Rob Furlong

Rob Furlong
Born	1976 (age 35–36) Fogo Island, Newfoundland
Allegiance	Canada
Service/branch	Canadian Forces
Rank	Corporal
Unit	Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Battles/wars	War in Afghanistan Operation Anaconda
Awards	Bronze Star
Other work	Police officer

Rob Furlong (born 1976), is a former corporal of the Canadian Forces, who previously held the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill in combat, at 2,430 m (2,657 yd) or 12.08 furlongs or 1.51 miles.^[1] Furlong's shot exceeded the previous record of Arron Perry set in 2002 just before Furlong's record by 120 m or 130 yd. Furlong's record was surpassed in November 2009 by Craig Harrison who shot two Taliban fighters consecutively at a verified range of 2,475 m (2,707 yd). ^[2]

Biography

Born in Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Furlong taught himself to fire a rifle ambidextrously.^{[citation needed]}

Military career

The rifle Furlong used to kill an enemy from 2,430 m.

In March 2002, Furlong participated in Operation Andaconda in Afghanistan's Shah-i-Kot Valley as a member of the 3rd Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI). His sniper team included MCpl. Graham Ragsdale (Team Commander), MCpl. Tim McMeekin, MCpl. Arron Perry, and Cpl. Dennis Eason. A group of three al-Qaeda fighters were moving into a mountainside position when Furlong took aim with his Long Range Sniper Weapon (LRSW), a .50-caliber McMillan Brothers Tac-50 rifle, loaded with Hornady A-MAX 750 gr very-low-drag bullets.^[3] He began firing at a fighter carrying an RPK machine gun. Furlong's first shot missed and his second shot hit the knapsack on the target's back. The third struck the target's torso, killing him. The distance was measured as 2,430 m (2,657 yd). With a muzzle speed of 823 m/s (2,700 ft/s), each shot reached the target almost four seconds after Furlong fired.

This feat is not typical for the effective range with a high first-hit probability of the employed rifle on non-static targets (see maximum effective range). The shot was aided by the ambient air density in the Shah-i-Kot Valley where Corporal Furlong operated, which is significantly lower than at sea level due to its 2,743 meter (9,000 ft) mean elevation.

In December 2003, PPCLI snipers Master Corporal Graham Ragsdale, Master Corporal Tim McMeekin, Corporal Dennis Eason, Corporal Rob Furlong and Master Corporal Arron Perry were awarded the Bronze Star by the U.S. Army for their actions in combat during Operation Anaconda, March 2–11, 2002. Rob Furlong held the record of longest kill shot recorded in history until November of 2009 when his record of 2,430 m (2,657 yd) was beaten by British CoH (Corporal of Horse) of the Household Cavalry of the British Armed Forces Craig Harrison who set the new record at 2,475 m (2,707 yd).

Later career

Just days after Furlong's record-making shot, MCpl Arron Perry became the subject of a military police criminal investigation into inappropriate conduct during their deployment in Afghanistan. The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (NIS), the major crimes unit of the Canadian Forces Military Police, also became involved in the investigation. As the months wore on, there emerged so many conflicting accusations and explanations that no charges were ever laid. During the investigation, Furlong and his fellow snipers were questioned. The experience made Furlong decide to leave the Canadian military. After his resignation from the military, Rob Furlong became a police officer.^[4]

See also

• Longest recorded sniper kills

References

Further reading

• McMillan Tac-50 article including a photo of the actual rifle Furlong used.
• Mention in Dispatch (broken link as of 03/03/2012)
• 'We were abandoned': Story of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Snipers

External links

• Personal Interview #1
• Personal Interview #2

v t e Canada's role in the invasion of Afghanistan General Public opinion, Allegations of detainee abuse, Canadian casualties Operations Operation Altair, Operation Apollo, Operation Archer, Operation Athena, Operation Medusa, Tarnak Farm incident People Omar Khadr, Rob Furlong, Tim Grant, Jason Lamont, Collin Ryan Fitzgerald, Michael Thomas Victor Denine, Patrick Tower, Richard Colvin gallery of images