Why the Special Forces so deadly?

(March 04, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) A Sri Lanka Army Special Forces team that posed with President Mahinda Rajapakse in Vakarai many months ago, demonstrates why the SLA Special Forces are a force to be reckoned with. Hardly ever known to advertise its capacity, the unit shows-off for the first time what deadly power they carry into the battle field.

For example, the Officer in the picture below is carrying what appears to be a Heckler and Koch MP5SD Sub Machine Gun (SMG). This gun, which is one of the world's most accurate SMGs is popular among many SF units throughout the world. It is 'Sound Dampened' and only emits a sound similar to a stapler.

But, by far the most dangerous weapon the team is carrying is a Multiple Grenade Launcher. The South African Milkor MGL is a force multiplier on its own. It can destroy anything from infantry to vehicles.

The weapon is a product of Milkor/Ripple Effect company and uses 40mm grenades with High Explosive (HE) Fragmentation Warheads with close to 400m range. It has an infra-red (IR) enabled Trijicon Armson Occluded Eye Gunsight (OEG) enabling night fighting. The MGL can fire 6 40mm rounds in under 20 seconds.

The latest generation of this weapon includes the M-32 MGL (MGL-140) and the XRGL40 extended range MGL manufactured by Milkor USA with up to 800m range thanks also to a longer barrel. Capable of firing HE rounds, the MGL can use a new type of grenade called the 'Hell Hound' (see video). It also uses an ingenious method known as HUNTIR or a High Altitude Unit Navigated Tactical Imaging Round affectionately known as the 'footsoldiers' UAV' (M-32 video 2)

One of the soldiers in the team (pictured below) is carrying a PKM Light Machine Gun (LMG). An educated guess would be that the LMG is Chinese (NORINCO- China North Industries Corp). It however is also similar to the Kalashnikov PK-LMG.

Image: A Russian (Kalashnikov) PK-LMG

This Special Forces soldier is wearing an ALICE Pack (All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment). He and the rest of the team are wearing uniforms with a patchwork of Advantage Camo used in hunting. The brown hunting camo in the green background would fit well in the green and earth coloured terrain these men fight in.

-DefenceWire