Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1418713
OCTOBER 13-19, 2021 UCW 19 Best of Fayetteville NEWS Special Operations, 82nd Airborne snipers test new modular precision rifle at Fort Bragg by MIKE SHELTON Operational testing of the Ar- my's newest generation sniper system — the MK-22 Precision Sniper Rifle (PSR) — marks the project's final hurdle before fielding. "e modular nature of the PSR allows it to be tailored to meet mission requirements and is appealing to airborne Snipers who are typically armed with long-barreled precision rifles of a single caliber offering," said Sgt. 1st Class Marcus Love, Air- borne and Special Operations Test Directorate, Test Noncom- missioned Officer. Because of the single-caliber offerings, snipers requiring ad- ditional capabilities must de- ploy with additional weapons. e PSR can be configured for multi-calibers by the sniper in the field and requires no higher level maintenance to reconfig- ure. It will also extend engage- ment ranges for both anti-ma- terial and anti-personnel target engagements. "e increased engagement range will keep snipers safer and increase the options for the local commander employing these combat multipliers," said Sgt. Austin Stevens, a sniper as- signed to the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. "With a folding stock and removable suppression system, the PSR will provide airborne Snipers a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations without reducing their lethality while pro- viding a precision rifle platform more con- ducive to their combat environment," said MK-22 Project NCO Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan Copley. Spc. Michael Liptak, a sniper with Head- quarters & Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment imme- diately identified the attributes of accuracy in regards to the MK-22. "I was surprised at the accuracy and the straightforward ap- proach to testing the PSR," he said. Prior to testing, snipers from across the airborne and special operations commu- nity took part in new equipment training which included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engage- ment, system configuration and zeroing procedures. For Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment, the PSR's versatility to adapt to multiple mission sets was a marked advantage. "e PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements," said Keffer. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test said, "e critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to air- borne insertion. "is is a critical gauge of the paratrooper's lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations." To evaluate this performance measure of the PSR, the ABNSOTD test team ap- plied the organization's mobile weapons boresight collimator to the rifle after jumping to make sure the sniper's pre- mission zero was not degraded by shock during the jump. "is process establishes a baseline for sight reticle locations prior to and post airborne insertion," said Miles Crawford, Test Technology Branch Chief, ABNSOTD. "Testers can monitor any shift in the weapon sight reticle that may have been induced by shock associated with static line parachutes," Crawford said. e Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate is based at Fort Bragg. It plans, executes and reports on operational tests and field experiments of airborne and special operations forces equipment, pro- cedures, aerial delivery and air transpor- tation systems to provide key operational data for the continued development and fielding of doctrine, systems and equipment to the warfighter. e U.S. Army Operational Test Com- mand is based at West Fort Hood, Texas, and its mission ensures systems developed are effective in a soldier's hands and suit- able for the environments in which they train and fight. Test unit soldiers provide feedback by offering input to improve upon existing and future systems soldiers will ultimately use to train and fight. MIKE SHELTON, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command. COMMENTS? editor@upandcomingweekly.com. 910-484-6200. A Special Operations sniper exits a C-27 aircraft with his MK-22 Precision Sniper Rifle in the "side-mounted" configuration over Laurinburg drop zone, Laurinburg, North Carolina, during the PSR test. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Nicholas Birkner) A sniper conducts post-drop live-fire test trials of the MK-22 Precision Sniper Rifle at Range 61 on Fort Bragg. (Photo by James Finney) A sniper assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team prepares to exit a C-27 aircraft during static line testing of the MK-22 Precision Sniper Rifle over Sicily Drop Zone on Fort Bragg. (Photo by Chris O'Leary)