Task Force Spartan Snipers Take to the Skies

Lethal on the ground and in the air, U.S. Army Soldiers of Task Force Spartan, supported by the 34th Red Bull Infantry Division, recently took part in aerial sniper training in Kuwait.

Infantry Soldiers assigned to the Kansas National Guard's Headquarters Company, 2nd Combined Arms Battalion 137th Infantry Regiment (KSARNG), 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team, demonstrated precision and lethality by engaging targets from a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter during the exercise at Camp Buehring.

The training familiarizes snipers with the effects of bullet drop when firing from different altitudes. The Soldiers fired at targets while their aerial platform moved through the air at various speeds.

As flight crews from 1st Battalion, 108th Assault Helicopter Battalion, provided lift capability for the training, sniper teams used verbal and non-verbal communication techniques to make on-the-spot firing adjustments. Spotters assisting the snipers used radio communication with the aircrew to monitor and account for wind speeds, which can affect how the snipers adjust and utilize their weapons.

Task Force Spartan increases military readiness and capability, in order to maintain regional stability and expand regional partnerships. The task force and coalition partners conduct security operations within the region, enabling land forces to quickly build combat power through multiple mobility options in times of crisis.

Video by U.S. Army