Pirates

[Craig H.]

I have been on Obama's case pretty much since he took the oath. I still am very unhappy about many of the things he has done. That said...

I would be remiss if I did not congratulate him on his handling of the recent situation involving the American ship captain. He kept quiet to the press, issued the necessary orders, and stayed out of the way while the experts did their job. Outstanding. The problem was effectively ended in a few days, and a very loud message has been sent.

Now, if he would just apply the same approach to the economy, instead of using it to advance other agenda issues...

Thank goodness for the Navy SEALS.

[Scott Catron]

I'd like someone who knows a little bit about these sort of operations to talk about what the Navy SEAL snipers pulled off: 3 simultaneous headshots from 25 yards in rolling seas - according to reports. I know 25 yards isn't very far, but with the rolling sea - how do they pull that off? You'd think that would mess up their shot.

[Craig H.]

In Reply to Parent Post by Scott Catron

I'd like someone who knows a little bit about these sort of operations to talk about what the Navy SEAL snipers pulled off: 3 simultaneous headshots from 25 yards in rolling seas - according to reports. I know 25 yards isn't very far, but with the rolling sea - how do they pull that off? You'd think that would mess up their shot.

I agree, Scott. I heard something on the radio about gyroscopic sights, but how that would compensate for 4 foot seas is beyond me. Doing it simultaneously? Wow.

Can anyone shed some light?

[Randy]

It's just a matter of timing, using a count ....1,2,3. We were taught similar techniques at the FBI Academy. Prior to the shot each man was assigned a target and each target may have had some kind of unique identifier like a colored shirt, or headgear or something like that as well as being the one on the left, right and center. Each shooter would then fix on his assigned target and no other following every movement, relaying to the others whether or not he was clear. When all 3 were clear then it was just a case of "BRASS" Breathe, Relax, Aim, Slack, Squeeze.

Gyro stabilized scopes? Yep, most likely and a very good solid stationary mount for each rifle that allowed the shooters to get into a rhythm with the movement of the Navy vessel and the liferaft. Odds are the weapons also had "set triggers" or something like them.


We used to practice shooting through heavy plate glass and safety glass with multiple shooters. The 1st shot broke the glass and the other shooters went for the targets. The reasoning was that the glass would deflect the strike of a round, so we would just get the glass out of the way.

The shot that nobody ever wanted to take was the one that would be directed towards the hostage (in a standing situation only). A shot, using an AP (armor piercing) bullet would be aimed at the meaty part of the outside of the thigh. Theoretically this would cause the hostage to immediately drop creating a clear zone for the neutralizing shot. I've never heard of it actually being done, but you never know.

[Scott Catron]

Just read an update about this in Newsweek.

(couldn't find this online, so no link)

The SEALs shortened the lifeboat's tow rope until it was tossing around in the ship's wake. This mad the pirates seasick - two of them were killed while they were leaning over the side to vomit. The third pirate was killed by the same sniper shooting out some glass and then shot the pirate.

The fourth pirate had told the navy that the pirate's had run out of khat, thus making them prone to seasickness - the SEALs then started to bring the lifeboat closer to the ship.

Captain Phillips had reported that the pirates were feuding when they were shot - he initially thought they had shot each other.