The U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (TACOM-ARDEC), at Picatinny Arsenal intends to award a contract to Barrett Firearms for an initial lot of 342 12.7mm (.50 caliber) XM-107 long range sniper rifle systems. There will be three follow-on contract options, each of 600 systems.
The primary components of each "system" will include a rifle, day optical sighting system, cheek pads, embedded rail front sight posts, charging handle, trigger pin and hard carrying case(s). The rifles' primary mission will be to defeat targets out to 2,000 meters, such as parked aircraft, command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) sites, radar sites, ammunition, petroleum, oil and lubricant (POL) sites, and various other thin-skinned (lightly armored) materiel targets.
One AAR from Iraq declared that the Barrett 50 cal Sniper Rifle may have been the most useful piece of equipment for the urban fight - especially for American light fighters. While Barrett's M-82 semiautomatic has been in use by both the Army and the Marine Corps for more than 20 years, the XM-107 (also made by Barrett) has recently seen action and gotten a positive response in both Afghanistan and Iraq. The 23-pound, 4-foot long XM107 is both lighter and shorter than the M82.
The XM107 was used to engage both vehicular and personnel targets out to 1400 meters. Soldiers not only appreciated the range and accuracy, but also the effect on targets. Leaders and scouts who watched the effect declared the 50 cal round as a combat multiplier, since enemy personnel that saw what happened when their buddies were hit by a .50 round tended to become demoralized. There were messy personal anecdotes of one round destroying two targets and another of the target disintegrating.
However, the system hasn't been perfected - yet. The most pervasive negative comment was that snipers felt the current Leopold Sight was inadequate for the weapon and not ballistically matched. Since the sight was zeroed for 500, 1000 and 1500 meters, so the shooters did not feel confident in their ability to engage targets at the between distances (e.g. 1300 m). Snipers felt there were better sights available for this weapon, such as the Swarovski. Sniper team spotters also felt the tripod for the Leopold Spotter Scope could be better designed. There was also a need for a sniper sight that would allow shooters to identify targets either as combatants or non-combatants, out to 2000m. - Adam Geibel
Sales endorsement quote of the day, from 325th PIR Sniper: My spotter positively identified a target at 1400 meters carrying an RPG on a water tower. I engaged the target. The top half of the torso fell forward out of the tower and the lower portion remained in the tower.
Operation Iraqi Freedom, PEO Soldier Lessons Learned, LTC Jim Smith, 15 May 2003
http://www.streetforcesmc.com/lessons_learned_iraq.htm.
