They Can Hit Even a Toothpick from 50 Meters

The first Police day lasted from Sunday morning to 2:00 a.m. on Monday on the range of the Police Educational and Training Centre, where the competitors were presented with a wide array of challenges. One of the most extreme tasks was that they had to hit a sandwich flag from 50 meters by night, which is illuminated only by the headlights of a car. The stick of the small flag is approximately as thick as a toothpick, and although a layman may find this task almost incredible or think that it belongs to the world of movies, it is worth noting that two years ago the competitors had to hit the edge of a knife from more than 70 meters, and many of them were able to do that successfully.

The organizers did their best to make sure that even the less extreme tasks offer various challenges, so the snipers had to be able to give a good performance from buildings, combat vehicles and even from iron beds, in a given time.

The Hungarian Defence Forces entered altogether seven teams to the three-day competition, the military part of which was held on Monday, 8 May. In contrast to the police day, the tasks of the military day were mainly related to targets placed at a distance, so the competitors had to hit targets from up to 800 meters, in a way that aiming and calculating the parameters were performed under not so ideal conditions. The soldiers often have to perform excellently with twisted posture, while hanging from chains or on unstable ground.

This year the HDF 2nd vitéz Bertalan Árpád Special Operations Forces Regiment sent one team, Regimental Commander Col. Tamás Sándor told us. He said that because this is a technical sport, all weapon components from optic sight to silencer may count into the final result. At the same time, the competitors’ techniques also reveal the training methods of their armies. “It pays off talking to the colleagues and ask them questions, because we can draw on it when the time has come", the colonel emphasized.

In answer to our question, Brig.-Gen. Dr. Gábor Horváth, Commander, HDF 25th Klapka György Infantry Brigade told us that the world cup of great tradition provides all participants and observers with excellent opportunities to assess the direction and current state of the development of high-precision small arms. “Above all, the soldiers may find this competition important because it enables them to learn and broaden their knowledge, but as it is being conducted in an international environment, it also reveals how these weapons should be further developed", the brigadier-general pointed out.

He also said that the sniper teams and squads in the TOE of various HDF units are small subunits consisting of two or three soldiers, which operate in that form. He also noted that at the same time, the organizers had not rejected the applications of soldiers who do sniping “out of love" as they work in other positions, because this profession and sport can only be pursued this way.

Apart from those already mentioned, the soldiers of the HDF Logistic Centre and the HDF Military Police Centre were also present at the contest. Starting on Monday, the military day was held at two venues, the ranges of Táborfalva and Tatárszentgyörgy.

Photo: Zoltán Tischler