Designated marksman

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US Marine Corps Designated Marksman, armed with the Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR), derived from an M14 rifle with a telescopic sight.

The Designated Marksman (DM) is a military marksman role in a U.S. infantry squad. The term sniper is used in Soviet and Russian doctrine. The analogous role in the Israeli army is sharpshooter.

The DM's role is to supply rapid accurate fire on enemy targets at ranges up to 800 metres (870 yd) with a highly-accurate semi-automatic rifle equipped with a telescopic sight. Like snipers, DM's are trained in quick and precise shooting, but unlike the more specialised "true" sniper, they are also intended to lay down accurate rapid fire.

Contents

DM / sniper differences

Main article: Sniper team

The DM role differs significantly from that of a specially trained sniper. A sniper is a specialist highly trained in fieldcraft who carries out a range of specific missions independent of others, and more specialised than standard infantry tasks. In contrast, a DM is a soldier who has received some additional marksmanship training. The DM's role is to provide an additional capability to the infantry platoon, which is the ability to engage targets at greater ranges than the other members of the squad or section.

The DM operates as an integral member of the infantry platoon, providing a niche capability contributing to the overall firepower of the platoon in the same way as a grenadier with a rifle-mounted grenade launcher, or the gunner who employs the squad/section machine gun. The DM weapon provides a capability to the infantry platoon in the shape of increased precision at a greater range than that provided by the standard infantry rifle, by virtue of its sighting system and/or larger calibre. By comparison, the sniper role is much more specialised with very comprehensive selection, training and equipment.

Snipers are ordinarily equipped with specialised, purpose-built bolt-action or semi-automatic sniper rifles while DMs are often equipped with accurized battle rifles or assault rifles fitted with optical sights.

Snipers are mainly employed for targets at ranges of about 1,400 metres (1,530 yd) using rifles with larger ammunition while DMs are utilized for targets at ranges of up to 800 metres (870 yd) using a rifle chambered with standard-issue rifle ammunition. In addition, snipers often take a fixed strategic position and camouflage themselves (e.g. with a Ghillie suit) while a DM will generally move with his unit and be otherwise equipped in the same way as other members of the infantry platoon.

Weapons

The DM role fills the gap between a regular infantryman and a sniper and as such so-called designated marksman rifles (DMRs) have been developed with this middle ground in mind.

These rifles have to be effective, in terms of accuracy and terminal ballistics, at ranges exceeding those of ordinary assault rifles (typically up to (typically up to 500 metres / 550 yards) but do not require the extended range of a dedicated sniper rifle (typically up to 1,000 metres / 1,100 yards).

DMRs, however, often share some basic characteristics with sniper rifles in difference to the weapons carried by others in the DMs unit. DMRs may have an attached telescopic sight, quickly-deployed stabilizing bipod to allow accuracy in temporarily fixed situations or an adjustable stock.

They will, though, generally retain semi-automatic firing capability (more rapid than bolt-action sniper rifles) and a larger magazine capacity of 10, 20, or 30 rounds depending on the firearm in question.

Battle rifle adaptation

M21 adaptation of M14

In this context, "battle rifles" refer to automatic rifles of 7.62 x 51 mm caliber such as the M14, FN FAL, HK417, FN SCAR, or Heckler & Koch G3. These were replaced as standard infantry weapons during the 1960s and 1970s by assault rifles using the less-powerful (but more controllable in full-automatic fire) 5.56 x 45 mm NATO cartridge such as the M16 and SA80.

Both existing and new designs are emerging (or re-emerging in the case of older designs) in the designated marksman role. Battle rifles are more suitable for adaptation to DM rifles than assault rifles for the sole reason of their more powerful cartridge.

Examples of battle rifle adaptations include:

Assault rifle adaptation

This is an easier and less-expensive option for many armies, because existing assault rifles can be adapted, often by merely adding a telescopic sight. These modified rifles retain the original chambering in the relatively less-powerful assault rifle cartridges, ensuring ammunition commonality within the squad.

Examples of assault rifle adaptations using the 5.56 x 45 mm NATO cartridge include:

Examples of assault rifle adaptations using the 7.62 x 39 mm cartridge:

Other variants

A more effective (but more expensive) solution is to modify an assault rifle to use a more powerful cartridge with a heavier barrel and other components.

Examples of rechambered assault rifle adaptations include:

Purpose-built rifles

There are a small number of rifles which have been specifically manufactured with the DM role in mind. While not differing significantly from ordinary battle rifles or assault rifles, these weapons allow for greater flexibility without the hindrance of components designed for non-DM action.

Rifles manufactured in this manner include:

  • The SVD is one example of a rifle designed from the outset to meet the requirement now known as "designated marksman rifle".
  • The Dragunov SVU, a bullpup variant of the SVD.
  • The Romanian PSL is a designated marksman rifle based on a modified Kalashnikov action. It is similar in appearance to the Dragunov.
  • The Heckler & Koch HK417 rifle in the 508 mm (20.0 in) long barreled "sniper variant" is intended for designated marksman purposes.
  • The Chinese QBU-88 is a designated marksman rifle intended for aimed semi-automatic fire at ranges beyond the capabilities of standard infantry assault rifles.
  • The Yugoslavian Zastava M76 is a designated marksman rifle based on a modified Kalashnikov action. It is similar in appearance to the Dragunov and is designed for the 7.92 x 57 IS (8mm Mauser) chambering. It has also been chambered in 7.62×51 NATO and 7.62 × 54R for export.
  • The Serbian Zastava M91 is a designated marksman rifle based on a modified Kalashnikov action. It is similar in appearance to the Dragunov and is chambered in 7.62 × 54R.
  • The British Army has recently adopted a weapon for the DM role; the L129A1 Sharpshooter. It is manufactured by LMT in the United States, and is a 7.62x51mm version of the Stoner AR-10/AR-15 design.

Worldwide use

Australian Army

A typical Australian Army fireteam of four soldiers will include a scout employing a 'F88S' Austeyr (5.56 NATO) fitted with an enhanced optic device, usually either an ACOG or ELCAN C79. Additionally, 7.62mm marksman rifles are employed by the manoeuvre support teams in the platoon[1].

British Military

Recently, the role of the L86A2 Light Support Weapon has been in the designated marksman role due to its increased range of up to 800m while also capable of giving accurate automatic fire, now usually delivered by the Minimi. The Royal Marines and United Kingdom Special Forces also use the HK417 rifle in the designated marksman role.

On the 28th of December, 2009 the Ministry of Defence announced the adoption of the L129A1 rifle for use as a semi automatic DM rifle, firing the 7.62mm NATO round, providing accurate fire of up to 900m as an urgent operational requirement in Afghanistan. [2]

Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

SR-25 rifle

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) implemented significant changes to sharpshooting doctrine in the 1990s. Doctrine, training program, and courseware were completely rewritten and snipers were issued the bolt-action M24 SWS instead of the M14 rifle. A major change was the introduction of a new battle profession – the designated marksman (קלע סער, "kala sa'ar" in Hebrew) – intended to improve the accuracy and firepower of an infantry platoon and compromise between the role of a sniper and an assault rifleman. These soldiers were generally called "squad snipers" to describe their role. They are armed with SR-25 rifle and sharpshooter variations of the M16A2E3 and M4 Carbine.

United States Marine Corps

The U.S. Marines uses M14s which are rebuilt at Marine Corps Base Quantico and designated as Designated Marksman Rifles, which are being replaced by M39 Enhanced Marksman Rifle. The Corps also utilizes an adaptation of the M16 assault rifle, the Squad Advanced Marksman Rifle (SAM-R).

United States Army

The U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division saw limited use of a modified M16 which was accurized in a manner similar to the SAM-R, unofficially designated the AMU Squad Designated Marksman Rifle (SDM-R).

The U.S. Army DM also uses the predecessor of the M16 rifle, the M14, in certain infantry line units. These are commonly equipped with Leupold optics, a Sage stock and are designated the M-14EBR. The M-14EBR is the only "official" Army designated marksman rifle.

United States Navy

The United States Navy SEAL Teams employs SDM rifles in roughly the same manner as the Marine Corps and Army, although there is no specific "Designated Marksman" role in a SEAL platoon. Known used weapons include, but are not limited to, the Mk 14 Mod 0 Enhanced Battle Rifle, M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System, MK11/SR-25, the MK12 Mod X, the much elusive "SEAL Recon Rifle" and in some cases even regular M14 Rifles fitted with optical scopes.

Soviet snipers

Main article: Soviet sniper

Although referred to as "snipers", the Soviet Union and its allies have since World War II employed specially-equipped and trained "sharpshooting" soldiers at a section ("squad") level to increase the range of their section to 800 metres (870 yd). This is commonly accepted as the first example of what came to be known as a designated marksman as opposed to a true sniper.

Since 1963 these soldiers have been equipped with the Dragunov (or "SVD") rifle that shares all the characteristics typical of a designated marksman rifle (Semi-automatic fire, telescopic sight, chambered for standard military rifle cartridge).

See also

Related military roles
Rifles

References

  1. ↑ Australia Defence Force news - February 2010
  2. ↑ UK selects 7.62 mm Sharpshooter weapon for Afghan ops www.janes.com, 2009-12-28
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