Sniper Rifle System 99D-S2 Anti-Matériel

"What the hell am I supposed to do with this inside a Covenant Empire ship?"

- Kojo Agu

The Sniper Rifle System 99D-S2 Anti-Matériel (abbreviated SRS99D-S2 AM), more commonly known as the SRS99D-S2 AM Sniper Rifle or simply the Sniper Rifle is an anti-personnel weapon system used by the UNSC.

Design Details
The SRS99D-S2 AM is a semi-automatic UNSC sniper rifle that fires 14.5 x 114mm APFSDS (Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot) from a 4-round magazine. It is designed in the conventional layout, so the magazine and operating system are located in front of the trigger. The magazine does not fit flush.

This weapon is gas-operated. The action must be cycled to chamber the first round. Once the first round is fired, the gases from the previous round forces the bolt back, seating a new round on its return forward, and continues to do so until the mag is empty. Once the mag is empty, the bolt, locks back and the mag is removed. After a new magazine is inserted, the bolt catch button must be pressed which releases the bolt forward, placing a new round into the chamber. The charging handle is on the left side of the rifle - allowing the user to cycle the action without unseating the weapon - and is physically a part of the bolt, and travels during operation of the weapon. The ejection port i slocated on the left side of the weapon.

The SRS99D is about 187.5cm long and is completely interchangeable. From the barrel to the breech to the stock, everything can be changed to fit the current situation and satisfy the operator. The SRS99D in has some notable changes from the SRS99C models. First off, it is fitted with a 5x and 10x optic that shows real time images in infrared vision when not looking through it. When looking through it, the scope shows a target's distance and elevation. The SRS99D also has an altered fore grip and stock as well as an altered body and sports a trigger guard. The barrel also now has an iron sight. This weapon does not possess a safety and has a frame that serves as a carrying handle as well as a scope protector and a folding bipod located in front of the magazine on the underside of the rifle.

Ammunition
The SRS99D has one of the most advanced ammunition types in use by the UNSC. Its rounds are large in both length and width, and are equipped with four symmetrical fins on the sides of the round, stabilizing its trajectory to results of amazing accuracy, with a hit ratio of 97.3%. While these fins provide increased accuracy, they also prevent a seal from forming between the bullet and barrel. A sabot is used to plug up this empty space, and is forcefully discarded from the bullet upon leaving the barrel. The 14.5mm APFSDS round has a muzzle velocity of 1450m/s.

The rounds themselves were inspired by the 14.5 x 114mm Russian-made projectile, used primarily in HMGs and sniper rifles. The rounds are described as being made of very hard metal, so they are probably made of tungsten or a depleted uranium alloy for maximum penetration.

The rifle uses a 4-round magazine, and operators typically carry meager combat loads; 28 rounds, or 7 magazines total in or 24 rounds or 6 magazines. However, a "full combat load" is typically a 68 round load, although it is not often that full combat loads can be carried into the field.

Advantages
The SRS99D-S2 AM, as an anti-matériel sniper system, is an extremely effective weapon. The terminal ballistics profile of the 14.5 x 114mm round is impressive; at 600 yards a round from the SRS99D would go through about 13 feet of flesh and bone. Its precision and lethality make it a choice weapon for almost any combat situation. At close range the user can shoot and melee attack quickly; at mid-range if a head shot is not possible then a body shot followed by another head shot would be effective, and at standoff range, there are few weapons that would be a danger to the user. Even in the hands of a player not quite skillful enough to perform one shot kills, the sniper rifle's ability to down an enemy player's shields provides a sound tactic for keeping the enemy at bay, and for other players to take down the enemy. This weapon also can be used for map control as it limits where the enemy can go, often forcing them to stay in hiding spots for fear of being shot as soon as they go out into the open. This can help the team gain more strategic advantages like getting power weapons or securing good defending positions. It also acts as a support weapon, and can help the team achieve easy kills by leaving enemies with no shields. Another advantage of the weapon is its relatively quick reload time compared to other weapons like an Assault Rifle. The rounds fired meet their target almost instantly even at extreme ranges. They can ricochet around corners, and are able to hit multiple targets if they are lined up properly.

Disadvantages
A sniper usually needs to find a safe location to shoot from, as the Sniper Rifle's rounds leave behind a white trail of vapor. If the player is spotted by an enemy player, they will most likely attempt to get close and kill the sniper with a close range weapon. The Sniper Rifle is somewhat useless in close range combat, unless you can perform what is commonly referred to as a no-scope kill. Due to having more recoil than its predecessor, using the Sniper as a long range weapon is much harder than it was in Halo 2, although at close range the difference is negligible because the target appears to be larger. If the user is too far away and firing while not sighted-in, they can easily miss.

Also, because there are only four rounds per magazine, a player with the sniper rifle has to reload frequently. Because of its incredible strength, ammunition on any map for the sniper rifle is rare. The Sniper Rifle is also very loud, so if an enemy is near, but cannot see you, it will give your position away. The greatest disadvantage of the sniper rifle is the skill required to use it, a player must be very accurate and have good eyesight and reflexes, especially when trying to go for head shots; another unfortunate disadvantage is that because of its power and the allure of being a good sniper, the sniper is often hotly contested, even among teams.

Influence
The SRS99D-S2 AM Sniper Rifle bears a heavy resemblance to the South African made NTW-20, manufactured by the Mechem division of the DENEL group, sharing many of the same features; chambering for the 14.5 x 114mm round, the stock, carrying handle/scope guard and the muzzle brake.

Related Pages

 * SRS99C-S2 AM
 * SRS99C-S2 AMB
 * Type-50 Sniper Rifle System