Short Usmc

Which Red Dot Sights Do The US Army, USMC And USAF Use?

Whilst US Special Forces had used optics on their rifles as far back as the Son Tay Raid when Singlepoint occluded eye gunsights were used, the Army, Air Force and USMC were comparative latecomers to universal issue of optical sights on their weapons. Since 911, many units from Division level downward have bought these sights in considerable numbers as have individual servicemen and women – this has lead to confusion as to which red dot sights have been officially type classified.

SOCOM lead the way by adopting both the Trijicon reflex sight and an Aimpoint CompM2 red dot sight variant- the ECOS-N – both being replaced in turn by the Eotech SU231/PEQ (see below).

The first reflex sight adopted for widespread use by the US Army and USAF was the Aimpoint CompM2 red dot sight, adopted as the M68 Close Combat Optic. This unit is still in use but is being supplanted by the CompM4s (low battery housing model of the CompM4), confusingly also called the M68 CCO. Some CompM4 sights with the original high battery housing are also in service but it is uncertain whether these were centrally, unit or individually purchased.. The Assymetric Warfare Group is now deploying miniature T-1 red dot sights with the flip to side mounted 3X Aimpoint magnifier for longer ranged shots.

The US Army M145 is a variant of the Canadian Elcan, a rubber armored 3.4×28 scope, called the ELCM145C by the manufacturer. The US Army version uses internal adjustments and a 1200 meter calibrated reticle rather than the problematic external adjuster on the original version. There is a variant with an 800 meter reticle for the M4 carbine, but this is not often seen on US military carbines As part of the SOPMOD Block II ‘pick and choose’ toolkit for special forces operators, the ‘Quick Targeting’ Elcan SpecterDR (a sight which changes from 1X to 4X at the flip of a switch) is now included in the SOPMOD kit and type classified as the SU-230/PVS Articulated Telescope. The SU-230/PVS has seen service in Iraq and Afghanistan with SOCOM and is replacing the SU-237 ACOG. Like the ACOG it replaces it mounts a small red dot sight on top for very close range engagements.

SOCOM adopted a version of the Eotech Holographic Weapon Sight – the Model 553 – to replace the original Aimpoint ECOS-N and Trijicon reflex sight on the BlockII version of the M4 SOPMOD kit. This sight has the military designation SU-231/PEQ (Model 553). The 553 is powerd by two CR123 batteries and uses twin ARMS throw levers for quick release from the Mil Std 1913 rail. For swimmer delivery it is rated to 66ft depth. Many Eotechs have been privately purchased or adopted by units such as the 1st Stryker Brigade, 3rd Infantry and 10th Mountain Divisions and USMC Force Recon. The units purchased have typically been 552 series AA battery powered models such as the 552.A65 and 552.XR308. In September 2010 Eotech won a US Naval Surface Weapons Center competition to supply $6.6M worth of Enhanced Combat Optical Sight – Heavy (ECOS-H) sights to mount on heavy/crew served weapons including those used on surface craft.

Early this century SOCOM adopted the Trijicon ACOG TA01NSN for their SOPMOD kit. This model came with a peep and post back up sight which was replaced in 2006/7 by a top mounted red dot sight – this model being referred to by the manufacturer as the TA01NSN-RMR and by the military as the SU-237.

The problem of correctly identifying targets became acute early in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq – as a stop-gap the US Marines gave ‘designated marksmen’ Trijicon TA31 ACOGs. This was so successful that the USMC decided to go to universal issue with two ACOG versions. Eotech designate these the TA31RCO-A4CP (military designation AN/PVQ-31A) and the TA31RCO-M4CP (military designation AN/PVQ-31B) for the M16A4 rifle and M4 carbine respectively. The US Army followed by adopting its own version of the TA31 for use on its M16A4 rifles, the TA31RCO-M150CP, opting for a 300 meter parallax setting and designating it the M150. The Marines did not adopt the M145 for their SAWs  and M27s, instead recently purchasing another ACOG, this time a 3.5x model as their Squad Day Optic. This version also features a top mounted RMR red dot sight. The Marines also adopted a 6x ACOG designated the Medium Day Sight for use on their M240s.

Ka-Bar short USMC style, short tanto style