Kommando Spezialkräfte

Kommando Spezialkräfte
KSK unit badge
Active	1996 (Created) 1997 (Activated)–Present
Country	Germany
Branch	German Army
Type	Special Forces
Role	Hostage rescue, Airborne operations, Direct Action, Unconventional Warfare, Counter-Insurgency, Anti-Terror, Covert Operations, Intelligence operations
Size	1,100 soldiers, 200–300 participating in combat operations
Part of	Special Operations Division
Garrison/HQ	Calw, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Motto	Facit Omnia Voluntas (lat. The will is decisive )
Engagements	Bosnia and Herzegovina Kosovo War Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom, Battle of Tora Bora, Operation Anaconda, Counterinsurgency in Northern Afghanistan, ISAF)
Decorations	United States Navy Presidential Unit Citation for KSK-members of Task Force K-Bar
Commanders
Current commander	Brigadier General (Brigadegeneral) Heinz Feldmann
Notable commanders	Brigadier General (Brigadegeneral) Hans-Christoph Ammon

The KSK Kommando Spezialkräfte (Special Forces Command, KSK) is an elite military unit composed of Special Operations soldiers from the ranks of Germany’s Bundeswehr and organized as such under the Division Spezielle Operationen (Special Operations Division, DSO). The unit has received many decorations and awards from both NATO and its affiliates. Modeling itself on the British Army's Special Air Service and the US Army's Special Forces, KSK operators are frequently requested for joint anti-terror operations, most notably in the Balkans and Middle East.

History

Until the KSK’s formation in 1996, the West German (and later German) government assigned all counter-terrorist and special operations activities to the famed GSG 9; a highly trained police force created shortly after the tragic events that transpired during the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Up until this time, the army’s Fernspäher (Long-Distance Reconnaissance), the navy’s Kampfschwimmer (Combat Swimmers/"Frogmen"), and (until 1989) the Nuclear Weapons Protection Platoons - Sonderwaffenbegleitkompanien were the only military units comparable to anything that other nations may have seen as dedicated Special Forces units. Following the KSK’s activation on April 1, 1997, all but one of the Fernspähkompanie have been either disbanded or merged into the newly constituted unit.

Just like all German military units, KSK deployments require authorization from the German Bundestag (Federal Assembly). The unit has engaged in numerous anti-terror campaigns both in Europe and abroad; known engagements include operations inside Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Russia, and most recently in Afghanistan. As is to be expected with such units, specific operational details such as success and casualty rates are deemed top secret and withheld even from the highest-ranking members of the Bundestag. This practice, however, has drawn heavy criticism that has resulted in future plans to increase transparency and accountability by relaying mission details to selected members of the Bundestag in regards to actions taken by the KSK.

Structure

Combat ready units are divided into four commando companies of approximately one hundred men. The Special Commando Company is normally staffed with veteran members, taking on various supporting rolls. Each of the four commando companies have five specialized platoons, each with a unique specialty and ability that can be adapted to both the terrain and situation, depending on type action(s) required:

• 1st Platoon: land insertions
• 2nd Platoon: intelligence gathering and airborne operations
• 3rd Platoon: amphibious operations
• 4th Platoon: operations in special geographic or meteorological surroundings (e.g. mountains or polar regions)
• 5th Platoon: reconnaissance gathering and sniper/counter-sniper operations
• Command Platoon

There are four commando squads in every platoon. Each of these groups consist of about four equally skilled members that have been hand-picked from the German Army into the platoon that best suits their abilities. Each group member is specially trained as either a weapons expert, medic, combat engineer or communications expert, respectively. Additionally, some groups may contain other specialists, such as a heavy weapons or language expert.

Selection and training

Sniper training

Initially, only officers and non-commissioned officers of the Bundeswehr could apply for service with the KSK and the subsequent evaluation period. As a pre-requisite for entry, the Bundeswehr Commando Course ("Einzelkämpferlehrgang") must have been completed by the applicant. Since 2005, however, applications have also been opened to civilians and enlisted personnel who must complete an 18-month Long Range Surveillance training cycle before the intense KSK selection process begins.

The selection process is divided into two phases: a three-week-long physical and psychological training regimen (normally garnering a 40% pass rate), and later a three-month-long physical endurance phase (normally garnering a 8-10% pass rate). During latter phase, the KSK use the Black Forest as their proving grounds for prospective operators. In this time, candidates must undergo a grueling 90-hour cross-country run, followed by a three-week international Combat Survival Course at the German-led multinational Special Operations Training Center (formerly the International Long Range Reconnaissance School) in Pfullendorf.

Upon successful completion of the selection process, candidates may be allowed to start their 2-3 year training cycle with the KSK. This training includes roughly twenty jungle, desert, urban, and counter-terrorism courses at over seventeen schools worldwide; in Norway for Arctic terrain, Austria for mountainous terrain, El Paso, Texas or Israel for desert and/or bush training, San Diego for amphibious operations, and Belize for jungle experience.

According to press releases from May 2008, the Bundeswehr aims to advance the attractiveness of service in the KSK to women. This is in part due to the fact that the KSK could never reach its targeted number of troops in the past. Although the KSK was not explicitly restricted to male troops since the Bundeswehr opened all units to women in 2001, so far, no woman has been able to pass the physical requirements of the KSK.

Equipment

Weaponry

G22 rifle

The AG36 grenade launcher mounted to a G36 A2 rifle

The HK416 rifle

MP7 personal defense weapon

AGF (Light infantry vehicle) of the KSK

Name	Type	Origin	Notes
H&K P8	Semi-automatic pistol
H&K USP Tactical	semi-automatic pistol
H&K MP5	submachine gun		In various versions including the H&K MP5K and the MP5SD.
H&K MP7	Personal defense weapon
H&K UMP	submachine gun
H&K G3	battle rifles
H&K G36	assault rifles		In different versions including the G36C. May be fitted with the AG36 grenade launcher.
H&K 416	assault rifles		May be fitted with the AG36 grenade launcher.
G22	Sniper rifle
G82	Sniper rifle
H&K PSG-1	Sniper rifle
H&K MG4	Squad automatic weapon
H&K 21	General purpose machine gun
Rheinmetall MG 3	General purpose machine gun
Remington 870	Shotgun
FIM-92 Stinger	Air-defense system
Panzerfaust 3	Rocket-propelled grenade
MILAN	Anti-tank guided missile	/
H&K GMG	automatic grenade launcher

Vehicles

• Mercedes-Benz G-Class utility vehicles
• AGF (Light infantry vehicle)
• Yamaha ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) KODIAC 4x4
• Enduro Type KTM 640 LC 4 (Motorcycle)
• Hägglunds Bandvagn 206
• Snowmobile LYNX GLX 5900 FC/E Army
• Klepper canoes

Special equipment

• Round parachute and HALO/HAHO equipment

Insignia

Badge worn on beret

Green Waffenfarbe worn by infantry units

Map marking symbol for special forces

Beret and badge

Members of the KSK wear maroon berets as a symbol of their roots in airborne units. A metal badge is worn which consists of a sword surrounded by oak leaves. The flag of the Federal Republic of Germany is depicted on the bottom of the sword.

Kommandoabzeichen

The Kommandoabzeichen (Commando badge) is a cloth patch worn on the left pouch of the uniform. The commando badge's design is similar to the metal badge worn on the beret. It depicts a silver sword on light green background surrounded by oak leaves. The badge was permitted to be worn in 2000 by Federal President Johannes Rau.

Waffenfarbe

KSK units wear green as their Waffenfarbe, similar to infantry units. Before becoming an independent military force the KSK was a part of infantry units.

Map marking symbol

In international map marking symbols a rectangle frame with the letters SF are used to units such as the KSK. The SF stands for special forces. This example shows a special forces unit in company size.

See also

• Spezialeinsatzkommando
• Special Air Service
• Brandenburgers
• Special Activities Division
• U.S. Army Special Forces
• SEAL Team Six
• Navy SEALs

External links

• (German) Official site
• (German) Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK) at Sondereinheiten.de