"This year's Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting (AASAM), conducted at Puckapunyal Military Range, is designed to pitch the best soldiers against each other in a tough combat-like environment. This focus ensures the contest is more representative of the skills required of a modern fighting soldier.
Since 1984, AASAM has been Australia's premier military shooting tournament, with a growing reputation worldwide, and is now the world’s biggest international shooting competition. The activity is open to all ADF members and also attracts champions from 17 international defence forces.
This year the competition includes teams from Australia, Canada, France (FFNC), Indonesia, Timor Leste, Brunei, United Kingdom, US Army, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Philippines, Chinese and Tonga.
Irrespective of nationality, the common language is marksmanship. The competition will be judged through a series of team and individual events encompassing both day and night shooting from a bayonet assault course simulating close quarter fighting to deliberate shooting out to 450 metres. Snipers will engage targets out to over 1000 metres. Contestants will fire the pistol, rifle, sniper rifle and machine gun on standard issue to their defence force.
The competition decides the champion shot of the ADF, as well as providing a venue to determine who is the best shooting unit or formation team in the Australian Army. The international aspect of the competition determines the best individual shooter and competing nation within the region.
Matches are designed to replicate some of the conditions and stressors of current operational environments and are an excellent means of validating current doctrine and marksmanship training standards.
Photos by Sgt Brian Hartigan"
Lance Corporal Karl Daly and Private Mathew Walker, a sniper pair from 1RAR, pose with the Matty Lambert Memorial Trophy.
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment sniper team (l-r) Lance Corporal Rowan Turner and Lance Corporal Slavko Jankusik at Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting (AASAM).
Lance Corporal Slavko Jankusik, from the Townsville-based 2RAR, departs the firing point after shooting during the sniper competition at the Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting (AASAM) - 3 May 2013. LCpl Jankusik was very happy with his shoot and was very impressed by the challenges set on the range.
Lance Corporal Slavko Jankusik (left), from the Townsville-based 2RAR, discusses the shoot he just completed with his number two, Lance Corporal Rowan Turner, after shooting during the sniper competition at the Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting (AASAM) - 3 May 2013.
Lance Corporal Slavko Jankusik, from the Townsville-based 2RAR, departs the firing point after shooting during the sniper competition at the Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting (AASAM) - 3 May 2013.
Lance Corporal Slavko Jankusik and Lance Corporal Rowan Turner, from the Townsville-based 2RAR, receive range instructions from WO2 Geoff Hartland during the sniper competition at the Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting (AASAM) - 3 May 2013.
Since 1984, AASAM has been Australia's premier military shooting tournament, with a growing reputation worldwide, and is now the world’s biggest international shooting competition. The activity is open to all ADF members and also attracts champions from 17 international defence forces.
This year the competition includes teams from Australia, Canada, France (FFNC), Indonesia, Timor Leste, Brunei, United Kingdom, US Army, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Philippines, Chinese and Tonga.
Irrespective of nationality, the common language is marksmanship. The competition will be judged through a series of team and individual events encompassing both day and night shooting from a bayonet assault course simulating close quarter fighting to deliberate shooting out to 450 metres. Snipers will engage targets out to over 1000 metres. Contestants will fire the pistol, rifle, sniper rifle and machine gun on standard issue to their defence force.
The competition decides the champion shot of the ADF, as well as providing a venue to determine who is the best shooting unit or formation team in the Australian Army. The international aspect of the competition determines the best individual shooter and competing nation within the region.
Matches are designed to replicate some of the conditions and stressors of current operational environments and are an excellent means of validating current doctrine and marksmanship training standards.
Photos by Sgt Brian Hartigan"

Lance Corporal Karl Daly and Private Mathew Walker, a sniper pair from 1RAR, pose with the Matty Lambert Memorial Trophy.

2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment sniper team (l-r) Lance Corporal Rowan Turner and Lance Corporal Slavko Jankusik at Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting (AASAM).

Lance Corporal Slavko Jankusik, from the Townsville-based 2RAR, departs the firing point after shooting during the sniper competition at the Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting (AASAM) - 3 May 2013. LCpl Jankusik was very happy with his shoot and was very impressed by the challenges set on the range.

Lance Corporal Slavko Jankusik (left), from the Townsville-based 2RAR, discusses the shoot he just completed with his number two, Lance Corporal Rowan Turner, after shooting during the sniper competition at the Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting (AASAM) - 3 May 2013.

Lance Corporal Slavko Jankusik, from the Townsville-based 2RAR, departs the firing point after shooting during the sniper competition at the Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting (AASAM) - 3 May 2013.

Lance Corporal Slavko Jankusik and Lance Corporal Rowan Turner, from the Townsville-based 2RAR, receive range instructions from WO2 Geoff Hartland during the sniper competition at the Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting (AASAM) - 3 May 2013.