Anti-materiel rifles are modern successors to the “tank guns” of the First World War. Back then, these large-calibre weapons were used to fight tanks; today they are used to stop armored vehicles.
The Hunting Command is considered the most specialized and best-trained unit in the Austrian Armed Forces. This special status is also evident in its equipment, which includes vehicles and equipment that are not used elsewhere in the armed forces. One example of this is the Barrett M82 sniper rifle, which is only used by the hunting command in the Austrian Armed Forces, where it is known as the sSSG Barrett. The acquisition dates back to 2008 and became necessary due to the increased requirements in the course of the armed forces’ missions abroad. The weapon is primarily used to engage and eliminate so-called high value targets, i.e. targets that need to be “neutralized” in order to successfully carry out a military operation. At the time of its acquisition by the Austrian Armed Forces, the Barrett M82 was already battle-tested and in use by around 30 armed forces worldwide. The Bundeswehr, the Czech and Indian armies, among others, also rely on the weapon. And for good reason: the anti-materiel rifle is unique in the field of semi-automatic systems in the military sector – there are no comparable systems.
