Posted on 02/10/2007 5:23:46 AM PST by radar101
U.S. intelligence agencies have built their own version of the famous Russian-designed AK-47 assault rifle for use by American snipers in Iraq. The snipers are firing at one form of deadly insurgent and terrorist attack, the so-called "spray and pray" method used by those who try to sow terror by emerging from hiding and firing a machine gun randomly into crowds. The special U.S. snipers have used .50-caliber long-range rifles for killing terrorists. Now, they are using the modified AK-47s to kill insurgents without a normal shot to the head. Instead, snipers are killing insurgents with shots to the heart, and creating dissension and doubt in the groups over who is behind the sniping. The 7.62 mm round used by the AK-47 differs from the 7.62 mm sniper round used in normal U.S. sniper ammunition and creates a different wound.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
The idea would be for them to not know its us.
I skimmed through the story but it seems to me that it is unlikely that U.S. troops would use AK-47's for sniper rifles. These rifles are not accurate and are intermediate range. The U.S military bringing back the M14 for what I think are called "designated marksmen." An M14 can be quite accurate fired semi-auto and can be effective long range (600 yards or so). The author must be confused because the AK-47 uses a 7.62 x 39 mm round while the M14 uses the much more powerful 7.62 x 51 NATO round. The author must have heard "7.62" and made the wrong assumption. Do journalists do fact checking at all beyond reading the latest release from the DNC?
The idea presented in this article is that its other terrorists doing it.
Although at least the story would start to make some sense then. Our guys take up the using Dragunov rifles to throw the enemies off in terms of report similarity and wound characteristics, and how this guy describes it is we've taken up using a custom built AK47 and some nonsense about firing machine guns into crowds.
That sounds like a member of the MSM talking about guns.
I'm not sure that the info Gertz has provided is going help insurgents. They don't read the Washing Times and, frankly, even if they know about this tactic, the tactic itself still works.
If you click the link to read the whole story I think the more important part of the article (which is really a series of small articles) concerns the ROE in Iraq. Here is an excerpt...
"Overlawyering:
When the history of the war on terrorism is written one day, historians no doubt will credit risk-averse lawyers with making the war longer.
Legal restrictions are hampering soldiers from defending themselves in the streets of Baghdad and are limiting the effectiveness of secret operations by special operations forces and intelligence personnel, defense officials say.
One Special Forces commando stated that the lawyers are risking lives in Iraq because of confusing written rules on when troops can fire weapons in "Escalation of Force" cases, that is, combat against insurgents and al Qaeda terrorists.
"Escalation of force is ridiculous over there," the commando said. "If an EOF occurs and a weapon is fired, it is to be reported so 'a 15-6 investigation' can be initiated."
An Army Regulation 15-6 investigation requires a commanding officer to gather evidence, interview witnesses and write a report every time a weapon is fired, a time-consuming and useless bureaucratic exercise in a war zone where numerous firefights take place almost every day."
THAT, in my mind, is a far more important issue and one the Pentagon needs to address.
They ought to be using the 416 Barrett round for sniping.
check it out:
http://airbornecombatengineer.typepad.com/airborne_combat_engineer/2006/02/barretts_propri.html
There has been some discussion about opening a season on liberals. Does anyone have the dates?
Any innocent civilian shot in cross fire could be our fault.
I don't mind the idea but to announce it to the world seems irresponsible at least.
FEAR FIGHT!
I thought the same thing. I saw a demonstration on "Future Weapons" and was blown away.
U.S. intelligence agencies have built their own version of the famous Russian-designed AK-47 assault rifle for use by American snipers in Iraq.They'd have to, as the AK-47 ain't no sniper rifle. The beauty of the AK-47 is its reliability of firing even if dirty as hell and dropped in mud. All because the tolerances are so loose -- but therefore 'a tad' inaccurate.
The 7.62 mm round used by the AK-47 differs from the 7.62 mm sniper round used in normal U.S. sniper ammunition and creates a different wound.
Well sorry but .. DUH!
The AK in question fires a 7.62x39mm and a U.S. 'sniper round' is a 7.62x51mm (NATO), aka .308 Winchester (but its really not the same). But unless they're completely rebuilding this new super duper AK from the ground up (receiver, longer barrel, etc) I question the veracity of this.
To me a modified SKS makes more sense (we know how the MSM calls everything an AK-47). It still fires the 7.62x39, has a longer barrel (20" vs 16") and when you put a scope and new stock on it and wham - instant 'sniper rifle'. Though with the 7.62x39 still not much good past 200 yards (Remington Ballistics charts STOP at 200 for the 7.62x39)
--ditto--
No, I read Pyle's story on the A-51 in his book, "Brave Men," published during the war.
The article is inaccurate in several points of which I will not discuss in public.
http://www.dragunov.net/
"One Special Forces commando stated that the lawyers are risking lives in Iraq because of confusing written rules on when troops can fire weapons in "Escalation of Force" cases, that is, combat against insurgents and al Qaeda terrorists.
"Escalation of force is ridiculous over there," the commando said. "If an EOF occurs and a weapon is fired, it is to be reported so 'a 15-6 investigation' can be initiated."
An Army Regulation 15-6 investigation requires a commanding officer to gather evidence, interview witnesses and write a report every time a weapon is fired, a time-consuming and useless bureaucratic exercise in a war zone where numerous firefights take place almost every day"
This isn't a police department dealing with a high crime area. This is our military fighting in a war!
WHEN will the Beltway folks wake up to the reality that the only way to engage an enemy is the aggressive use of massively overpowering force designed to kill as many of the enemy as can be killed in the shortest time possible? Anything less and we are wasting our time,
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