Counter-sniper tactics

The occurrence of sniper warfare has led to the evolution of counter-sniper tactics. Such tactics aim to reduce the damage caused by a sniper to a fighting force, which can often be harmful to both fighting capabilities and morale.

During the stalking phase of their attack a sniper will, if time allows, try to identify high-value targets such as senior officers or senior NCOs. They will do this by closely observing the behavior of the people in front of them. The intention is to identify who is in charge and then prepare to fire at them. It naturally follows that leaders should attempt to blend into the background by avoiding anything that distinguishes them from the most junior soldiers and attracts the interest of a sniper. In order to reduce a sniper's ability to damage the chain of command, doctrine and equipment need to prevent any observable "leadership" behaviors and signs. Insignia, e.g. rank insignia, should be subdued (dark/black as opposed to bright colors), camouflage colors on battledress, battledress identical for all ranks, military servants and rank-based luxuries (like saluting) avoided in forward areas, and commands and instruction should be given discreetly. Additionally, other acts such as looking at maps, using a radio, pointing authoritatively, abstaining from menial tasks and other forms of body language can betray an officer's rank. However, it is important to emphasize that if a sniper cannot identify an officer or NCO, they may then select any person that they have a good chance of hitting.

Valuable assets should be parked in sand-bagged redoubts until they are launched, preventing "anti-materiel" attacks. This is a prudent tactic in any circumstance, as it prevents damage from fragments.

Because snipers use camouflage, choose their firing positions carefully and often attack from long distances, they are difficult to locate. Gunfire locators have been developed to do this. These may sense a variety of signatures including:

When the trajectory of the bullet can be sensed, backtracking can be done to calculate the sniper's location. Sensor techniques are often used in combination to improve detection and eliminate false alarms.

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