An Cosantóir

16 | Three Gun S u i t e BY WESLEY BOURKE PHOTOGRAPHS BY ARMN NEVILLE COUGHLAN S nipers have a very unique job on the battlefield or in any other operational setting. The sniper provides the commander with specialised and advanced capability in a particular area. Using fieldcraft and stalking skills, the sniper provides valuable information in all operational set- tings and as well as being able to engage high value targets sniper teams may be used in the provision of force protec- tion to the unit. They possess special skills, training, and equipment, the nature of which means that they go mostly unseen and unheard. Utilised by various Corps, the sniper is a valuable force multiplier that has evolved over the de- cades. The sniper is now one of the key assets available to a Company, Battalion, or Brigade Commander. Snipers, like any other asset of the Defence Forces utilise the latest tech- nology available to their speciality. This year Defence Forces snipers have been enhanced by the introduction of new equipment. Complementing the existing .308 92 Accuracy International, sniper teams will now also have the use of the .338 SM Accuracy International and the 7.62mm modified FN spotter rifle. Traditionally the job of a sniper was to deliver discriminato- ry, highly accurate rifle fire against high value enemy targets that cannot be engaged successfully by the regular rifleman because of range, size, location, or visibility. Today his job also includes Force Protection and an integral part of the ISTAR (Intelligence Surveillance, Target Acquisition Reconnaissance) matrix. In recent years Defence Forces snipers have served with EUFOR Chad/CAR, the EU Nordic Battlegroup, and cur- rently with our redeployment to UNIFIL. The weapons snipers use are mission specific. Teams work off the Three Gun Suite concept; an antipersonnel rifle, anti- material rifle, and spotter rifle. Until now Defence Forces snipers have used the .308 92 Accuracy International and the 5.56mm modified Steyr spotter rifle. "The introduction of the .338 SM Accuracy International is not a replacement for the .308 92," explained Lt Steven Byrne, a sniper instructor in the Infantry Weapons Wing (IWW). As he pointed out the differ- ent features on the weapons, he added that "It complements it. The .338 has increased range giving the sniper a greater anti-personnel and anti-material capability." The new spotter rifle is a modified 7.62mm FNs that were An Cosantóir December 2011

• Cover