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Maritime Sniper TeamThe Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines (FPGRM) includes specialised Maritime Sniper Teams (MST). MST units deploy on Royal Navy vessels. Using large calibre sniper rifles, usually deployed from naval helicopters, the MST can provide overwatch for a variety of RN/FPGRM operations. Maritime Sniper Teams have proved effective in the war on drugs. In this role, the MST have operated from helicopters based on Royal Navy warships. Using L121A1 .50 calibre rifles fitted with short range red dot EOTEC sights (as apposed to long range scopes), the MST would shoot out the engines of drug running speed boats. One example of this happened in November, 2005 when a Lynx HMA8 helicopter from HMS Cumberland intercepted a suspected drugs runner in international waters off the Nicaraguan coast. When the speedboat failed to stop, several shots, from the MST aboard the Lynx, disabled the smuggler's speedboat. A boarding team, riding in a RIB from Cumberland, then approached and searched the vessel and arrested the crew. News report on the above-mentioned incident featuring the MST interdicting smuggler's speedboat in the Western Caribbean.
Following the incident when British Sailors/Marines were taken into custody by Iranian forces in a disputed waters between Iraq and Iran in 2007, there have been calls to include MST units on British warships carrying out boarding operations in the region. In more recent times, Maritime Sniper Teams have deployed aboard Royal Navy / Royal Fleet Auxillary vessels on counter-piracy operations in waters off the Horn Of Africa. On several occasions, MST snipers aboard Royal Navy helicopters have been instrumental in stopping/capturing pirates. 
A Royal Marine, armed with a G3KA4 rifle, covers a boarding team from the Fleet Protection Group as they perform a demonstration aboard HMS Balwark. Note the 'brass catcher' bag fitted on the rifle to catch ejected shell casings. Other sniper rifles employed by the MST include the L115a1/L115a3 and L121A1
Royal Navy photo : LA(PHOT) Martin Carney / MOD | © Crown Copyright (C) 2011
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