The Kommando Spezialkräfte (Special Forces Command, KSK) is part of Germany's Special Forces. It is closely modelled on the British Special Air Service (SAS). Image File history File links GermanKSK.jpg‎ Summary Official seal of the German KSK. Licensing This is a logo of an organization, item, or event, and is protected by copyright and/or trademark. ... The German Army (German: [1], [IPA: heɐ]  ) is the land component of the Bundeswehr (Federal Defence Forces) of the Federal Republic of Germany. ... For other uses, see Special forces (disambiguation). ... Calw is a town in the middle of Baden-Württemberg in the south of Germany, capital of the district Calw. ... Location Coordinates , , Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Administration Country NUTS Region DE1 Capital Stuttgart Minister-President Günther Oettinger (CDU) Governing parties CDU / FDP Votes in Bundesrat 6 (from 69) Basic statistics Area  35,752 km² (13,804 sq mi) Population 10,741,000 (11/2006)[1]  - Density... The term Kosovo War or Kosovo Conflict is often used to describe two sequential and at times parallel armed conflicts (a civil war followed by an international war) in the southern Serbian province called Kosovo (officially Kosovo and Metohia), part of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. ... Combatants United States, Poland, France, Canada, Pakistan, India, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines (in the Philippines theatre only), Northern Alliance, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ethiopia, Somalia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, Macedonia, Romania, Portugal, Bulgaria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Georgia Taliban, al-Qaeda, Abu Sayyaf, Jemaah... Combatants  United States,  Canada,  United Kingdom,  New Zealand,  Australia,  Denmark,  France,  Norway,  Germany Taliban insurgents, al-Qaeda Commanders Buster Hagenbeck Unknown Strength 2,000 500-1,500 Casualties 8 U.S. servicemen dead, 82 wounded 500-800 [1] In early March 2002 the United States military, along with allied Afghan... Please see Presidential Unit Citation for other versions of this award The Presidential Unit Citation is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941 (the date of the Attack on... A Brigadier General, or one-star general, is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ... For other uses, see Special forces (disambiguation). ... The Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) is the principal special forces unit of the British Army. ...

History

The KSK was established in 1996 and was activated on April 1, 1997. The reasons for the establishment were the new threats emerging after the end of the Cold War as well as the fact that due to a changed legal situation the famous counter-terrorism unit GSG 9 could not always be brought into action outside of Germany. The German federal border guard (Bundesgrenzschutz), which was a kind of para-military unit, its members having the state of combatants, was transformed into the German federal police (Bundespolizei) in 1994, its members losing the state of combatants, which made sending it's units to combat missions in foreign countries illegal, which became apparent not before 1996. is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Counter-terrorism refers to the practices, tactics, and strategies that governments, militaries, and other groups adopt in order to fight terrorism. ... Grenzschutzgruppe 9 (GSG 9 - Border protection group 9) is a German counter-terrorism unit, and is considered to be among the best of such units in the world. ...

Before that, (West) Germany had placed little emphasis on Special Forces, just relying on the special police GSG 9. At the time, the only units comparable to commandos were the three commando companies, each subordinate to one of the three airborne brigades and - at each of the three German Corps - the Fernspäher companies (a long range reconnaissance unit - LRS). All these units except for the the Fernspählehrkompanie 200 have been disbanded or merged into the KSK. Grenzschutzgruppe 9 (GSG 9 - Border protection group 9) is a German counter-terrorism unit, and is considered to be among the best of such units in the world. ... A corps (plural same as singular; a word that migrated from the French language, pronounced IPA: (cor), but originating in the Latin corpus, corporis meaning body) is either a large military unit or formation, an administrative grouping of troops within an army with a common function (such as artillery or... The term Fernspähkompanie (German for Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol) denotes a unit of company size of the Bundeswehr. ... Modern Long Range Surveillance, or LRS (pronounced lurse), units (LRSUS)are specially employed elite surveillance units that are utilized by Military Intelligence (Example: 313th Military Intelligence Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division) for intelligence gathering deep into hostile territories. ...

Since its inception, the KSK has seen duty in the wars in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Afghanistan. Like all German military units, it needs authorization by the German parliament for deployment; however, specific details about its missions are top secret. Details on current and past missions - even statistical information such as success or casualty rates - are being withheld even from members of parliament. This practice drew heavy criticism, and there are plans to increase transparency and accountability by relaying mission details to selected members of the Bundestag. For other uses, see Kosovo (disambiguation). ... Type Lower house President of the Bundestag Dr. Norbert Lammert, CDU since October 18, 2005 Members 614 Political groups (as of September 18, 2005 elections) Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union of Bavaria Bloc (226), Social Democratic Party of Germany (222), Free Democratic Party (61), The Left Party. ...

Structure

The KSK is stationed in Calw in the Black forest area in southern Germany. It consists of about 1,100 soldiers, but only a nucleus (200-300) of these are in fighting units. The KSK is a part of the Special Operations Division (Div. Spezielle Operationen - DSO). Calw is a town in the middle of Baden-Württemberg in the south of Germany, capital of the district Calw. ... A map of Germany, showing the Black Forest in red. ...

The fighting units are divided into four commando companies of about 100 men each and the special commando company with veteran members, taking supporting tasks. Each of the four commando companies has five specialised platoons: For other uses, see Commando (disambiguation). ...

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

There are four commando squads in every platoon. Each of these groups consists of about four equally skilled soldiers. One of each group is specially trained as weapons expert, medic, combat engineer or communications expert respectively. Additionally a group can contain other specialists, e.g. heavy weapons or language experts. For other uses, see Sniper (disambiguation). ... The occurrence of sniper warfare has led to the evolution of many counter-sniper tactics in modern military strategies. ... This article is about the title or occupation. ... A US army combat engineer setting up a communications cable. ...

Selection and training

Initially, only officers and non-commissioned officers of the Bundeswehr could apply to the KSK. The basic Bundeswehr Commando course ("Einzelkämpferlehrgang") was a prerequisite for application. Since 2005, application is also open for civilians and enlisted personnel, who have to complete an 18-month Long Range Surveillance training before the KSK selection phases. Modern Long Range Surveillance, or LRS (pronounced lurse), units (LRSUS)are specially employed elite surveillance units that are utilized by Military Intelligence (Example: 313th Military Intelligence Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division) for intelligence gathering deep into hostile territories. ...

The selection is divided into two phases, a three-week-long first phase with a fitness and psychological test (about 50% pass rate) and a three-month-long second phase testing physical endurance (8 - 10% pass rate). The KSK use the Black Forest as a testing area for this phase. In this time the candidates must undergo a 90-hour long distance cross-country run. Then they have to go through a three week international survival, escape and evasion course called Combat Survival Course at the German Special Operations Training Centre (formerly the International Long Range Reconnaissance School) in Pfullendorf. A map of Germany, showing the Black Forest in red. ... Pfullendorf is a small historic city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. ...

If candidates have passed these tests, they can begin their 2 to 3 year training in the KSK. This training includes about 20 Jungle, Desert, Urban and Counter-terrorism specialist courses at over 17 schools worldwide, e.g. in Norway (Arctic), Austria (Mountains), El Paso/Texas or Israel (Desert), San Diego (Water) or Belize (Jungle). This article needs cleanup. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Americas Finest City Location Location of San Diego within San Diego County Coordinates , Government County San Diego Mayor City Attorney         City Council District One District Two District Three District Four District Five District Six District Seven District Eight Jerry Sanders (R) Michael Aguirre Scott Peters Kevin...

Reinhard Günzel (commander of the KSK from Nov. 24, 2000 to November 4, 2003) claimed in his book "Geheime Krieger" (German: secret warriors) that the KSK-soldiers "know their roots exactly", and that amongst them the Brandenburgers' missions are "downright legendary". Reinhard Günzel (born April 5, 1944, The Hague) was a German general. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Brandenburger Regiment. ...

Equipment

AGF (Light infantry vehicle) of the KSK

• H&K P8 semi-automatic pistol
• HK USP Tactical
• HK Mark 23
• H&K G36 assault rifle with AG36 grenade launcher, in different versions including the G36C
• H&K MP5 submachine gun in various versions including the H&K MP5K
• H&K MP7 submachine gun
• H&K UMP submachine gun
• G22 sniper rifle
• H&K PSG1 sniper rifle
• Panzerfaust 3 rocket propelled grenade
• H&K MG4 squad automatic weapon
• H&K 21 light machine gun
• Rheinmetall MG3 general purpose machine gun
• H&K GMG automatic grenade launcher
• Mercedes-Benz G-Class utility vehicles
• AGF (Light infantry vehicle)
• Snowmobiles
• Klepper canoes
• Round parachute and HALO/HAHO equipment

Image File history File links Serval_2. ... Image File history File links Serval_2. ... AGF AGF from behind The Aufklärungs- und Gefechtsfahrzeug (reconnaissance and combat vehicle), sometimes it is also called Serval, is a significantly modified version of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class procurred by the German Army for the KSK in 2003. ... The P8 is the standard sidarm of the Bundeswehr (German armed forces). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... USP family The Heckler und Koch USP (German universelle selbstladende Pistole, universal self-loading pistol) is a pistol designed by the German arms manufacturer Heckler und Koch. ... The MK23 Mod 0 is an offensive handgun system consisting of a match grade semi-automatic pistol, a laser aiming module (LAM), and suppressor. ... The G36 (company designation, Bundeswehr designation Gewehr G36) is an assault rifle designed in the early 1990s and manufactured in Germany by Heckler & Koch. ... The AK-47 is the worlds most common assault rifle. ... The AG36 is a single shot 40 mm x 46 mm grenade launcher for the G36 assault rifle, designed by the German weapons manufacturing company Heckler & Koch. ... The G36 (company designation, Bundeswehr designation Gewehr G36) is an assault rifle designed in the early 1990s and manufactured in Germany by Heckler & Koch. ... “MP5” redirects here. ... The MP5 is a third-generation submachine gun that sees widespread use among law enforcement and military forces. ... The MP5K (German: Maschinenpistole 5 Kurz, Machine Pistol 5, Short) is a submachine gun manufactured by German arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch. ... The MP7 is a personal defense weapon manufactured by Heckler & Koch (H&K) and chambered for the 4. ... The UMP (Universale Maschinenpistole, German for Universal Submachine Gun) is a submachine gun developed and manufactured by Heckler & Koch. ... The AWM (Arctic Warfare Magnum) is a sniper rifle manufactured by Accuracy International. ... The M40, United States Army standard-issue sniper rifle. ... The PSG-1 (Präzisions-Scharfschützen-Gewehr, German for precision sharpshooter rifle) is a semi-automatic sniper rifle designed by the German company Heckler & Koch. ... Panzerfaust 3 The Panzerfaust 3 is a modern and disposable anti-tank rocket launcher developed between 1978 and 1985 and put into service by the German army in 1992. ... An RPG-7 captured by the US Army RPG, or Rocket propelled grenade is a loose term describing hand-held, shoulder-launched anti-tank weapons capable of firing an unguided rocket equipped with an explosive warhead. ... The MG4 is a belt-fed 5. ... A squad automatic weapon (SAW) is a light or general-purpose machine gun, usually equipped with a bipod and firing a 7. ... HK21 The HK21 is a belt-fed general purpose machine gun/squad automatic weapon using the 7. ... The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, one of the most popular modern 5. ... The MG3 is an air-cooled, belt-fed general purpose machine gun manufactured by the German firm Rheinmetall. ... The MG 34 - the first Universelles Maschinengewehr forerunner of the modern GPMG, shown here in two different mountings. ... Heckler & Kochs automatic grenade launcher is the Granat Maschinengewehr or grenade machine gun (GMG) It fires 40mm grenades at a rate of about 360 rounds per minute. ... M2 machine gun An automatic firearm is a firearm that will continue to load and fire ammunition as long as the trigger (or other activating device) is pressed or until it runs out of ammunition. ... A grenade launcher is weapon that fires or launches a grenade to longer distances than a soldier could throw by hand. ... For G-class stars, see Stellar classification. ... AGF AGF from behind The Aufklärungs- und Gefechtsfahrzeug (reconnaissance and combat vehicle), sometimes it is also called Serval, is a significantly modified version of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class procurred by the German Army for the KSK in 2003. ... A snowmobile tour at Yellowstone National Park. ... A folding kayak is a direct descendant of the original Inuit kayak made of animal skins stretched over frames made from wood and bones. ... This article is about the device. ... “HALO” redirects here. ...

See also

• Kampfschwimmer
• GSG 9
• Fernspäher
• Spezialeinsatzkommando
• Brandenburgers (disputed heritage)

This article is about Germanys commando frogmen. ... Grenzschutzgruppe 9 (GSG 9 - Border protection group 9) is a German counter-terrorism unit, and is considered to be among the best of such units in the world. ... The term Fernspähkompanie (German for Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol) denotes a unit of company size of the Bundeswehr. ... Spezialeinsatzkommandos (SEK) are the SWAT units of the German federal states. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Brandenburger Regiment. ...

References

External links

• (German) Official site