Frag Out! Magazine

EVOLUTION EVOLUTION SPECIAL FORCES OR SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES (depending on country) is a branch of the military that has become an indispensable participant in any conflict, starting from WW2. The Special Operations Forces are subjected to continuous, uninterrupted evolution that goes hand-in-hand with the changes in the global and regional security environment. This is especially pronounced now when superpowers' competition is yet again the core element of the global game. STORY BY: MICHAŁ PIEKARSKI PHOTOS: BARTEK BERA was easy to resign from these, in the era of post-war reductions and cuts. The Cold War rivalry, however, brought back the glory of SOF soon. This was inspired by proxy, and local conflicts, such as the Korean war, the post-colonial wars in Africa, or Malaya Islands. The situation from the pre- vious wars was recontextualized, with Malayan Scouts (SAS), or Ranger companies in the US Army being established ad hoc. At the same time, as tensions between the West and the East grew in Europe, and with the new war on the horizon, units as such were also being reestablished. In the West, the 22nd Special Air Service formally became a regular unit in 1952. The US Army created the 10th Special Forces Group (10th SFG, later renamed to 10th SFGA) at the time, tasked with direct assaults and irreg- ular warfare in the European theater. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union started to establish the Spetsnaz units, while two long-range reconnaissance pla- toons were formed in Poland in 1951. These evolved into a company, while in 1954 they were transformed into the 19th Independent Reconnaissance Battalion, which was then included in the 6th „Pomorska" Airborne Divi- sion. During the next decade, another stage of the evolution of the Polish SOF was underway. In 1964, 26th Assault Battalion was detached from the 6th Airborne Division. It was transferred to Dziwnów and named 1st Independent Assault Battalion - during the war it was a unit working on the Polish Front. In 1967 independent special companies were created (based on the Soviet structure of Spetsnaz), subordinated to the military district commands during peacetime, and to the Army during wartime. After a few years, these were complemented with small special companies in recon- naissance battalions of armored and mechanized divisions, and a Navy special warfare unit. In larger Armed Forces - in the US for instance - as SOF units were being established in the Army, LRP reconnaissance companies were formed for two Army corps in Germany, while in the Navy, the UDT units were joined by two, land-warfare-capable SEAL teams. As the United States of America got engaged in the Vietnam war, some new, temporary elements of varying subordination were being formed. The Cold War SOF's role was dual. On one hand, the SOF units were to sup- port the regular warfare in the event of an open, brief conflict that would last a few days or a few weeks. Main battle tanks, mechanized infantry, air force, artillery, missiles, and nukes were to be the primary assets here. Battlefield as such would create numerous challenges for the SOF units. Covert deployments would be challenging, given the vulnerability of aircraft and the air defense saturation. The NATO armies assumed that „stay-be- hind" would be one of the primary methods to deploy SOF - they would hide in the areas that were to be taken over by the Warsaw Pact forces and then recovered, via the means of a counter-attack. Recon units had limited inventory at their disposal, only including the kit that could have been carried by the individual soldiers. However, units as such would find it challenging to bring down a bridge for instance. Hence, a concept emerged in the USSR and in the USA, to create "suitcase nukes" that could fit in a backpack. Furthermore, the awareness of the threat posed 47 www.fragoutmag.com ANALYSIS

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