Rob Furlong

Rob Furlong (photo from McLean's magazine, 5/15/06.

Rob Furlong (born 1976) is a a former corporal of the Canadian Forces who held the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill in combat, from March 2002 until November 2009. Established in 2002, the shot exceeded Carlos Hathcock's 1967 record of 2,286 m (7,500 ft) by 144 m (472 ft). It also exceeded Arron Perry's record of 2,310 m (2,526 yd / 1.435 mi), set just days before Furlong's record. Furlong's record was surpassed in 2009 by Corporal of Horse Craig Harrison of the British Household Cavalry, who killed two Taliban guerrillas at a range of 2,475 m (2,707 yd).

Born in Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Furlong taught himself to fire a sniper rifle ambidextrously.

In 2002, he participated in Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan's Shah-i-Kot Valley as a member of the 3rd Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI). His sniper team included MCpl. Graham Ragsdale (Team Commander), MCpl. Tim McMeekin, MCpl. Arron Perry, Cpl. Dennis Eason. A three-man al-Qaeda weapons team was moving into a mountainside position when Furlong took aim with his Long Range Sniper Weapon (LRSW), a .50-caliber McMillan Brothers Tac-50 rifle. He began firing at a fighter carrying an RPK machine gun. His first shot missed entirely, and his second shot hit the knapsack on the militant's back. The third struck the target's torso, killing him. The distance was measured as 2,430 metres (2,657 yd / 1.509 miles or 12.08 - you guessed it - furlongs).

This feat is not typical for the effective range with a high first-hit probability of the employed rifle regarding non-static targets (see maximum effective range). The ambient air density in the Shah-i-Kot Valley where Corporal Furlong operated is significantly lower than at sea level due to its 2,743 meters (9,000 feet) mean elevation. This increases the maximum effective range of a high-powered sniper rifle and cartridges loaded with Hornady A-MAX very-low-drag bullets like Corporal Furlong used by about 600 meters (1968 feet).

Furlong received a Mention in Dispatch for "impressive professionalism and dedication to duty through his valiant conduct while under direct and indirect fire and his actions helped ensure the success of the mission" and a US Armed Forces Bronze Star.

Days after Furlong's 2,430 m shot, a member of his unit became the subject of a military police criminal investigation into inappropriate conduct of Canadian snipers during their deployment in Afghanistan. The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (NIS), the major crimes unit of the Canadian Forces Military Police, also got involved in the investigation. As the months wore on, there emerged so many conflicting accusations and supposed explanations that no charges were ever laid. During the investigation, Furlong and his follow snipers were questioned. The experience made Furlong and a number of soldiers decide to leave the Canadian military. After his resignation from the military, Rob Furlong became a police officer.

Video

CBC footage

On September 9, 2007, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) aired an episode of CBC Sunday Report which featured interview segments with Mr. Furlong. The video footage, in two parts, is shown below:

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See also

• Longest recorded sniper kills

Further reading

• Opinions on above Maclean's article at army.ca
• McMillan Tac-50 article including a photo of the actual rifle Furlong used.
• Mention in Dispatch
• 'We were abandoned': Story of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Snipers