Future of sniper in a network-centric conflict

With the steady progression toward a network-centric combat orientation, the sniper of today can be transformed into a more effective and lethal component in any fight. These are the reasons why and how this can be achieved:

1. The sniper as a psychological weapon: By killing from the shadows without warning, a sniper can inflict serious psychological damage on the enemy by creating unrest and nervousness. Besides this ability, snipers can also and follow the movement of ground forces, thus boosting troop morale by creating accurate covering fire.

The effectiveness of a sniper in psychological warfare can be dramatically increased by the creation and deployment of Remote Automated Sniping and Surveilance System (RASSS). This system has a video camera for surveillance and an attached sniper as weapon that can move precisely on command. It can be airdropped to a remote area and once activated, the information will be sent back to a person who monitors for enemy movements and snipe accordingly through remote control. If required, a computer can be programmed to detect motion and alert a human operator to movements. Targets can also be confirmed through advanced face recognition software, which is useful in assassinations. If a target is confirmed, the system can shoot automatically or manually. The device can be made to detonate upon discovery by enemy forces or when desired. Because it might take days for an enemy to show up, the system can run on solar power, which will also generate power to recharge the battery for night operations, thus allowing it to stay in operation indefinitely. It can also be fitted with camouflage to blend into its environment. If the human operator is too far from the system's location, an unmanned airborne vehicle can be deployed to relay the signal. Besides being able to be airdropped, the systems can be deployed in multiple locations at one time, thus acting as a force multiplier by allowing one man to take watch over multiple locations.

2. The sniper as a laser designator, forward observer and spy: Besides spying on enemy positions, snipers can become laser designators for guided missiles and bombs.

The effectiveness of sniper as intelligence gatherer can be raised by the creation of Covert Listening Device for Sniper (CLDS), a special bugging device that can be fired from a sniper which will then attach to an enemy vehicle or tent, which then will sent out GPS signals alerting to the location of the enemy vehicle and troop movements. This is especially useful if the enemy is concealing and aerial surveillance is not effective. It can also be very hard to detect by being no larger than the size of a bullet hole and on a hard-to-spot region of the target.

A sniper is never going to be a machine as it a specializes man intense job as they usually take shot at range of no less then 300m to over 1000m a accurate shot at that range required take a lot of training and experience. As you have to remember the more shot you take the more chance that you are giving away your position.

There is also the requirement of camouflage and concealed skill needed for your each new position you move into.

Furthermore if you consider the fact that a sniper usually operation in forward position, especially in the assassinations role as you mention most likely require the sniper team to be operating behind enemy line which mean it need radio silent meaning a UGCV is not going much to be much good.

You much remenber anything electronic signature u emit is just telling people i am here come get me.

Hi it's good to hear from you. Haven't seen you in this forum in a long time? Busy I assume?

A sniper is an intensive job and usually require the work of two people, but I'm thinking if you replace it with a machine the same way as people field UAVs for surveillance, a sniper becomes much more lethal in the battlefield. With the help of a computer, this becomes a force multiplier since one person can watch over many screens and shoot from different locations at the same time. Even if the positions do get discovered, it is no threat to human life as they are just machines. If the machines are fitted with self-destruct devices, they avoid capture. They are also more easily deployed as they can be airdropped behind enemy lines in a wide area. Also, with the electronic tag from a sniper rifle that I was talking about, even if the enemy does know they are tagged, it'll take them valuable time and resources to discover and remove the bugs.

I'm also thinking, if you airdrop these sniping systems onto a battlefield, you can also airdrop mines into the area so when enemies approach the guns, they'll fall prey to the mines first.

A yes and a no.

UGV could supplements or take over some of the surveillance or to a limited extend the laser designator role.

But the shooter role.... would still remain a man job.

A man can be operating the machine and sniping manually, just like he's at the scene except out of immediate danger. The machine could take over the man's job of pulling the trigger, but that goes into a debate on whether a machine has the right to kill a man in battle.

I disagree with the network centric program now adopted by the amateurish US military because it was created for micro control of every soldier on the battlefield. That is both insane and impossible.

But most of all, network-centrism instead of man-centrism, is yet another artificat of the utter incompetence of the US military in its drive to exterminate ALL initiative seeking activities by soldiers.

warman said:

I disagree with the network centric program now adopted by the amateurish US military because it was created for micro control of every soldier on the battlefield. That is both insane and impossible.

But most of all, network-centrism instead of man-centrism, is yet another artificat of the utter incompetence of the US military in its drive to exterminate ALL initiative seeking activities by soldiers.

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That is borderline nation bashing and is totally unsubstantiated. Net-centric warfare enhances the ability and performance of the individual soldier through providing better information. You know who's around you, his/her state, and can better coordinate assets to accomplish a mission. The absolute success of the US Stryker brigades demonstrate the success net-centric warfare techniques.