Comprehensive training snipers now no
“The quality of training of snipers, their equipment and armament in the US Army and the Bundeswehr is much better than ours,” said Vladimir Palkin, lieutenant colonel of the special forces of the Airborne Forces. So he commented on the statement by the Ministry of Defense about the introduction of a new concept of working with snipers in the Russian army.
The composition of the combined arms of the Ground Forces introduced sniper units. This was announced on Friday by the official representative of the Ground Forces Sergey Vlasov. “The implementation of the concept of improving the system of training and use of snipers in the types and kinds of troops of the Armed Forces of Russia will allow solving the tasks of building a corps of highly professional snipers,” said Vlasov.
According to him, the new concept of forming sniper units "will change the quality of the organization of the educational process in the units and parts using modern technologies and technical means."
In accordance with this concept, several types of rifles with various indicators of the main combat properties will come into service with the new divisions, snipers will receive pistols and observation and reconnaissance devices, including laser ones.
“Individual and group equipment of a sniper pair includes a sniper complex, uniforms, equipment and other equipment necessary for carrying out tasks and maintaining vital functions,” Vlasov said.
According to the representative of the Ministry of Defense, the new concept involves maintaining a multi-level selection of sniper units and sniper training in special centers at intervals of once every three to four years.
Recall now in the Armed Forces of individual sniper units there. In the rifle units of the state it is supposed to have one sniper in the composition of each department.
The veteran of the two Chechen campaigns, lieutenant colonel of the special forces of the Airborne Forces Vladimir Palkin, told the VZGLYAD newspaper about what changes the formation of sniper units could bring in practice.
VIEW: Vladimir Vitalyevich, how do you assess the beginning of the formation of specialized sniper units in the army?
Vladimir Palkin: When I commanded special forces groups on reconnaissance missions, I had scouts and snipers at my disposal. Ideally, of course, they should not go in chains - that in the infantry units, that in the airborne. Because in this case he will not be able to complete his work as a sniper in full.
Separately, the unit snipers, which will be attached to the infantry or other units, will be able to more directly target the enemy with fire. More benefit will be.
LOOK: In what way can this benefit be expressed?
VP: A person who is firing long distances and on accuracy in an offensive or defense as part of a squad or platoon is now more subordinate to the squad or platoon commander. And executes his oral orders precisely for separation. On the scale of the same branch of snipers, you can lead the destruction of more significant objects, and even snipers will be more mobile. The latter is also important because the anti-sniper case does not stand still either.
Being in the chain, the sniper is knocked out one of the first. The commander, sniper, radio operator, machine gunner are those people whom the enemy tries to destroy in the first place.
There is one more thing. Specialized sniper units may spend more time on self-study. The skills of covert movement, disguise, as well as waiting for your goal, its destruction and secretive withdrawal - all this requires better training.
VIEW: What is the situation with the preparation of snipers at the present time?
VP: In 1987, I entered the school. Until now, I only saw the systematic and competent training of snipers in our 45 regiment - this is the special forces of the Airborne Forces. Believe me, a sniper specialist is a piece of goods. It requires lengthy preparation and should not be engaged in digging trenches in the squad. You need to work with him individually.
In the linear parts of the training snipers is given the wrong amount of effort and time that is required. There are good arrows. But sniper business is a set of activities.
We were visited by guys from Vympel and Alpha. I watched them: the group works according to plan, and the snipers - completely separate. It should be so. Because the sniper's task is not to move in the chains or columns of his unit, but to work from a distance: detect targets in front of his unit, destroy them, ensure safe movement. And, of course, hit the enemy first, if his weapon allows it.
VIEW: So you think that with the creation of separate units of snipers, the training of such specialists in the army will improve?
VP: Of course, it should improve.
VIEW: How is sniper business organized in the advanced foreign armies?
VP: I can’t say anything about the organizational structure. But the quality of training snipers, their equipment and weapons in the US Army and the Bundeswehr are much better than ours. Although in Russia there are isolated purchases of good weapons, and we also have some results.
As far as I know, in the competitions that took place recently in Krasnodar between snipers of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other structures, snipers showed decent results.
My sergeant was in Yugoslavia, there was also a competition between the servicemen of the USA, Germany and Russia. He got there from some distance into a five-kopeck coin from the SVD, but these are all isolated cases. Comprehensive training snipers now no.
VIEW: Is it possible to consider that the unification of snipers into separate units will be a step towards the integrated training of such specialists?
VP: You know, I am most pleased with that moment (I read today the words of the Minister of Defense), which Serdyukov said about the sniper's salary. He said that a sniper, if he is, should get like a sniper, that is, more than just a shooter.
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