ISSUE 1 : Nov/Dec - 1976 - Australian Defence Force Journal

48 DEFENCE FORCE JOURNALHe can now pick up his rifle with a clearmental image of what his sight picture shouldlook like, and he should begin to produce agroup, albeit a large one. Having achievedthis, the trainee begins to realise that he canbe the master of the rifle, and anxiety beginsto give way to confidence.There is no fundamental difference betweenthis process and classical coaching methods,except for the additional visual informationgiven by the television camera and stored onthe videotape. The system does not claim toturn instructors into Olympic coaches, or badshots into expert marksmen, but it offers theprospect of improved training standards withinthe existing structure, and, hopefully, improvedstandards of marksmanship.Development StatusThroughout the development of the equipment,a close liaison has been maintained withthe Army Office and the Infantry Centre. Thefirst engineered prototype was sent to theInf. Centre, Singleton for evaluation early in1976. Production models may incorporatesuch improvements as the substitution of avideo cassette recorder for the reel-to-reelmachine, and integration of the componentsinto a combined transit/operational package.The equipment could also be adapted foruse with other weapons by fitting appropriatesight silhouettes and lenses of suitable focallength. The camera body has a standard "C"type lens mount so that any 16 mm cine ortelevision camera lens may be fitted, althoughthis may entail modification or re-design ofthe lens support collar.As a further bonus, when the equipment isnot in use on the rifle range, the commercialcamera, with the monitor and videotaperecorder, could well be used elsewhere on theunit as an addition to the existing range ofinstructional aids. Perhaps the RegimentalDiary could be augmented with a videocassettelibrary of important events.To sum up, the TV sight picture monitor isoffered as an addition to the present schemeof rifle marksmanship training, to assist theinstructor with those trainees who encountera real problem in reaching the basic qualifyinglevel of skill. It is not seen as a mass trainingaid for all recruits, although the master tapeof classic faults could have some instructionalvalue, as could a tape showing the right techniques.If it proves to be of value in enablingthe instructors to turn out a higher percentageof competent, confident riflemen with noincrease in training time or expenditure ofammunition, it will have met the originalaim.ftFig. 2(WRE. Salisbury, SA)Lightweight camera mounted on a standard SLR.