Kommando Spezialkräfte der Marine

The Kommando Spezialkräfte der Marine (KSM; Naval Special Forces Command), also called the Kampfschwimmer (combat swimmers) or Verwendungsgruppe 3402 (Deployment Group 3402),[citation needed] are the special operations unit of the German Navy, specializing in commando and amphibious warfare operations. The Kampfschwimmer were set up when West Germany joined NATO in 1955, making it the oldest German special operations force.

History

This section was translated from de:Kampfschwimmer (Bundeswehr); refer back there in case of query about the translation.

The Kampfschwimmer were set up particularly because Germany joined NATO and there was felt to be risk of war with the Soviet Union. A unit was needed which could help to secure the Baltic Sea exits through the Danish straits. On 1 August 1958 Group 3402, as these commando frogmen were called by the navy, was set up. It consisted of men without a Nazi past, who had served in World War II in the small combat forces and the naval employment commands.

The first Kampfschwimmer were trained first with the Nageurs de combat in France. France had developed the role of the commando frogmen further in the Indochina war, to the modern single fighter.

The Kampfschwimmer should carry out their tasks both in the water and ashore, like German commando frogmen did in World War II. But now a new dimension was added: airborne operations. This three-role concept of the French became the basis of the commando frogmen of the German navy.

On 1 April 1964, the Kampfschwimmer appeared for the first time as an independent body. In the following years they extended their tasks, but lacked money. Thus e.g. they had to buy their own drysuit undersuits.

During the Gaza war, KSM reportedly deployed to Cyprus alongside the Army's KSK and the Federal Police's GSG 9 for possible evacuations or hostage rescues.

Roles

In the Gulf War, German frogmen completed various operations that are classified by German Intelligence and such.[citation needed]

The naval commandos were also active from 1994 to 1996, during the NATO arms embargo against former Yugoslavia. The frogmen conducted boarding operations of suspicious freighters from German frigates and destroyers. Due to insufficient berthing capabilities on board the German warships, the boarding parties were usually undermanned. The commandos had to train ordinary crewmembers as auxiliaries in tasks such as keeping watch and taking control of the engine room and bridge of the boarded vessels.

Organization

Since 1974, the Kampfschwimmer have been stationed in the naval base at Eckernförde near Kiel. In October 1994 they were subordinate to the Flotilla of Mine Warfare. In Eckernförde a combat frogman group was set up, it consists of a mine clearance diver company and a commando frogmen company. Allegedly the weapon diver group has 250 men. The commando frogmen company had, according to strength and equipment records, 3 groups, each with 16 men. Of it, approximately 40 men are actively operational.

In 2001, the Waffentauchergruppe ("Weapons Diver Group") became the Bataillon Spezialisierter Kräfte ("Specialised Forces Battalion").

By a transformation in 2003, the de:Spezialisierte Einsatzkräfte Marine ("Specialised Task Forces of the Navy") was formed. The SEK M was divided further into the Combat Swimmer Company, a mine clearance diver company, and two naval companies for special employments (e.g. to board ships), a training inspection group, and further support elements.

The number of soldiers is expected to increase from 300 to 600 by 2025. Most of them are supposed to be support forces who provide logistical support to the operators.

Conditions for entry

Success rate is approximately 30% which is up from the previous 5-10 percent over the three-year training period. These minimum requirements must be fulfilled by all candidates, to become certified for training:

• Applicants must be German citizens in the sense of the article 116 of the Grundgesetz (Constitution)
• They must be at least 17 years old and no more than 32 years old.
• Realschulabschluss or Abitur, with favorable exam passes.
• 1000m swim in less than 24 minutes
• 5000m run in less than 22 minutes
• 30m distance swim underwater without equipment
• Stay underwater without breathing for at least 60 seconds
• Sport test with at least 20 points; at least 3 points for each exercise
• Active duty soldier must have at least attained the rank of Feldwebel or be officer. The civilian applicant must be ready to enlist for 12 years.
• Diving fitness is examined by the Schifffahrtsmedizinisches Institut (naval medical institute) of the navy.
• Parachute jump fitness is examined by the same institute.

Training

During the training, it is less about the physical load than the psychological load, which causes many applicants to give up. The physical achievement can be trained, but overcoming the fear is the most important goal of the training. The training includes but is not limited to swimming, diving, navigation, close combat, weapons handling, and parachuting. In the special conclusion exercise their ability and hardness are equally demanded, before they join the circle of the commando frogmen. In further training sections they are trained as team leaders or specialists.

Introductory training

First there are four weeks of introductory training. In this time the applicants are pushed hard physically and psychologically by fixed exercises. All exercises have the goal to take away the fear of water and to make the applicant feel safe in the water. One of the exercises is called gefesseltes Schwimmen (the bound swimming). The applicant is placed on the starting block in the full combat suit, with his hands tied behind his back and his feet tied together, and then pushed in the swimming pool. He must stay for 30 seconds alone clearly; afterwards a safety diver pulls him back up.

In the so-called "hate week" the trainees are deprived of sleep. Between the night exercises, there are night runs. Meanwhile, the normal routine of the day continues: swimming, diving, and push-ups.

They also have to train to exit and enter a submarine through a torpedo tube. At the final examination they have to swim about 30 km with full equipment in the Baltic Sea to reach the beach after being discharged at the sea.

Equipment

Weapons

Eickhorn S.E.K. Marine knife (designed specifically for this unit)

Eickhorn knives, Various models

Vehicles

Special equipment

Gear

• 3M United States Peltor Comtac XPI Dual Com NATO
• Arc'teryx Canada Fire-resistant Combat-clothing All-weather clothing Bagpacks
• ArmorSource United States AS-600 helmet (rifle-resistant)
• Carinthia Austria Military sleeping-bags
• Crye Precision United States Fire-resistant Combat-clothing Plate-carriers Kinetic support-systems Bagpacks Pouches Belts
• Dräger Germany Rebreather (combat-diving)
• FirstSpear United States Plate-carriers (Combat-diving) Flotation-systems Bagpacks Pouches Belts
• Harris United States Falcon III RF-7850M-HH Combat-electronics
• Heinrichs Weikamp Germany OSTC 4 Diving-electronics
• JFD Scotland Divex Stealth CDLSE Divex Dual Mode Mask Divex Low Magnetic Fins
• L3-Insight United States GPNVG-18 AN/PSQ-36 FGS
• Leo Köhler Germany Fire-resistant Combat-clothing All-weather clothing Plate-carriers Bagpacks
• MATBOCK United States Parachuting-gear Bagpacks Medic-gear
• Meindl Germany All-weather Combat-boots
• MEN Germany Ammunition
• Nivisys United States DVS-110
• Rheinmetall Germany Ammunition Combat-electronics
• SeaBear Austria HUDC Diving-electronics
• TEA United States H2O U94 PTT Sub Assault OSK Maritime Kit
• Team Wendy United States Retention-Kits Liner-Kits ARC-Rails
• Slovenia Fire-resistant Combat-clothing All-weather clothing
• Ursuit Finland Combat-diving dry-suits Combat-diving gear
• W+R PRO Germany Combat-gloves

(site under construction)

See also

• Germany Kommando Spezialkräfte – German special forces command
• United Kingdom Special Boat Service – Special forces unit of the Royal Navy
• United States United States Navy SEALs – U.S. Navy special operations force

Further reading

• Trojca, Waldemar (2002). German Armor and Special Units of WW2. Winnipeg: Fedorowicz. ISBN 0-921991-73-8.
• Rudolph, Christin-Désirée (2014). Die Kampfschwimmer der Bundeswehr. Stuttgart: Motorbuch. ISBN 978-3-613-03647-5.
• Probst, Wilhelm (2001). Kampfschwimmer der Bundesmarine: Innenansichten einer Elitetruppe. Stuttgart: Motorbuch. ISBN 3-613-02148-X.
• Soviet Combat Divers in World War Two by Pavel Borovikov
• German Combat Divers in World War Two by Michael Jung

External links

• 2008-08-01 at the Wayback Machine (in German)
• Seiten der Marine (in German).
• German/English spoken Minentaucher website
• German/English spoken Kampfschwimmer website

54°28′34″N 9°51′49″E/54.4762°N 9.8637°E/ 54.4762; 9.8637