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Line of sight: The Sharpshooter – an early prototype of which is shown here – will offer the Army’s best shots greater reach and firepower
Report: Cliff Caswell
ARMY crack shots are poised to
gain a greater advantage over the Taliban following the introduction of the first new Infantry combat rifle in more than two decades.
Placed in the hands of eagle-eyed soldiers, the L129A1 Sharpshooter will provide improved accuracy at long ranges over its SA80 A2 stablemate and is destined to keep insurgents operating in southern Afghanistan firmly on the back foot.
The semi-automatic, gas-operated weapon, which fires a 7.62mm round, will be handed to the best shots in the Service. More than 400 have been procured in a £1.5 million Urgent Operational Requirement package and will be shipped to theatre later this year.
Made by United States firm Lewis Machine and Tool, the Sharpshooter is 945mm long and weighs in at 5kg. It boasts a 20-round magazine and is fitted with a top rail to which the Army’s new suite of sighting systems can be fitted.
The weapon will join a potent arsenal that is giving soldiers a powerful battlefield capability at all distances. Last year the new combat shotgun was introduced after demand for a firearm for short-range encounters in Helmand’s Green Zone, while systems such as the Javelin missile are providing a formidable punch against bunkers and compounds.
Other additions to the armoury in the last few years include an improved sniper rifle and the grenade machine gun, which is now routinely fitted to armoured vehicles such as the Mastiff.
Speaking at the unveiling of the latest rifle Col Peter Warden, a team leader at Defence, Equipment and Support, said the firepower would bring a further dimension to the Army’s imposing armoury.
He added: “The Sharpshooter rifle is very capable and has been bought to fulfil a specific role on the front line of Afghanistan – it will complement the SA80 A2.
“The Sharpshooter’s capabilities are also complementary to the current sniper system. Feedback has been very positive and troops are keen to get their hands on it.”
Officials at the MoD have confirmed that training on the new firearm has begun and are confident that its introduction will keep the pressure on the enemy.
Quentin Davis, Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, said that troops were now “bristling with a variety of weaponry” with which to hit insurgents.
The minister added: “The Sharpshooter rifle adds to this arsenal and provides our brave Forces with an additional, highly-precise, long-range capability.” |
