Hide, observe and kill - with one shot to the head or centre of
the chest. Stealth and accuracy are the essence of the sniper unit,
a small and elite group in the School of Infantry Weapons (SIW).
PIONEER lifts the veil from this unit and shows you what goes into
nailing that crucial hit.
The enemy General is 800m away, safe amongst his troops in the
forest and a heavy downpour. Suddenly, he drops to the ground,
blood flowing from a wound in the centre of his head. Amidst
shouts, all weapons go into position, and hundreds of pairs of eyes
scan the area. But no one can spot the attacker, who has hit from
afar and remains unseen. A sniper, the SAF's invisible assassin,
has struck again.
The role of the sniper is mainly to take out the enemy's key
commanders as well as heavy weapon crew, who can cause great damage
to the sniper's own battalion of soldiers in an attack.
Good marksmanship, keen eyesight, high physical and combat fitness,
as well as the right attitude and aptitude, are pre-requisites in
qualifying for sniper training.
Once recruited into the sniper unit, trainees have to undergo a
nine-week intensive training course. Two courses are held every
year.
Areas of training
The course involves mastering six skill sets and passing two theory
tests. For each skill set, theory classes will be held to explain
the intent and basics of that particular skill.
Shooting
Trainees go through range and field shooting to hone their
accuracy. The shooting range is a controlled environment where an
electronic target, which pops up
at different speeds and timings, is used. The shooting distance is
up to 500m. In the field, wind, light and terrain come into play as
trainees experience shooting in realistic conditions. The shooting
distance here is up to 800m.
Equipment: The Steyr Scharfshutzen-Gewehr (SSG) sniping rifle,
whose firing range is up to 800m.
Stalking
Trainees are taught to move in a concealed and tactical manner,
from their final rendezvous point (FRV) to their final firing
position. Depending on the environment, trainees may have to do
tactical walking or even crawl.
Equipment: An agile body and alert mind.
Concealing
This is all about camouflage. Geared in the ghillie suit and
camou-paint, the trainee has to get into a hidden firing position.
The instructor will try to spot the trainee, who must select a
firing position based on the 'screen' (the amount of vegetation
around). The shadow and depth of the position affect the visibility
of the flare that results when his weapon is fired.
Equipment: The ghillie suit, face camou-paint and lots of
creativity.
Observing
To conduct surveillance on the enemy's strength, trainees are
taught to pick up very accurate and minor details in the field,
such as the weapons used by the enemy, the positioning of these
weapons and the number of men.
Equipment: A pair of binoculars, which has eight times
magnification, and an M49 spotter-scope, which has 20 times
magnification.
Judging distance
The distance from the firing position to the target must be judged
as accurately as possible - calculations have to be made to
compensate for the trajectory of the fired round. This judgement is
the crucial difference in whether the target is hit on the first or
second round.
Equipment: Sharp eyes and good judgement.
Air photo interpretation and map reading
Using air photographs, trainees learn how to identify ground
features. In map reading, they go through basic directional
navigation training before moving on to more advanced open terrain,
closed terrain, uncontrolled and island-wide navigation. In
uncontrolled navigation, trainees navigate without
instructors.
Equipment: Stereoscope, stereo pair and compass. A stereoscope is
used to spot features in air photos like slopes, the high points of
the land, vehicles and structures. A stereo pair consists of a
series of photographs taken to form a larger picture. The 3D images
can be seen when using the stereoscope on the stereo pair.
Theory tests
Before they can proceed to live firing, trainees must first pass a
training safety regulations test. In the final week of the course,
their knowledge on tactics, weapons and fieldcraft will be
challenged in a sniper theory test.
Equipment: A good memory.
Two heads are better than one
It is a common misconception that snipers work alone - they
actually work in pairs. Trainees are paired up according to their
strengths and weaknesses at the end of the course, and will remain
as a team for the rest of their National Service.
One is the assigned shooter while the other observes and identifies
the target. With the M49, the observer assesses the wind level,
humidity level, altitude and trajectory value. He also tracks the
target as the shot is fired. In the event of a miss, he can
immediately inform the shooter where the first round landed and
where the second round should land.
"When a sniper pair moves out, their lives depend on each other.
It's him and his buddy, nobody else," said LTA Soh Wai Leong
(right), a Sniper Platoon Commander who has been an instructor for
two years. "They must have an almost telepathic understanding of
what the other is thinking and doing. That requires a lot of
trust
and teamwork."
"Co-ordination is the most important thing. One observes, one takes
aim, so we divide the work equally between us," said CPL Jaikumar
Durai, sniper trainee. He is so close to his buddy that he even
meets him outside of training.
"We live in the same room, we go out together, and during nights
out we go for dinner. Even during weekends we'll meet up. Because
for the rest of our NS, we'll be a team," he said.
Sniper vs sniper
What happens when you meet someone out there who knows exactly what
you know and can do everything you can? According to LTA Soh, it is
a game of waiting that requires great patience and
discipline.
"When it comes to counter-sniping, the one who has the better
discipline and higher level of patience wins," said LTA Soh. "It's
about getting into position and observing. We try to enter the
other sniper's mind: if I were him, where would I position
myself?"
"For one whole day, we'll look at all the possible positions and
wait for the most minor of tell-tale signs - the boot to stick out,
the torchlight to shine or the scope to reflect the sunlight. Then
you'll have an idea of where he is and can then set the range,"
added LTA Soh. "You have to kill him before he kills you."
Beyond skills and fitness
Sniping is not just about skills and physical fitness - it is also
a matter of mind over body, especially during long periods of
waiting. After all, being a good sniper means outwitting and
outlasting the enemy.
"Physical fitness can only bring you this far, the rest is all
mental. After a few days of training, fatigue will set in. That's
where you push them further, stretch their limits," said LTA Soh.
"When you push them, you start to distinguish between the stronger
and weaker ones. Their mental toughness makes the
difference."
Just like in school, not everything can be taught and learnt
through theory and practical lessons. To 2WO Jeffrey Ang, the
Sniper Course Commander, discipline and attitude must be instilled
through communication - talking to the trainees and building up
rapport with them. Communication is important because learning
should be two-way.
"This is a learning organisation; he has to give me feedback about
how to do something. If it's not reasonable, I'll tell him why,"
said 2WO Ang, who has 15 years of experience with the snipers unit.
"This method is much better. You make them think instead of just
waiting for instructions, and both of us are learning as
well."
Sniping ahead
As the SAF transforms into a third-generation (3G) force, the
snipers are also implementing changes.
"As the snipers unit develops, we will take into consideration the
ability of the snipers to support urban operations, which are
possible future operational scenarios," said Commanding Officer,
School of Infantry Weapons (SIW), LTC Lim Meng Kiaw (right).
"There's a distinct difference in the requirements of urban
operations. Instead of using only ghillie suits, the snipers are
now trained to use materials from their surroundings to make a near
perfect position to help them blend with the environment."
LTC Lim added that the urban landscape would also bring about a
"focus on the individual soldier's initiative, skills and
fortitude".
"In the hands of a sniper is the element of surprise. If used
correctly, firing from an undetected position not only takes down
key targets but also shocks and overwhelms the enemy. The goal is
not to kill a hundred but to bring about severe psychological
strain and physical fatigue in the concrete jungle," he said.
"In line with transformation of the Army, the school is planning to
first equip our instructors with the essential knowledge. In the
next couple of years, we should be able to trial, and then fully
operationalise, the doctrine on how snipers can support urban
operations," he said.
Small in numbers but deadly. Watch out for the snipers - if you can
spot them.
Blending in
The sniper training course has gone through some changes, the most
significant of which are the shortened duration of training and an
improved ghillie suit.
Reduced from 11 to nine weeks, the training course is now more
compact without compromising its effectiveness. There is better
time usage, including theory lessons conducted at night.
In addition, SIW has created an improved ghillie suit, which is
made of the same material but is sewn onto netting instead of
uniforms.
Its durable, lightweight and portable design allows snipers to
extend their operational distance, reduces the risk of heat-related
injuries, and allows higher mobility and better handling of
weaponry. It has the added advantage of only requiring two minutes
to change into, compared to 10 minutes for the old suit. The new
suit is also more compact and can be easily stored in a
full-pack.
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