C-16 Operator Course Live Fire

By Maj Paul Leonard

On 29 August, Recce Squadron deployed a small team to 3 CDSB Wainwright to qualify a new crop of nine C-16 gunners for the Regiment.  The C-16, a tripod mounted 40mm automatic grenade launcher, has been in service with the Regiment, in both Recce and HQ Squadrons for almost three years.  Despite this, training opportunities and deployment of the weapon system have not been as frequent as we would have liked as mounted training over successive high readiness training regimens has taken priority.  This fall, as we get ready to receive the Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle (TAPV) in Spring 2017, Recce Squadron will also explore new concepts of employment for this system in a variety of roles.  In order to do this, the Squadron needs new gunners and a cadre of future instructors and leaders who are proficient with the weapon.

Sgt Keary McAtasney is the Regiment’s most experienced hand with the C-16 and lead the course and the live fire range.  As part of the practice, students fired almost 200 rounds of belted 40mm chalk rounds by day and by night.  These newly qualified gunners will return to the Regiment on 2 September and immediately begin to prepare for a deployment this Fall where they will employ these skills in conjunction with the integral Miniature Unmanned Aircraft System (MUAS), and mounted and dismounted troops of the Squadron, as well as the host of enablers that will integrate into Recce Squadron over the course of Ex STEELE SABRE and Ex MARS RAM.  While a good portion of this training will be dry, some of these gunners will fire this weapon system live as part of the collective Squadron training plan.  This will be a first for the Regiment.

Well done to all the participants of the course – Recce leads the way.