National Defence
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Käykääpä lukasemassa tämän suomaleisen erikoisjoukkojen taistelijan kirjoitus.
http://www.dragunov.net/finn.
Taas sitä oppi lisää Suomalaisten erikoisjoukkojen TA-toiminnasta ja aseistuksesta...vai opinko sittenkään? :wink:
//http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/issues/2004/Jan/Canadian.htm
Toivon että tämä ei loukkaa ketään, mutta kun netissä kirjoitellaan, niin tämä kysymys lienee paikallaan.
Siis, tietääkö kukaan tuon jutun kirjoittajan? Siis, joskus näin tuon samaisen jutun jollakin sivustolla, jonka oletin olevan, sanotaanko "kaupallinen" sivusto ja siksi pienoinen epäilys pääsi syntymään.