Hærens Jegerkommando
| (HJK) | |
|---|---|
| File:FSK-HJK-logo.gif Norwegian army special forces logo | |
| Active | HFJS: 1962 - 1971 HJS: 1971 - 1997 HJK: 1997- current |
| Country | Norway |
| Branch | Royal Norwegian Army |
| Type | Army Special Forces |
| Role | Special Reconnaissance (SR) Direct Action (DA) Military assistance (MA) Combat Search And Rescue (CSAR) |
| Size | Classified |
| Garrison/HQ | Rena leir |
| Engagements | Bosnian war Kosovo war Operation Enduring Freedom Task Force K-Bar Operation Anaconda |
| Decorations |  United States Army Presidential Unit Citation |
Hærens Jegerkommando is a special forces unit of the Norwegian military. It is the armed forces competence center for commando, airborne and counter terrorist duty in the Norwegian Army. Its headquarters are located 30 km. north of Elverum in the south east Norway, at Rena leir military base.
Etymology
Hærens Jegerkommando directly translated to English means:
- "the Army's"( Hærens ) +
- "hunter/huntsman(which in Norwegian military terminology, relates to scouts(involved in reconnaisance)"( Jeger- ) +
- "an administrative/operative command"( -kommando ).
(English translations of the unit's name, include:
- "Army's Special Forces Command", "Army's Reconnaisance Command", "Army's Ranger Command" or possibly "Army Huntsmen Command")
History
Name changes
The unit was established as Hærens Fallskjermjegerskole in 1962.[1] The unit was renamed Hærens Jegerskole in 1968, and its location was Trandum (near Jessheim).[1] Today's name was reached in 1997.
Headquarters
Headquarters are at Rena leir military base, which received its first active units in 1997 after the base had been constructed in 1993–96.
Organization
HJK is a spesialavdeling.[1] (Another spesialavdeling is, MJK (Marinejegerkommandoen). )[1]
Relationship with FSK
FSK (Forsvarets Spesialkommando) and HJK have at times (if not today) had a Commanding Officer who officially lead both units at the same time.[n 1] [2]
HJK and FSK share training facilities at the military base (Rena leir), where both units are headquartered.
The term "FSK/HJK"
The term "FSK/HJK" is in use.[3] FSK/HJK are claimed to be a special force(s)("en spesialstyrke").[4] Records of HJK changing name, are lacking. And records of FSK, being incorporated into another unit, are lacking. FSK/HJK is the name of any task force convened, consisting of the two different units, FSK and HJK.
FSK and HJK, have the capabilities of sharing logistics, training facilities and other resources.
Training cadre
The Pathfinder platoon is part of the HJK training cadre and consists of conscripts deemed suitable for service in the unit after a selection period. The role of this unit is to annually train one platoon of soldiers as a jump-qualified recce asset within the Norwegian military organization. HJK has a large HQ unit, a paratrooper unit, which trains personnel from all branches of the Norwegian military organization in parachute operations, and a unit of Spesialjegere (en. Special Ranger) which is comparable to the American Delta Force and British SAS.
Missions outside of Norway
In Kosovo
HJK was the first special forces unit to enter Pristina. The HJK's mission was to level the negotiating field between the belligerent parties, and to fine-tune the detailed, local deals needed to implement the peace deal between the Serbians and the Kosovo Albanians.
In Afghanistan
On 23 July, 2007 HJK lieutenant Tor Arne Lau Henriksen was killed in a short and intense close quarters engagement between a Norwegian special forces reconnaissance patrol and hostile fighters in Lowgar Province, Afghanistan.[5][6]
- Torgeir Gråtrud (from 2008 until present)[7]
- Lieutenant Colonel Karl Egil Hanevik(?-2008)[7]
Weapons
Automatgevær 3F2 - Assault Rifle
Heckler & Koch HK-416 - Assault Rifle
Diemaco C8 SFW - Assault rifle- Heckler & Koch G-36C - Assault Rifle
- Heckler & Koch MSG-90 - Sniper rifle
Accuracy International L115A1 - Sniper Rifle
Barrett M82A1 - high-powered heavy Sniper Rifle- Heckler & Koch MP5 - Submachine gun
- Browning M2 - HMG
- Rheinmetall MG3 - GPMG
FN Minimi Para - LMG- Heckler & Koch USP - Pistol
- AG36 - Grenade launcher
- Talley Defense Systems M72 LAW - light anti-armor weapon
Carl Gustav recoilless rifle - anti-tank weapon
References
- ^ a b c d http://www.milnytt.no/Default.asp?layout=article&id=1034
- ^ Dagens Næringsliv,DN Magasinet,16./21. april 2003,p.29 ( Facsimile: http://www.dykkersaken.no/files/dated/2008-11-13/artikkel_sagvolden_dn_210403.pdf )
- ^ http://www.mil.no/haren/hjk/start/Fakta_FSK/
- ^ http://www.mil.no/haren/start/org/fskhjk/
- ^ Aftenposten Newspaper article: "Special forces soldier killed in Afghanistan" Template:En icon
- ^ Aftenposten Newspaper article: "Fallen soldier comes home" Template:En icon
- ^ a b http://www.mil.no/start/article.jhtml?articleID=81191
Notes
- ^ The Commanding Officer for FSK and HJK, was the same person, in year 2003, at least. Ref: Dagens Næringsliv,DN Magasinet,16./21. april 2003,p.29 ( Facsimile: http://www.dykkersaken.no/files/dated/2008-11-13/artikkel_sagvolden_dn_210403.pdf )