Introduction
Snipers in a Mech unit? How is that suppose to work? Well, let me tell you, it can work. Is it ideal? No, not really. Is it effective? Yes, it most certainly can be. Sure, snipers fit more naturally in a light infantry unit, but they are still a force multiplier and important asset to the company commander in Mech unit.
I spent 6 years in a Mechanized infantry unit, four of which was as a sniper, and I picked up a few things while serving in that capacity. It was a number of years ago, and things have changed, and I do not profess to be an expert, so take what I say with a grain of salt, and if you have better ideas, please do pass them on to me! I consider all the articles on this web page to be a work in progress.
Unique Situation
Sniping in a mechanized unit is a unique situation indeed. What makes it unique is that you operate as an asset to dismount operations, yet are working in a unit that is tasked to operate with heavy main battle tanks (M1's). You are considered a long range marksman at 800+ meters, yet the M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles (BFV's) next to you can extend to 3000+ meters with the TOW missiles. You are trained to become invisible, yet are part of a unit that drives around 30 ton chunks of steel that are nearly impossible to hide. You are taught to take 4 hours to cross a 600 meter stalk, yet your unit routinely moves 20+ klicks a day.
As you can see, there are many contradictions to a sniper operating with a Mech unit, BUT, I think these same unique properties allow a sniper to be successful. Who looks for a single two man team in no man's land with tanks driving around everywhere? Who can detect what direction a shot came from over the noise of a 1000HP tank engine? And boy, the command structure is so easy to pick out... they all stand up out of the turret of a tank! As you can see, as many things as there are working against you, there are as many that work for you as well! It is a matter of adapting to the unique situation that you find yourself operating in.
Organization
In the US Army, at least when I was in, the standard organization consisted of one sniper per company of mechanized infantry. This sniper slot was for an E4 directly tied to the CO's HQ platoon. This is feasibly for the CO to have direct control over the sniper. Now, I am not sure if the higher ups in the US Army are trying to think of the sniper as a lone designated marksman or something else, but most everyone knows that snipers operate in teams. There is many reasons why this is so, and all of them apply to mech sniper teams also. Now, I'm not advocating that I am smarter or wiser than the high ranking officers who drew up mech organization charts, BUT, here is one alternative that we used effectively. We had an E5 team leader in charge of the fireteam that consisted of the sniper, and no one else. So, a two man team, E5 and E4 slots, that was part of the HQ platoon. This allowed direct control by the SEO (Sniper Employment Officer), typically the CO or the XO. The fact that the E5 team leader was a B4 qualified sniper (usually the former E4 sniper) worked out very well to have a true qualified sniper team that happen to also fit into the official org charts.
Having the team directly tied to the SEO/CO is important and becomes critical for successful operations. The sniper team is the eyes and ears for the CO. Let us face the facts, a majority of the operations done by sniper teams are recon/scouting. For the CO, having an expertly trained team able to infiltrate and report enemy activity is extremely desirable. There are occasions when the CO/SEO may assign the team to a particular platoon per request, or per mission. We found that this typically happened during dismount patrolling or defensive postures where snipers make great LP/OP's. During movements to contact or other offensive operations, the CO tends to keep his snipers close at hand. SEO training is critical for the success of the team, and is also the responsibility of the team. The CO/SEO must know the capability of the sniper team, so do not hesitate to give demonstrations and let the CO/XO/1stSgt ask questions and observe training. You, as a sniper team, need to train those leaders on how to best employ your team, and what your capabilities are.
There are other possible organizational arrangements that could even be more effective. One that comes to mind is having a sniper team attached to each of the dismount platoons. This is a lot of trained snipers, but they can add flexibility and extended firepower to each platoon. The danger in this may lead to the teams operating more as Designated Marksman and not using the team to its full potential. I would see these teams answering to the Platoon Leader, but that may be dangerous in itself!! A small company sniper section may also work well as part of the HQ platoon. I would think a 2 sniper team section would work very effectively and could be attached and under the direction of the CO/SEO. It could simply be filling out those two empty slots in the fire team that currently housed just the single sniper team, filling out a comple 4 man fire team with 2 sniper teams. There are other possibilities, but these three examples could all work very well, it does depend a lot on the resources of the company.
Utilization Concepts So here is the meat of this whole article. Just what are some of the ways you can use a small dismounted sniper team effectively in a mechanized world? There are several things that my teams ended up doing that worked very effectively, and I am sure there are many others that will work equally as well but I did not have experience with.
One of the most important things the SEO needs to recall is that the team is small and is expert at camouflage and concealment. This ability combined with effective communications techniques can prove invaluable to the SEO and CO. Ideally, when taking an objective it is desirable to have eyes on that objective 24-48 hours prior to movement to overtake. A well trained sniper team is ideal to provide this advance recon on the objective because of their specialized training in camouflage and concealment. The main obstacle to overcome in the mechanized world when trying to get eyes on the objective with a sniper team is the shear distance of movement. Mechanized units will perform operations 10-20km's away in a single movement. So the insertion of the sniper team ahead of the main force takes serious consideration and planning. Obviously, if air assets are available, they can prove to be very useful in many operations, and it is recommended that the sniper teams train in air assault operations. We used blackhawk insertion and exfiltration on a number of occasions and it worked very well. The use of Hummers was also a common mode of insertion. Bradleys tended to not work well and were pretty much avoided at all costs. Of course, there are times when vehicles will not work and our feet did the work, usually with a squad or fire team providing security. In ALL of the above cases, the insertion vehicle or team would drop us off 3-6km's away from the objective, and we would do the final insertion as just our team for concealment reasons.
From drop off point to Final Firing Position (FFP) everything was pretty much the same as a normal operation, whether mech or light. Once we were in position typical routines were setup. Range cards, communications, concealment, E&E routes, etc were followed like normal. Because thermal optics is standard equipment on most all modern fighting vehicles, it is obviously advisable to use your thermal counter measures. Beyond that, just another scout mission. Remember, you are the eyes on the objective for the CO, they will be counting on accurate information. Now, when the company made its push and bullets started to fly, we were generally given the green light to engage. What do you engage when all the targets are 60 ton vehicles? Well, amazingly enough, the targets are plentiful, if you are in range. Tank Commanders make the most lucrative targets. Remember, TC's are always higher ranking, so by taking out TC's, you are taking out leadership, and it can be quite effective. On one particular training exercise, we took out 4 TC's in a single engagement. They consisted of the CO, XO, First Sgt and a platoon leader, a MAJOR blow to their command structure.
TC's are not the only targets; all modern tanks have sensors like thermal, targeting sights, etc. These portions are susceptible to small arms fire and make effective targets and can cripple the capability of the tank. Of course, drivers, if they are exposed in their hatches, make great targets also. Many times, you may not be close enough to engage targets easily, but do not forget the power of the radio and the effectiveness of artillery. Certainly the team must stay proficient in call for fire procedures, and don't be afraid to request it. Many times they will have priority fire missions, but many times they have a few spare guns and dropping some arty right on target can really get things moving, even without getting direct kills, you disrupt the enemy, many times causing them to move and expose their selves to direct fire from your own tanks and missiles.
A very distinct advantage snipers have in a mech world is the concealment of fire. With 1600HP gas and turbine engines running, and crew helmets being worn, the report of a single 7.62 round is completely obscured outside of about 200 meters. In the training exercise mentioned above where 4 TC's were taken out, not a single crew member knew WHY their TC was dead, in fact, neither did the TC's. In combat, take your shots wisely, and make them count, use your radio, report accurately, and a single sniper team can change the tide of a battle.
Obviously, there are other operations in which sniper teams are effectively used in Mechanized combat. In defensive positions the always important listening and observation posts (LP/OP) are very effectively manned by a sniper team. Again, the specialized training in concealment comes into effective play here. Sniper teams can effectively operate outside the fence and being able to extend the range of an LP/OP to "the next hilltop" can be very valuable to the CO. The one thing we liked to do, in these cases, was bolster our defensive capability a bit if the post was to be manned for long periods of time or a known enemy force was moving to engage. Usually only one or two additional men were needed, creating a 4 man team seemed to be effective. We had a few soldiers we knew personally that had some training or would work with us. We needed soldiers who knew how to operate with us and we would generally load them up with some sort of anti-tank capability (AT4, etc). Obviously it was self preservation more than anything, but they also would handle the radio and bino's for some additional observation capability. During an operation at NTC, we actually had 3 vehicle kills (by AT4) and one TC (by M24) as we were an LP/OP in a defensive position. We were "over that hill" and were just suppose to keep an eye on a potential travel route for enemy vehicles. The three vehicles were the forward scouts, and when an entire battalion moved through, we went into an observe and report routine (not that it did much good, the good guys were wiped out). But, with a good location of the observation post, and being smart with the AT4's and engaging from the rear after they passed us, we did en effective job of providing information to higher up, calling in artillery, and slowing down their recon efforts... though regretfully it didn't really have much impact on the overall outcome, but hey, we did what we could.
One important aspect of mech infantry that cannot be overlooked is the fact that they are still infantry. The real purpose of the APC's is to carry the infantry from operation to operation; they are not there to fight for the infantry. With that kept in consideration, all of the typical operations that are normally performed with light infantry also apply here for dismounted operations. The sniper team routinely gets tasked out to the different platoons in the company to support their operations, and typical sniper team missions can and are assigned as needed. Patrols, overwatches, hunter killer missions, etc. With urban warfare continuing to be on the rise, considerable time should be spent training for urban conditions. There was an additional amount of urban training added to the US Army Sniper School curriculum a few years ago because of this.
Beyond the operations I've mentioned above, additional Mech support missions may also include Forward Observing (Call for fire), Counter Dismounted Recon Team (DRT), rear guard, counter sniper, IED Removal (via a projectile), and what ever else the SEO/CO can come up with!
Pitfalls and Concerns
There are several "gotcha's" when operating with a Mech Infantry unit and care must be given not to fall into these pitfalls. There is a tendency for Mech Infantry units to operate as a tank unit with some little guys to pull security at night so the crews can rest. This MUST be avoided. Beyond the poor use of resources and lack of sound tactics, this tends to lead to sniper teams being a longer range rifleman, or even a Designated Marksman. While there is certainly times when this is exactly what you will be doing, it must be carefully and thoroughly explained and DEMONSTRATED that the sniper team is far more capable than this. One of the most effective demonstrations we gave to our 1st Sgt and CO came during a 200-500 meter rapid fire engagement at dusk. The 200m target was barely visible and the 300+ targets were not visible to the naked eye in the darkness, and we were clanging metal every 4-6 seconds on the random targets with hold overs only. What we were doing as a standard exercise did more for demonstrating extended capability than any text book. Couple that with a good stalking demonstration, call for fire training, etc and the CO quickly realizes the potential. Don't be shy, don't hold back, and continuously be doing additional training. Instead of relaxing during that 30 minutes of down time, bust out the ghillie and work on blending it with your current surroundings. The CO will hear about it, the troops around will take notice, and word will spread that these guys are the real deal and CAN benefit the unit. DONT BECOME A DESIGNATED MARKSMAN, the team is far more potent than that.
A very real concern with operating in a Mech world is the wide use of HIGH powered laser range finders on tanks. While generally not harmful to human eyes when used normally, they literally can blind you if you get lased while looking through your rifle scope. Remember, it is magnifying everything by 10x, including that laser, and directing it straight to your eye. There is a Laser Eye Filter that attaches to the Leupold M3A scope on the M24 which protects your eyes from LRF's, GET ONE!! For the USMC, I am not sure if one is made for the Unertl or S&B scopes now in use... but if you are operating in a Mech world, I suggest you find out ASAP. The laser eye filters are not cheap, they run about $1400 or so, and the XO about blew a gasket when that bill came up, but hey, its your eyes!!
I mentioned it above, but another concern is that most modern battle vehicles have thermal devices, and can be quite effective for detecting snipers (any humans), especially at night when the earth cools down. Care must be taken to avoid thermal detection. Just as you are taught, effective use of space blankets and natural cover will provide concealment from thermal sights. Remember, contrary to certain movies that are out there, thermals cannot see through terrain, just pretend its like that one instructor whom you never wanted to see behind the bino's during a stalk, and use sound stalking skills as taught in school.
Another very real concern is the distances teams sometimes will have to travel in a mech battlefield. As mentioned earlier, creative insertion techniques may need to be devised. Hummers, blackhawks, main battle tanks, APC's, patrols, CAV/SCOUTS (mech), and others can all be effectively used to get your team somewhere. Because the team is so small (2-4 men), it is rather easy to find rides, and most other units are very willing to help out snipers. Take the time and get to know the aviation guys, and especially the CAV/Scouts, they can be very useful and have the nice MELIOS LRF's! By getting to know these units, it becomes much easier to work things out for an insertion, etc. Be sure to do it BEFORE you are out in the bush trying to get some where. Obviously, the CO, BC and SEO are your main resources.
A very real concern that the light infantry generally does not have to worry about to often, is the reality of getting ran over by a 60 ton rolling piece of armor, enemy OR friendly. A driver of a M1A1 traveling at 45 mph and looking through little view ports is not going to see two well concealed snipers. It is highly recommended when selecting FFP's, insertion routes, and other areas of operations, that you take caution to avoid obvious vehicle traveling paths. If possible, select areas where tanks would not drive, like rock out croppings, large trees, and other obstacles that cause tanks problems. If you have to, you can also recess your area down into the ground, giving you a chance of survival if you get ran over.
One last caution I would like to bring up. Do not forget that there are dismount infantry soldiers still out there in a Mech environment. Especially if the enemy discovers a sniper team is operating in the area, expect dismount patrols. Do not get too focused on the tanks that you forget the dismounts. They are a real threat, perhaps more serious than the armor. Use your training, stay alert... stay alive.
Conclusions
I hope I was able to provide some ideas, and starting points when putting together your various SOP's for operating a sniper team within a Mech Infantry unit. It can work very well, and does work very well if the care and dedication is provided to do it right. Sniper teams are a force multiplier, and this is no different for the mech world. A team really can affect the tide of a battle and save lives. If you are a CO or SEO, use your team! Train them, employ them, let them excel. If you are part of a mech sniper team, work hard, prove your worth and continue to be creative. I have only provided a starting point here, take the basics and make them better, and let me know what works for you!