Särskilda Operationsgruppen | "In praesenti, Enim futuro"

Särskilda operationsgruppen | "At the present time - For the future"

Särskilda Operationsgruppen (English: Special Operations Group, abbreviated SOG) is a special operations unit within the Swedish Armed Forces which has been active since 2011. The unit is headquartered at Karlsborg Fortress in Karlsborg, Västra Götaland County.

Särskilda operationsgruppen was formed in 2011 by merging the Special Protection Group (SSG) and the Special Reconnaissance Group (SIG).

The Special Operations Group (SOG) answers directly to the Supreme Commander and the Director Special Forces. The unit, combined with the Special Forces Command (SFL) , comprises the Swedish Armed Forces Special Forces (FM SF). In addition to this, there are several special forces support units (FM SOF). The personnel of which are specially selected, trained and equipped for air, sea and land infiltration, technical, logistical and medical support. For example, The Special Helicopter Group (SHG), Special Boat unit (STE), Special Signals unit (SSE), and the Section for Operative Technology (SOT).

SOG consists of two so-called response units (IE). IE1 is focused on combat tasks (Direct Action) and IE2 is focused on intelligence gathering (Special Reconnaissance). IE2 is known to utilize female intelligence personnel to conduct certain HUMINT tasks.

Each SOG response unit (IE) is organized in squadrons, troops, and patrols. Three 4-man patrols make up a troop, and an unknown number of troops make up a squadron. Besides the operational elements of the unit, there is also a Training Wing, responsible for the selection and training of future and current operators. Each operator has a broader skill base than a regular soldier and one or two patrol skills at which he is exceptionally skilled. A typical SOG team consists of four operators: a team leader, a demolitions expert/breacher, a communicator, and a combat medic. Each patrol can be augmented with EOD technicians, JTAC-specialists, military working dog handlers, or snipers.

Furthermore, every operator has an infiltration specialty in either military free fall (HALO/HAHO) or combat diving. All operators are qualified as static line parachutists and combat swimmers.

The unit maintains a high degree of readiness and can be deployed on short notice within a 6,000 kilometres (3,700 mi) radius of Stockholm and can operate in any environment, for example, jungle, desert, mountain/alpine, sub-arctic and urban. The unit is deployed on request by the UN, EU or NATO but must then be sanctioned on a political level.

The SOG's predecessors, the SSG and SIG, participated in operations in the Balkans, Congo, Tchad and the Central African Republic. Swedish special forces have also been continuously deployed in Afghanistan from the beginning of the conflict up until the withdrawal of ISAF forces in 2014. From 2015 a contingent of around 30 operators from the SOG along with support elements has been participating in Operation Inherent Resolve, acting as advisors for Kurdish Peshmerga forces. In february of 2021 a Swedish 150 man strong special operations task force made up of SOG elements, helicopters and support staff deployed to Mali as part of Task Force Takuba, a multinational French led counter terrorism task force part of Operation Barkhane operating in the border region of Mali and Niger. The contribution to Takuba is separate from the ongoing Swedish contribution to the UN mission MINUSMA.

The SOG differs greatly from the rest of the Swedish Armed Forces in its equipment and armament. The most noticeable difference is their usage of Multicam rather than M90. Operators wear combat uniforms from Crye Precision or Arcteryx, a wide variety of different plate carriers and Ops Core FAST ballistic helmets.

Besides the differences in equipment, the SOG also issues different firearms than the conventional military as well. Operators are issued LWRC rifles in both 5.56 and 7.62. The standard issue handgun of the unit is the Glock 17. Support weapons such as machine guns and anti-armor weapons also differ from those usually employed by the conventional military.

Music: Imagine Dragons - Radioactive (Noctilucent Remix)

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