TR Special Operations Forces and Tactical Response Teams

[Kartal1]

I think our Armed Forces need a bit more structure especially regarding SF/SOF units. Instead that the Special Forces Command recruits all the new personel the Commander/Chief of Staff (Land Forces) should try to form a SF branch under the direct command of the Land Forces like the Navy and Air Force. Example: If the Naval Forces need reconnaisance on the ground they can send their own guys (SAT) but if the Land Forces need to do the same they have to rely on the General Staff (Special Forces Command) which is independent and not aligned to any other Command of the Armed Forces, there is always the possible risk of communication/decision problems.

The Special Forces Command under the General Staff should better act more like the US JSOC where the creme de la creme of the various branches come together, train, share their experience, plan and conduct (highly complex) joint operations.

This can happen, but it will be a long process.

We can start by asking who are the Commando personnel? Commandos are not SOF, but are also not a regular infantry. They are special operations capable light infantry.

In order to fill the need for big number of professional personnel the Ministry of Defence decided that they will transform regular infantry brigades into Commando brigades. This resulted in Commando brigades with low quality of training and experience compared to the known Commando standards becoming basically an operational unit "over night". There are personnel who didn't even finished Commando Basic Course and got the right to call themselves Commando and use the blue beret.

These newly established Commando brigades should be restructured as a regular infantry (mechanized, motorized etc), but the training standards of professional personnel under these brigades should go up and they should receive specialized counter-terrorism training. This would allow for the establishment of highly professional infantry that will be able to conduct operations as enablers for the dedicated elite light infantry which would be the spearhead, a highly maneuverable force supported/enabled by heavy infantry and fire support. People not knowing what Commando means in TSK probably think that all of the military operations done in recent years are done by "Special Forces". This is not true!

There are 5 Commando brigades in my opinion who are the elite of the Turkish Land Forces. These are:

1st Commando Brigade (Airborne) Kayseri

2nd Commando Brigade Bolu

3rd Commando Brigade Siirt

4th Commando Brigade Tunceli

Mountain & Commando Brigade Hakkari

Among these brigades I think 1st Commando Brigade (Airborne) Kayseri is the best candidate for the possible Special Operations Brigade (Ozel Harekat Tugayi) to be formed. It has both highly trained Commando personnel, the airborne operations capable component, training grounds, everything. All of the members of the Special Operations Brigade would take the Commando Specialization Course and would concentrate at direct action, conter-insurgency, counter-terrorism and special reconnaissance operations. Due to the fact that the tradition of this unit comes from an Airborne unit, all of the operational personnel must go trough static line military parachute training. Military free fall teams should be kept. Basically this brigade will serve as the main SOF deployed alongside our Commando brigades in counter-terrorism missions like the ones in the north of Iraq.

What I think is we can go with a Land Forces Special Operations Command (Kara Kuvvetleri Ozel Harekat Komutanligi) which would include the Special Operations Brigade (ex 1st Commando) and a dedicated air fleet unit comparable to the current Special Forces Command structure.

The rest of the 4 Commando brigades should act within the concept of elite light infantry just as the Ranger Regiment of the US Army.

The Special Forces Command was established as an unconventional warfare heavy force in mind which would be able to conduct large variety of special operations independently. It has very serious structure including units with specialized designations as highly trained combat diver/SCUBA and free fall teams. They accept personnel from all the branches of the Armed Forces and have established structures which would support its work including Intelligence Branch for example. It is very different structure from all we know within the Armed Forces and the Command carries strategic importance due to both the highly trained personnel, the technical capabilities and the power it carries. This is why it is directly tied to the General Staff. Due to the different operational profiles of all the specialized units inside it also has a very high number of personnel which is thought to be ~10.000 people.

We know that in times of crisis the Special Forces Command can utilize other SOF units from different branches within the scope of special operations so it kind of serves the purpose of SOCOM. Apart from all of the SOF units in the different branches of the Armed Forces and Gendarmerie, the Special Forces Command should also be able to take command of the 4 Commando brigades under the Land Forces Command. It should exist as the primary unconventional warfare force with a structure specially thought for this purpose and the unified command of all of the Special Operations Forces in the Armed Forces and the Gendarmerie.

What I think of the Special Forces Command is that it should stay with its structure and independent air fleet under the General Staff, its personnel should be reduced to ~3000 operational elite warriors (HQ and supportive roles are not included), formed within regional commands. Every personnel should be highly trained in unconventional warfare operations with advanced cultural, language, specific environment skill/mission set training depending on the needs of the regional command in which the personnel is deployed. There should also be the old system of mobilization reserve personnel (White and Black) of which the identities should be kept by the Special Forces Command and periodic instructions and training should be provided depending on the role of this personnel. The service should be formed with representatives in different provinces depending on the need. There should also be the independent logistics and inventory which are renewed regularly.

The Special Forces Specialization Course should be slightly reformed and after deployment in a team in regional command the personnel should receive the regional command's specific training course. All of the Special Forces personnel should be trained to conduct unconventional warfare, direct actions, special reconnaissance, counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism, foreign internal defence operations and go trough a military static line parachute training as a joint characteristic of the Special Forces soldier. Out of these common specializations there should be dedicated teams trained in other doctrinal missions such as information operations, counterproliferation of WMDs etc and other insertion methods.

Special units within the regional commands should be formed on the basis of method of insertion and particular skill/mission set needed for particular type of scenarios depending on the environment and geographical specifics where the regional command is tasked.

Each regional command also should posses a highly trained urban warfare SF unit. All of the special forces personnel taking place in a specially designated unit (based on method of insertion or skill/mission set) should also receive other training out of its tight specialization and have personnel trained in at least one more insertion method out of the already predefined insertion methods of their team within the regional command (cross-training).

Within the Special Forces Command there should be an already established Special Missions Unit. This SMU force will be put under a Command. This Command would be able to use all of the resources of the Special Forces Command and it will be able to recruit personnel from all the SOF units from within the branches of the Armed Forces and the Gendarmerie. It should have ~150 special forces personnel split into teams, specially trained in specific skill sets, methods of insertion and should be specially designated according to the needs of the SMU and type of the team. The primary missions of this unit would be counter-terrorism, direct action, hostage rescue, special reconnaissance and counter-proliferation of WMDs. Its training and mission may change depending on the needs of the Armed Forces. It will serve in a comparable way to the US Delta Force and will be able to utilize units from all of the SOF and elite light infantry units of the Armed Forces and Gendarmerie as support forces and enablers.

While many of the things listed above already exist, there is a problem in the structure and the TSK's strategy on creating operational units. TSK is in a period where it needs both quality and quantity while quality in the Commando units is getting lower with the newly introduced Commando brigades while quantity is going up. Such a restructuring is also hard to happen while the units which need to be restructured are 24/7 on operational deployments abroad. I hope things move to a different concept, but with all these operations... I am not sure.

 

[Saithan]

This can happen, but it will be a long process.

We can start by asking who are the Commando personnel? Commandos are not SOF, but are also not a regular infantry. They are special operations capable light infantry.

In order to fill the need for big number of professional personnel the Ministry of Defence decided that they will transform regular infantry brigades into Commando brigades. This resulted in Commando brigades with low quality of training and experience compared to the known Commando standards becoming basically an operational unit "over night". There are personnel who didn't even finished Commando Basic Course and got the right to call themselves Commando and use the blue beret.

These newly established Commando brigades should be restructured as a regular infantry (mechanized, motorized etc), but the training standards of professional personnel under these brigades should go up and they should receive specialized counter-terrorism training. This would allow for the establishment of highly professional infantry that will be able to conduct operations as enablers for the dedicated elite light infantry which would be the spearhead, a highly maneuverable force supported/enabled by heavy infantry and fire support. People not knowing what Commando means in TSK probably think that all of the military operations done in recent years are done by "Special Forces". This is not true!

There are 5 Commando brigades in my opinion who are the elite of the Turkish Land Forces. These are:

1st Commando Brigade (Airborne) Kayseri

2nd Commando Brigade Bolu

3rd Commando Brigade Siirt

4th Commando Brigade Tunceli

Mountain & Commando Brigade Hakkari

Among these brigades I think 1st Commando Brigade (Airborne) Kayseri is the best candidate for the possible Special Operations Brigade (Ozel Harekat Tugayi) to be formed. It has both highly trained Commando personnel, the airborne operations capable component, training grounds, everything. All of the members of the Special Operations Brigade would take the Commando Specialization Course and would concentrate at direct action, conter-insurgency, counter-terrorism and special reconnaissance operations. Due to the fact that the tradition of this unit comes from an Airborne unit, all of the operational personnel must go trough static line military parachute training. Military free fall teams should be kept. Basically this brigade will serve as the main SOF deployed alongside our Commando brigades in counter-terrorism missions like the ones in the north of Iraq.

What I think is we can go with a Land Forces Special Operations Command (Kara Kuvvetleri Ozel Harekat Komutanligi) which would include the Special Operations Brigade (ex 1st Commando) and a dedicated air fleet unit comparable to the current Special Forces Command structure.

The rest of the 4 Commando brigades should act within the concept of elite light infantry just as the Ranger Regiment of the US Army.

The Special Forces Command was established as an unconventional warfare heavy force in mind which would be able to conduct large variety of special operations independently. It has very serious structure including units with specialized designations as highly trained combat diver/SCUBA and free fall teams. They accept personnel from all the branches of the Armed Forces and have established structures which would support its work including Intelligence Branch for example. It is very different structure from all we know within the Armed Forces and the Command carries strategic importance due to both the highly trained personnel, the technical capabilities and the power it carries. This is why it is directly tied to the General Staff. Due to the different operational profiles of all the specialized units inside it also has a very high number of personnel which is thought to be ~10.000 people.

We know that in times of crisis the Special Forces Command can utilize other SOF units from different branches within the scope of special operations so it kind of serves the purpose of SOCOM. Apart from all of the SOF units in the different branches of the Armed Forces and Gendarmerie, the Special Forces Command should also be able to take command of the 4 Commando brigades under the Land Forces Command. It should exist as the primary unconventional warfare force with a structure specially thought for this purpose and the unified command of all of the Special Operations Forces in the Armed Forces and the Gendarmerie.

What I think of the Special Forces Command is that it should stay with its structure and independent air fleet under the General Staff, its personnel should be reduced to ~3000 operational elite warriors (HQ and supportive roles are not included), formed within regional commands. Every personnel should be highly trained in unconventional warfare operations with advanced cultural, language, specific environment skill/mission set training depending on the needs of the regional command in which the personnel is deployed. There should also be the old system of mobilization reserve personnel (White and Black) of which the identities should be kept by the Special Forces Command and periodic instructions and training should be provided depending on the role of this personnel. The service should be formed with representatives in different provinces depending on the need. There should also be the independent logistics and inventory which are renewed regularly.

The Special Forces Specialization Course should be slightly reformed and after deployment in a team in regional command the personnel should receive the regional command's specific training course. All of the Special Forces personnel should be trained to conduct unconventional warfare, direct actions, special reconnaissance, counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism, foreign internal defence operations and go trough a military static line parachute training as a joint characteristic of the Special Forces soldier. Out of these common specializations there should be dedicated teams trained in other doctrinal missions such as information operations, counterproliferation of WMDs etc and other insertion methods.

Special units within the regional commands should be formed on the basis of method of insertion and particular skill/mission set needed for particular type of scenarios depending on the environment and geographical specifics where the regional command is tasked.

Each regional command also should posses a highly trained urban warfare SF unit. All of the special forces personnel taking place in a specially designated unit (based on method of insertion or skill/mission set) should also receive other training out of its tight specialization and have personnel trained in at least one more insertion method out of the already predefined insertion methods of their team within the regional command (cross-training).

Within the Special Forces Command there should be an already established Special Missions Unit. This SMU force will be put under a Command. This Command would be able to use all of the resources of the Special Forces Command and it will be able to recruit personnel from all the SOF units from within the branches of the Armed Forces and the Gendarmerie. It should have ~150 special forces personnel split into teams, specially trained in specific skill sets, methods of insertion and should be specially designated according to the needs of the SMU and type of the team. The primary missions of this unit would be counter-terrorism, direct action, hostage rescue, special reconnaissance and counter-proliferation of WMDs. Its training and mission may change depending on the needs of the Armed Forces. It will serve in a comparable way to the US Delta Force and will be able to utilize units from all of the SOF and elite light infantry units of the Armed Forces and Gendarmerie as support forces and enablers.

While many of the things listed above already exist, there is a problem in the structure and the TSK's strategy on creating operational units. TSK is in a period where it needs both quality and quantity while quality in the Commando units is getting lower with the newly introduced Commando brigades while quantity is going up. Such a restructuring is also hard to happen while the units which need to be restructured are 24/7 on operational deployments abroad. I hope things move to a different concept, but with all these operations... I am not sure.

I think perhaps kommando as we know it is being transformed to hopefully something a kind to US rangers as you mentioned. I did have a suspecion than Kommando was being watered with quantity, and I’m kinda sad to hear that’s the case.

 

[CAN_TR]

The Commando Brigades didn't needed the quantity, the focus should have been to increase the quality in training and equipment of the already existing Commando Brigades. A soldier from the 19th Commando Brigade (Balikesir) is not equal in standard of training and experience to a soldier from the 1st-4th or Hakkari Commando Brigade who are non-stop in combat, that's actually a insult to every operational Commando who earned their Blue Beret.

Instead forming new Commando Brigades they should have focused on the Infantry, increase their quality and interoperability with Commando Brigades, Reservists and Gendarmerie. You are a country in non-stop conflict, train and arm your operational units don't waste your ressources on Commandos deployed in the Marmara region for example.