Commandos

Commandant of Commando GSA Forces:
Brigadier General Konstantin Stefanović

Mission
Organisation

Weapons, Equipment & Vehicles
Induction & Training

Commando troops from 3rd Commando-Reconnaissance Battalion stand to attention at a drill.

The 72nd Commando GSA Brigade are the top tier of Special Forces in the Yugoslavian Defence Forces. GSA stands for Ground, Sea and Air and this abbreviation indicates their role in carrying out highly specialised tasks and delicate missions in every battlefield environment. The unit is headquartered at Pančevo. They are trained to a rigorously high standard of professionalism and are always available to respond to any challenge at a moments notice. The primary missions of Commando units are to act as a strike, diversionary, sabotage, and long-range reconnaissance force. There is 1 Commando GSA Brigade and 6 Separate Commando GSA battalions [4 Ground Forces/2 Maritime Forces]; they number 8,112 personnel. The Commandos are an expertly trained, politically reliable, loyal, and extremely well motivated force. Commando units assigned to the Ground & Maritime Forces fulfil the following objectives, in preparation for, and during, the conduct of combined arms operations:

The 72nd Commando Brigade contains six Commando battalions; in turn each battalion has four rifle companies. Each of these contains three rifle platoons and one weapons platoon that includes three anti-tank teams, three 60mm mortar teams and three Sniper teams. Each rifle platoon has a three-man headquarters, three nine-man rifle squads and a weapons platoon with three two-man medium machine gun teams and a squad leader.

There are also 6 Separate Commando battalions which are organised similarly.

Commando Battalions consist of x4 Rifle Companies & x1 Battalion HQ. Each Rifle Company consists of x3 Rifle Platoons, x1 Weapons Platoon & x1 Battalion Mortar Platoon. The personnel total is 676.

Additionally, each Commando battalion has a combat support detachment and a specialist communications/signals detachment. Signal platoon personnel are all trained in SATCOM, HF, and LOS communications. The combat support detachment operates the battalion’s UAVs and includes an electronic warfare element to disrupt enemy radio and GPS signals and conduct tactical signals intelligence. The combat support detachment also houses ATVs and APCs for protected mobility in more conventional operations.

Operatives use both Western and Eastern weapons and equipment, which is unique within the Yugoslav Defence Forces. They are given discretion in terms of weapon choice, however there may be occasions when these privileges are rescinded for operational purposes. The use of silenced and suppressed weapons is favoured for missions requiring stealth. Supporting personnel, including pilots serving in the Special Aviation Squadrons, are amongst the best in the Yugoslav Defence Forces and train constantly to keep up their proficiency.

Operative of 6th Maritime Commando-Reconnaissance Battalion takes part in exercises off the coast of Yugoslavia.

The Special Operations Directorate of the General Staff controls all SVOS [Special Forces & Intelligence] units, and by extension, all Commando formations. Commando units normally infiltrate and fight as small teams composed of 12-men teams. They are trained to infiltrate enemy territory by many methods; both overt and covert and can operate far behind enemy lines with minimal or no support for up to 5-days for deep penetration missions. They are normally lightly armed - to ensure maximum firepower and tactical flexibility at all times, every weapon used by the Commados must be man-portable - but may carry heavier weaponry on specific occasions.

These units may support strategic, operational, or tactical offensive and defensive actions. Commando forces may either be deployed in support of conventional forces or operate independently All Commando troops are Airborne and Air Assault qualified; they specialise in land and air infiltration [HALO/HAHO-capable] operations, as well as amphibious operations. In addition to these skills, they are experts in mountain warfare and alpinism and are able to survive and fight in conditions that would restrict any other force.

Commando units have their own organic transport assets in the form of 196th Special Aviation Squadron which operates Mi-35M, Mi-8AMTS-VN, Ka-52K and Ka-29 helicopters. The 197th Special Aviation Squadron operates H145M, Z-20 and Ka-52 helicopters. These aircraft provide transportation, logistical and fire support missions. HAHO/HALO operations can be conducted from Air Forces aircraft such as Il-76MD-90A aircraft. There is one Il-76MD-90A from the 170th Military Transport Squadron which is on permanent stand-by to assist with Commando operations. The Il-76-MD-90A has a maximum range of 5,000km, is capable of carrying 52 tonnes of equipment and supplies or airdropping 126 Commandos at a time with full combat loads.

The 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Commando-Reconnaissance battalions are attached to Ground Forces Contingent of Local Forces in each Military District. The 5th and 6th Commando-Reconnaissance battalions are attached to the Maritime Forces 21st Amphibious Assault Group. Specifically, they operate with the 210th Special Amphibious Assault Squadron which operates a number of vessels including the Hristrov-class Amphibious Transport Dock. The Hristov-class ships allow the Commandos a number of methods of deploying; either over-the-beach insertion by Z-8 or Ka-29 Helicopters, beach landings via Tomi-class Landing Craft, or a more stealthy approach using Majača-class Fast Attack Boats, Una-class Midget Submarines or R2 Mala SDVs.

Commando units under the direct control of the Special Operations Directorate may be used to reconnoitre in the enemy rear area to locate nuclear delivery systems, enemy forces, headquarters, airfields, signal sites and other important targets. Commando are capable of conducting observation, raids, ambushes, and installing/removing observation and communication equipment. They may conduct long-range reconnaissance behind enemy lines or zones of control, acquiring intelligence, conducting sabotage, raiding and assassinating key enemy commanders and political leaders.

Other operational roles include combat search and rescue, vectoring airstrikes onto targets, counter-intelligence, counter-proliferation, information operations, psychological operations, internal foreign defence, counter-insurgency warfare and the formation of insurgent detachments. Unconventional warfare is a speciality of Commando units and the possibility of disguising and posing as opposition forces is always considered.

The Maritime Forces variant of the Commandos are smaller in size though still posses the same dedicated personnel who have honed their skills to the nth degree. Included in its mission profile are conventional naval special warfare operations - including beach and long-range maritime reconnaissance, underwater demolitions and clearance, small-unit raiding and anti-mine duties. They also provide security and defence of Coastal Missile-Artillery regiments if required. They specialize in SCUBA operations alongside HALO, HAHO and air assault missions.

In addition to the list of weapons and equipment fielded by the force found here, the Commandos utilize a number of military motorcycles, snowmobiles, UAVs and all-terrain vehicles:

DR-Z Military Motorcycle
KLR250 Military Motorcycle
RM-500 4x6 ATV
RM-500 4x6 ATV w/ 82mm 2B24 Mortar
BTR-80A 8x8 APC
BPM-97 4x4 APC*
Miloš UGV
VBL 4x4 Scout Car*
Chaborz M-3 4x2 Off-Road Vehicle**
Chaborz M-6 4x4 Off-Road Vehicle**

D-19 Tactical Hybrid VTOL UAV
D-17 Rotary-wing UAV
Vrabac Tactical Fixed-wing UAV
Pegaz Medium-range Fixed-wing UAV
Varyag 550 Snowmobile
ТТМ-1901 Snowmobile w/ 7.62mm PKTM MG
Premax 39 Multirole Fast Patrol Boat
BK-10M High Speed Assault Craft
DC 10 Light Landing Craft
BK-16E High Speed Landing & Transport Craft
Protei-5 Diver Propulsion Vehicle [Carries 1 Diver]
Proton-3 Diver Propulsion Vehicle [Carries 2 Divers]

*[7.62mm PKTM or 12.7mm Kord MG / 30mm AGS-30 Grenade Launcher / 152mm Kornet ATGM [Kvartet Turret Mount]]

**[7.62mm M86 / 12.7mm M02 MG / 30mm BGA M93 Grenade Launcher]]

All vehicles are air-transportable, with a slight exception for the BPM-97 APC which can be air-dropped but not transported undercarriage by Mi-35M or Mi-8AMTS-VN helicopters.

The candidates must have at least 3 years prior service in the Yugoslavian Defence Forces. Candidates must be citizens of the Yugoslav Federative Republic of Hrstrovokia from birth. They must be in good mental and physical condition, politically reliable and have no criminal record. Background checks are conducted by Military Intelligence and the SSA. They must pass their services Physical Fitness and Mental Aptitude tests before entering into the Commando induction phase, alongside attending the 3-week Airborne & Air Assault parachuting program. There are 3 selection phases, altogether lasting 9 weeks:

The initial selection process for the Commandos is an exhausting and excruciating physical training test. Among the gruelling tasks, each candidate must undergo a 30km march in 3 and a half hours carrying a 10kg pack and personal weapon, a 10km run in less than 24 minutes, a suspended traverse along a 30m sloping rope, a dive from a 10m tower followed by a 30 minute non-stop swim and finally a Marksmanship test [must score at least 95% for a target at 914m, and 100% for a target at 548m]. This must be completed before candidates can enter the next phase.

Mi-35M Gunship of the 196th Special Aviation Squadron in the air somewhere over Yugoslavia.

Once approved, the candidates take part in a second selection phase. This consists of a 1 day psychological test with computer-assisted assessment, 2 days physical fitness testing including a minute maximum of sit-ups, a minute maximum of press-ups, three 10km sprints, stand jumping and a 12 minute run. After this, there is still a 500m swim in less than 15 minutes, an assault course to be completed in less than 100 minutes, a 7km field run with a 20kg pack and personal weapon to be completed in less than 50 minutes and an additional 3 days of psychological tests.

The final selection phase consists of a physical fitness test; short-distance running, uninterrupted performance of 80 push-ups and an uninterrupted performance of 100 sit-ups. There is also a 50m freestyle-stroke swim, a cross-country march involving traveling 64km in under 15 hours while carrying a 30kg backpack across the Prokletije Mountains in southwest Yugoslavia during the winter and a set of psychological tests designed to reveal the candidates ability at mental recovery, concentration, endurance, self-control, and the fortitude to overcome difficult situations. Finally there is an ESP potential test.

After successful navigation of all three phases candidates become operators and must swear an oath of loyalty to the President of the Yugoslav Federative Republic of Hrstrovokia and must acknowledge that the fate of those who betray or shirk their duties to SVOS is death. Those surviving induction have to serve for a further period of at least 1 year doing basic training, working on their skills and building up their physical strength before embarking on advanced training for two years. Eventually they will serve with line units, where they will be assigned an 8-month stint with a Commando Battalion.

Those wishing to become NCOs post-induction phase must first attend a demanding eight-week course to qualify for promotion to corporal and a 14-week course for sergeants.

In addition to their basic military training, all personnel receive extensive specialised instructions and training courses, which continues throughout their career. Operatives will train for 11 months of the year, undergoing advanced training in various environments and will repeat training modules to maintain proficiency and stay aware of new developments in tactics, strategies and advances in technology. Advanced training courses include:

Rigorous training continues upon assignment to the line units. Commando units are exceptionally well resourced for extensive and realistic training conducted regularly in a variety of environments. Units have access to specialist training facilities - the foremost being the Vogoslavgrad Special Warfare Centre & School in Belgrade, responsible for developing doctrine and running training courses. The Western Balkan Mountains Training Complex in southwestern Serbia prepares units for operations in mountain and alpine conditions.

Every effort is made to ensure Commando personnel are physically conditioned for different climates. Other personnel will receive expert underwater training at the Specialised Maritime Diving Centre in Herceg Novi. Finally, all personnel will have passed through the Airborne & Air Assault School in Niš at least once prior to applying for the Commandos.

Soldier of the 72nd Commando Brigade on manoeuvres in southern Serbia.