Para Commandos (Indian Army SF)

 Para Commandos (SF) 

Tamrov wepons

       Para (Special Forces) are a special forces unit of the Indian Army mandated with missions such as special operations, direct action, hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, foreign internal defense, counter-proliferation, counter-insurgency, seek and destroy and personnel recovery. Formed on July 1st 1966, the Para (SF) are part of the highly trained Parachute Regiment of the Indian Army. Because of its specified role, the regiment needs to be kept at optimum level of operational efficiency and physical fitness. Towards this end, this specially selected manpower should be comparatively young, physically fit and mentally robust, intelligent, innovative and highly motivated so as to successfully accomplish the assigned operational tasks. The Para (SF) operators are called daeva ( demon) . The nickname for the para airborne is red devils and the Para (SF) is the devils brigade.

      "Men apart every man an emperor" is the notion that describes the para sf , before you crib about the selection of the other Special Forces units around the globe, let me remind you that the Green Beret selection starts at 57 percent and buds ( the SEAL selection starts at a 70 percent , I can say this because Marcus Luttrel , The Lone Survivor of operation Red Wings graduated with 16 people from his class that initially started out with 80. 

The Soldier's Soldier

   

     The volunteers for the Para (SF) unit go under one of the longest and toughest selection lasting 11 months ,  the volunteers are put through both the airborne and sf selection lasting 3 and 9 months respectively. The Para Commandos carried out maritime operations till 1987 (inception of MARCOS) , their involvement in maritime operations continued till the Indian forces occupied Jaffna and this was carried out with the MARCOS , after the MARCOS have passed the selection phase they are attached to the para commandos for operational experience. The Para Airborne selection is normally between 70-80 , while the Para (SF) selection goes well beyond 80 percent (there have been deaths within the selection process itself) , Maj Mohit Sharma's batch saw a 160 applicants out of which only 4 made it. 

      Airborne Africa is an international Special Forces tournament that aims to test the endurance and combat readiness & efficiency of the special forces community around the world , the Para (SF) have been winning at the platform since they had been first invited in 2001 under Capt Krishnadas ( 10th para ) with the latest victory in march 2013. The Para (SF) secured the overall position and individual position with Netherlands and Pakistan as runner ups , The MARCOS stood 4th in individual position forget about overall. The event saw 28 participants with SF units both army and navy from the U.K., U.S.A, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden , South Africa, Israel. The Russians were not present.

Hell March

      I can go on and on about this but the fact remains that the MARCOS are more involved in maritime operations as their selection itself involves a diver test , whereas the trait in the army is specialization that the officer may volunteer for but there is one thing that even the MARCOS don't specialize in and that is SHBO (Special Heliborne Operations). The Para (SF) is the only special forces in the world that carries a portable artillery gun and it is the 4 to 6 men in the fire-teams that carry it.

      Commander Anup Bhaguna of the MARCOS started out with 100 out of which 20 made it. The MARCOS stand about 2000 plus. The parachute regiment strength stands about nearly 4500 out of which the majority are a part of the the Para Airborne , while the Para (SF) stand about 1300 operators. This will give you an idea of the brutality of the selection, since 1965 it has only augmented a strength of 1300 SF operators. 

HALO/HAHO  suits (High Altitude Low Opening/ High Opening)

     The Para (SF) wear the maroon beret , with the wings and SF tab in addition they wear the balidaan badge after having completed 3.5 yrs of initial SF training and surviving in a hostile zone as a test of the absorption of training ( which is called the balidaan test within the regiment). Balidaan stands for sacrifice and these men are one of the most elite in the Indian arsenal.

EQUIPMENT 

Small Arms

All the equipment for the para commandos are manufactured indigenously by the Indian Ordnance Factories controlled by the Ordnance Factories Board, Ministry of Defence, Government of India.

• Pistol Auto 9mm 1A Semi-automatic pistol
• Glock 17 9mm Semi-automatic pistol
• SIG P226 9mm Semi-automatic pistol
• Heckler & Koch MP5 Sub-machine gun
• 1A SMG Sub-machine gun
• INSAS Assault rifle
• AK-103 Assault rifle
• TAR-21 Tavor Bullpup Assault rifle
• M4A1 Carbine
• 1A SLR Battle rifle
• Mauser SP66 Bolt-action sniper rifle
• SVD Dragunov Semi-automatic sniper rifle
• IMI Galil Sniper Semi-automatic sniper rifle
• Heckler & Koch MSG90 Semi-automatic sniper rifle
• Gepard GM6 Lynx Anti-materiel rifle
• OSV-96 Anti-material rifle
• IMI Negev Light machine gun
• PK General purpose machine gun
• MG 2A1 General purpose machine gun
• RCL MkIII 84mm recoilless rifle
• B-300 Shipon 82mm Rocket launcher

Transport

• C-130J Super Hercules tactical transport aircraft
• HAL Dhruv utility helicopter
• All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)

MARCOS (Indian Naval SF)

MARCOS

New Uniform

         MARCOS is short name for 'Marine Commandos'.It is an elite special operations unit of Indian navy . Created in 1987, It was previously known as MCF or 'Marine Commando Force'.MARCOS are heavily trained and well equipped. created for conducting special operations such as Amphibious warfare, Counter-terrorism, Direct action, Special reconnaissance,Unconventional warfare, hostage rescue, Personnel recovery, Asymmetric warfare, Counter-proliferation. They are capable of undertaking missions in all types of terrains.As their structure&size are classified some 'unofficial' reports suggest that it may have strength of 2000-2500 personal.

  "The Few, The Fearless", MARCOS are extremely secretive (so secretive that it's very difficult to find a lot of info. about them) and highly feared by all kinds of oppositions it has seen.

       After India-Pakistan war of 1971 India decided to set up a special unit to undertake amphibious warfare & Marine special operations.In 1983 the 340th army independent brigade located at Thiruvanadapuram was raised as a special maritime force.After the formation navy started various exercises to demonstrate its capabilities,notably exercises in Andaman Nicobar,1984 and Goa,1986.In 1986 Indian navy started planning of a special maritime force which could conduct recon,raids and counter-terrorism operations in a maritime environment.They initially trained by other special forces of the country.But later they got training from US navy SEALs and British SAS.In 1987 Indian navy officially established Indian Marine Special Force or IMSF.It had a strength of 38 officers and 373 sailers. Later in 1991 it renamed to Marine Commando Force or the MCF.

Training Exercise

     

       MARCOS trainees have to complete a two-year course, the first phase of which lasts one month, in which they undergo many rigorous physical tests of which only 50% pass. Then for the next nine months, they are taught how to use different types of weapons, conduct special warfare techniques and how to gather intelligence from the enemy. MARCOS also conducts operational reconnaissance training which includes a variety of external environments; beach, coastal, riverine and jungle. This part of training is conducted in sync with other Indian special forces at the Combined Commando School at Sirsawa. They also have to undergo a parachute training course and a diving course at Agra and Cochin. 

Commandos on raft

     Once trainees have completed their first nine months of these rigorous tests, they join groups - on a probational basis - where additional specialized training is carried out. This combat ready qualification takes another year. Most of the training deals with counter-terrorist operations, such as protecting oil platforms off Mumbai and also with anti-hijacking/piracy operations. All MARCOS personnel are static line parachute qualified and a number are freefall qualified (HALO/HAHO). MARCOS is one of only a handful of units in the world that is capable of para-dropping into the sea with full combat load and equipment. By the end of two years, only 10% - 25% of the candidates remain. As with other Indian Special Forces units, all MCF personnel attend the four week high-altitude commando course run by the Parvat Ghatak School in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh.

Cosmos CE-2F X100 two-man submarines

EQUIVPMENTS

Small Arms:
-Browning Hi-Power 9mm Semi-automatic pistol
-Glock 17 9mm Semi-automatic pistol
-SIG P226 9mm Semi-automatic pistol
-Uzi 9mm Sub-machine gun

Primary Arms:
-HK MP5 9mm Sub-machine gun
-AK-103 7.62×39mm Assault Rifle
-M4A1 5.56 Assualt Rifle, used by MARCOS units attached to Para Commando units
-TAR-21 Tavor 5.56 mm NATO Assault rifle
-APS amphibious rifle Underwater assault rifle
-Dragunov SVD Semi-automatic sniper rifle
-Heckler & Koch MSG90 Semi-automatic sniper rifle
-OSV-96, Sniper and anti-material rifle

Support Weapons:
-IMI Negev
-IMI Negev Light machine gun
-PK General purpose machine gun
-FN MAG 7.62 mm General purpose machine gun
-GP-25 40mm Grenade Launcher
-M203 40mm Grenade launcher
-AGS-17 Automatic grenade launchers
-RCL Mk III 84mm Recoilless rifle
-Shipon Anti-tank weapon
-9K38 Igla MANPADS

Transport:

-HAL Dhruv utility helicopter

-6 Westland WS-61 Sea King transport helicopter
-Few Chetak helicopters
-Cosmos CE-2F X100 two-man submarines
-All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)