Republic of Korea Navy Special Warfare Flotilla
Republic of Korea Navy Special Warfare Flotilla | |
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대한민국 해군 특수전전단 | |
Gyeongnam Province | |
Engagements | |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Brig. Gen. Yoo Jae-man |
The Republic of Korea Navy Special Warfare Flotilla (
The UDT/SEALs under WARFLOT are heavily influenced and inspired by the United States Navy SEALs/Underwater Demolition Team/Special Boat Teams, which initially provided funding and expertise in the unit's creation, and still maintain a strong relationship by regularly undertaking joint combined exchange training (JCET) several times a year, utilizing American helicopter and submarine assets, and enrolling students each year in the U.S. Naval Special Warfare programs such as Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School and Special Missions Training Center school.
Units
Naval Special Warfare Flotilla - headquartered in
- 1st Special Mission Squadron[2] - established January 1st, 2023
- Counter-Terrorism Unit (CT)
- Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit (EOD)
- Naval Advance Operation Unit
- Naval Special Warfare Group (UDT/SEAL)
- 1st Battalion
- 3rd Battalion
- 5th Battalion
- Special Warfare Education and Training Battalion
- Maritime Rescue Unit (SSU)
- Operational Support Battalion
- Special Boat Unit
- Duty Support Squadron
Applicants and selection
The Special Warfare Troops (SWF) teams take applicants among conscripts, petty officers, and officers. Most petty officers and all conscripts now apply before basic training while officers apply after commissioning (NA, ROTC, or OCS), completion of Surface Warfare Officer School (SWOS), and after they have been assigned to a ship. The BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL School) selection process is inspired by and similar to the U.S. Navy SEAL program, consisting of physical and mental challenges, such as Hell Week. The completion rate has been known to dip under 10% and usually hovers between 30–40%, leading to manpower problems as the unit continues to expand and has an increasing number of foreign commitments. Between 2010-2012 the completion rate was unusually high at 78.4%, which coincided with the unit's expansion.[3]
Since 2010, most washouts have been retained as support personnel and equipment maintenance staff. Those who survive the first ten weeks are trained in
A SEAL/UDT team is made up of seven soldiers: a point man, a platoon leader, a communication expert, a machine gunner, a grenadier, an assistant leader, and rear security. Basic UDT/SEAL training is 10 weeks long for enlisted men and 20 to 26 weeks long for NCO and officers.[citation needed]
History
Underwater Demolition Unit (UDU) was officially established in 1954. Its parent organization was formed in September, 1948 when the
The SWF (also known in popular culture as the ROKN UDT/SEALs) were involved in reconnaissance missions in North Korea until 1980 when a number of operators were broken away to form the UDU intelligence unit.
In 1968, the Explosives Disposal Unit (EOD) was established and in 1993 the SWF were tasked with standing up a maritime counter-terrorism unit, which up until that point was the responsibility of the Army's 707th Special Mission Group. In the late 1990s, the main focus was on defense of the coast from frequent attempts by the North to infiltrate agents into the South using midget submarines. As of January 1, 2009, the Special Forces were reorganized again, and the Ship Salvage Unit (SSU) was subordinated to the 5th Battalion.[6]
More than 300 UDU personnel were killed in over 200 missions into North Korea from 1948 until 1971, including missions with allies that included the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. However, only a list of about 150 names has been obtained by UDU, because of a fire at the unit in 1961 which burned all the data.[7]
June 23, 1968 incident
Fifteen South Korean secret agents, a team of three and two teams of six, were sent to the North on a mission to seize a North Korean naval vessel and to kidnap a key officer. But the mission failed because of miscommunication among the South Korean vessels and the commander's misjudgment. It was about 2 a.m. when the three South Korean vessels approached the bay from the Yellow Sea and met wired obstacles on the water, which made navigating harder. Without warning, the North Korean Navy started an attack that apparently killed six agents. The other nine South Korean agents returned safely to the South.[7]
1996 Gangneung submarine incident
SWF were involved in the 1996 Gangneung submarine infiltration incident caused by North Korean agents, on a mission to spy on the naval installations in the area and then return. The submarine made a failed attempt to collect the team on the 17th, and returned the following day. The submarine, however, ran aground in the attempt, and all efforts to try to make her free were in vain. A 49-day-long manhunt ensued, from 18 September through 5 November, resulting in the capture or elimination of all the crew and members of the reconnaissance team, except one, who is believed to have made it back to North Korea. Four civilians and 12 ROK soldiers (eight by firefight and four accidental) died; 27 soldiers were wounded.
1998 Sokcho submarine incident
In 1998 the unit was involved in the recovery and search of a North Korean
Anti-piracy operations
Since 2009, the SWF have formed the core of the
Sinking of the MV Sewol
SWF provided 114 men that took part in the recovery operation during the
Cultural depictions
Steel Troops, dubbed a "military survival program," the show features male South Korean reservists who served in various special forces units across different branches of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.
The Soldiers (TV program), the show seeks to find the "best special forces operator in the world," beginning with selecting the best Korean special forces representatives through a series of missions.
See also
- Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command
- 707th Special Mission Group
- 13th Special Mission Brigade
- United States Navy SEALs
- Naval Special Warfare Development Group
References
- ^ "Korean Special Forces: North vs South - SOFREP". 12 August 2012.
- ^ "尹대통령, '세종대왕함·도산안창호함' 방문…미사일 탐지 점검".
- ^ "특수부대 중 가장 입대 어려운 곳은?". Hankook Ilbo.
- ^ "Korean SEALs Master Terrifying MUSAT Combat Training". 18 January 2017.
- ^ "무사트 무술 훈련하는 해군특수전전단 장병들". 18 January 2017.
- ^ 아덴만 여명 작전의 성공으로 특수전의 중요성이 강조된 시기이기도 하다.
- ^ a b Herald, The Korea (6 April 2010). "Special unit remembers comrades".
- ^ "North Korea Sub is snagged off South". The New York Times. 23 June 1998. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- ^ "Sub incident harms Korean relations". BBC News. 22 June 1998. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- ^ "Navy storms hijacked ship, rescues all 21 sailors". Korea JoongAng Daily. 21 January 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
- ^ "<여객선침몰> 육군 특전사 150명·해군 구조대 196명 투입 - 연합뉴스". www.yonhapnews.co.kr. 16 April 2014.
External links
- Official Site Archived 2021-01-16 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean)
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