Translation:Sniper txt/sv
Technical Specifications: S-1 Sniper Rifle
CLASSIFIED LEVEL YELLOW
PHALANX Extraterrestrial Response Unit
Technical Document, Delta Clearance
Filed: 20 March 2084
By: Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
Overview
The alien attack on Mumbai made our situation painfully clear. Their technology is far more advanced than ours. The complete inability of Commonwealth troops to make a dent in the Mumbai offensive revealed critical weaknesses in current military training and equipment. They lost three battalions just bringing the aliens to a standstill without inflicting significant casualties. PHALANX has to overcome these odds, and to do that we need the very best human technology has to offer.
The Excalibur Program was created to find the most effective weapons on Earth by reviewing their manufacturing standards, durability, operational record, and their combat performance in the situations where we've managed to bring the aliens to battle.
Originally an anti-materiel rifle, the Canada-built Forrester LRWS (Long Range Weapon System) has since been adopted by many countries as their principal sniper rifle. It is one of the bare handful of sniper rifles developed after 2040 that do not feature a bullpup configuration ('bullpup' meaning the magazine and action of the weapon are located behind the grip to reduce overall weapon length). It fires the massive 20mm HMG (Heavy Machine Gun) cartridge, fed by 5-round magazines which can weigh as much as one kilogramme apiece. The piston-retarded floating breech is equipped with an intricate gas dispersal system which decreases felt recoil to the level of an ordinary hunting rifle. This allows quick repeated shots on semi-automatic without any loss of accuracy.
The greatest advantages of the LRWS over other modern sniper rifles are its incredibly short barrel and light weight, the only rifle in its size class that can fire the 20mm HMG round. This is made possible by a uniquely-reinforced breech and barrel made almost entirely of tungsten and titanium alloys, able to withstand the force of the round's super-high-velocity powder. Due to its short barrel, designed for tactical urban situations, the LRWS is only effective out to approximately 1 kilometre -- barely a third of the range of a standard anti-materiel rifle -- but we estimate that PHALANX should never face a situation where this might become a problem. Its reduced accuracy is amended by a highly-advanced scope that will calculate and display intelligent bullet trajectories wherever the rifle is pointing.
The integral 'smart' bipod features a pneumatic suspension system that keeps the barrel perfectly horizontal to allow accurate fire even on broken ground. The buttstock and grip automatically mould themselves to fit any shooter. Most importantly, this rifle has racked up more alien kills in Mumbai than any other weapon deployed in the fighting.
At half the weight of other sniper rifles and twice the manoeuvrability, the LWRS offers the power and flexibility that our agents require. This weapon will not disappoint.
For PHALANX use, we have given this rifle the classification S-1.
Recommended Doctrine
Soldiers equipped with the S-1should keep their distance, fire from cover, and try to use aimed shots whenever possible. This is not an automatic weapon; a missed shot wastes time, ammunition and possibly life.
All our snipers should carry at least one backup sidearm such as the P-12 or the CRC-8 SMG, or a combat knife at the very least. Should aliens threaten a sniper at close range, he should immediately draw his sidearm. Under no circumstances should he try to use an S-1 to fend off attackers at close range. The S-1 is too slow-firing to stop an advancing alien and will quickly deplete its magazine if this is attempted. If the soldier tries to shoot his magazine dry before drawing his sidearm, it will be too late.
Addenda
Along with high-explosive rockets and grenades, this is one of the few standard-issue human weapons that are fully effective against robotic aliens.