Designated marksman

US Marine Corp Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR)

The Designated Marksman (DM) is a military role in a U.S. infantry squad. (The analogous role in the Israeli army is "squad sniper." Soviet and Russian doctrines (snaiper') use the Dragunov rifle in this way.) The designated marksman's role is to supply rapid accurate fire on enemy targets at ranges up to 500 meters with a telescopic-sighted, very-accurate, semiautomatic rifle. Like snipers, DMs are trained in precision shooting, but unlike the more specialised 'true' sniper, they are also intended to lay down accurate rapid fire.

Weapons

As the role of Designated Marksman fills the gap between a normal infantryman and a sniper, the so-called designated marksman rifles are also designed with this middle ground in mind. These rifles have to be effective - in terms of accuracy and terminal ballistics - at ranges exceeding those of assault rifles (typically 500 m), but do not require the extended ranges of a dedicated sniper rifle (1000 m and more).

Characteristics

Characteristics shared with sniper rifles:
*Telescopic sight
*Use of more powerful cartridge (in NATO typically 7.62 x 51 mm and in the former Soviet block 7.62 x 54 mm R)

Characteristics shared with assault rifles:
*Semi-automatic fire, that is quicker than bolt-action typical of sniper rifles.
*High capacity magazines of 10-30 rounds

Typically the easiest and most suitable option is to modify an existing battle rifle or assault rifle with the addition of the following:
*Telescopic sight
*Bipod
*Adjustable stock (adjustable cheek-piece aids in the use of a telescopic sight).

Battle rifle adaptation

M21 adaptation of M14

In this context, "battle rifles" refer to semi-automatic rifles of 7.62 x 51 mm calibre like the M14, FN FAL or Heckler & Koch G3 that were typically replaced by rifles of the less powerful 5.56 x 45 mm NATO calibre that fall into the category of assault rifle like the M16. These battle rifles are more suitable for adaptation to designated marksmen rifles than assault rifles for the sole reason of their more powerful cartridge.

Examples of battle rifle adaptations:
*M21 adaptation of M14
*U.S. Marine Corps Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) adaptation of M14
G3SG/1 variant of Heckler & Koch G3

Assault Rifle adaptation

This is the very easiest and most cost effective option for many armies, because existing rifles can be adapated, often by merely adding a telescopic sight and keeping the relatively weaker 5.56 x 45 mm NATO cartridge.

A more effective solution is to rechamber the assault rifle for a more powerful cartridge and using a heavier barrel.

Examples of assault rifle adaptations, keeping 5.56 x 45 mm NATO:
*United States Army Squad Designated Marksman Rifle (SDM-R) adaptation of M16
*U.S. Marine Corps Squad Advanced Marksman Rifle (SAM-R) adaptation of M16
*M16A2E3 variant of M16.
*United States Navy Mark 12 Mod X Special Purpose Rifle heavily modified M16.

Examples of rechambered assault rifle adaptations:
Galil AR (7.62 x 51 mm) variant of IMI Galil
*SR-25 loosely based on Stoner AR-10

Some assault rifles, most notably the AK47 are not suited to such conversions since their cartridges (7.62 x 39 mm in the AK47's case) do not provide sufficient ballistic performance.

Purpose built rifles

The Dragunov (SVD) is one example of a rifle designed from the outset to meet the requirement now known as "designated marksman rifle".

Difference from snipers

Roles

* Snipers often work independently of other infantry units.
* Designated marksmen are integral ("organic") members of regular infantry platoons, much like machine-gunners or grenadiers.

Weapons

* Snipers usually use bolt action sniper rifles or semi-automatic sniper rifles with high accuracy.
* DMs usually use an accurized assault or battle rifle.

Ranges

* Snipers are mainly employed for ranges of 0-1500 meters.
* DMs are mainly employed for ranges of 0-800 meters.

Mobility and position

* Snipers usually take a strategic position and camouflage themselves (with a Ghillie suit). They usually remain prone.
* DMs are mobile and rapidly change positions. They usually have no more camouflage gear than other infantrymen.

Worldwide use

Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

After years of suffering a poor reputation in its sniping abilities, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) implemented significant changes to sharpshooting doctrine in the 1990s. Doctrine, training program, and courseware were completely rewritten and snipers were issued the bolt-action M24 SWS instead of the M14 rifle. A major change was the introduction of a new battle profession – the designated marksman (קלע סער, "kala saar" in Hebrew) – intended to improve the accuracy and firepower of an infantry platoon and compromise between the role of a sniper and an assault rifleman and generally called a "squad sniper" in description of his role. This newly designated marksman role has proven to be a great success. During the Al-Aqsa Intifada DMs proved to be valuable part of infantry squad, taking out many enemy soldiers who approached to engage the troops. In one incident, a single marksman managed to stop a Hizbullah attack in 2005 on the Druze village of Raghar in the northern border of Israel, after he shot and killed 4 enemy soldiers, including RPG-armed motorists.

US Marine Corps

As a mobile force, US Marine Corps (USMC) platoons need the option of rapid accurate fire for medium to long ranges. Equipped with the semi-automatic but very accurate U.S. Marine Corps Designated Marksman Rifle and/or SAM-R, USMC designated marksmen are deployed mainly on special forces.

Soviet snipers

Although referred to as "snipers", the Soviet Union and its allies have since World War II employed specially equipped and trained "sharpshooting" soldiers at a section ("squad") level to increase the range of their section to 600 m and beyond. This is commonly accepted as the first example of what came to be known as a designated marksman as opposed to a true sniper.

Since 1963 these soldiers have been equipped with the Dragunov (or "SVD") rifle that shares all the characteristics typical of a designated marksman rifle (Semi-automatic fire, Telescopic sight, chambered for standard military rifle cartridge).

See also

Related military roles
*Soviet sniper, the Soviet equivalent of a Designated Marksman.
*Sniper, more specialised military marksmen.

;Rifles
*Designated marksman rifle
*Dragunov Sniper Rifle
*M21, the scoped and accurized version of the M14.
*United States Army Squad Designated Marksman Rifle
*U.S. Marine Corps Designated Marksman Rifle
*U.S. Marine Corps Squad Advanced Marksman Rifle
*United States Navy Mark 12 Mod X Special Purpose Rifle
*SR-25, designed by Knight's Armament Company