Commando Hubert
The Commando Hubert or Commando Action Sous-Marine (German: Underwater Action Command ) is a special unit of the French Navy for maritime command operations . The headquarters of the unit is in Toulon , its total strength is estimated at around 80-90 men. The name of the unit goes back to Lieutenant Augustin Hubert , a French officer who fell on June 6, 1944 at Ouistreham or Riva Bella.
assignment
The operational profiles of the unit include the implementation of military commandos, e.g. B. Reconnaissance , acts of sabotage , anti-terrorism operations and hostage liberation .
organization
The Commando Hubert is divided into two companies, the first of which is divided into four groups A, B, C and D. The second company provides support for the logistical supply and training of the unit. This company also has its own ship, the Poseidon, which serves as a floating operation center for divers.
Group A is the command and support unit with headquarters and the Zodiac inflatable boats .
Group B is responsible for anti-terrorism operations and hostage liberation at sea. She works closely with GIGN .
Group C is responsible for the maintenance and use of the mini -submarines with which the teams are also landed. The actual task force, however, is Group D, which is responsible for beach reconnaissance.
Group D has the task of blowing up and carrying out reconnaissance missions. There are also snipers from Group D.
Recruitment and training
Potential candidates for the Commando Hubert are recruited from the French naval command units. To be eligible, candidates must have served at least four years in the French Navy and six months in the commando units. At the beginning the prospective members have to attend two diving courses at the marine diving school Saint-Mandrier near Toulon. This is followed by an introduction to handling small boats and Klepper canoes. Finally, courses for underwater blasting, pioneer techniques and skydiving must be attended. Candidates who have successfully completed the courses are initially assigned to the command for 3 years in order to attend an advanced course for combat swimmers and the master course in parachuting.
equipment
The members of the units usually use these weapons: the French assault rifle FAMAS 5.56 mm, which is often used in conjunction with the M203 grenade launcher , the submachine gun Uzi and Mini-UZI, all submachine guns of the Heckler & Koch MP5 series as well as the sniper rifles Giat FR-F1 and the successor model FR-F2 7.5 mm and PGM Hécate II caliber .50.
As a light protected vehicle, the Commando Hubert uses the Panhard VPS (Véhicule de patrouille spéciale), a variant of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class for desert and savanna operations.
history
World War II and Indochina War
Like many modern elite units, the Commando Hubert has its origins in World War II , when there were various marine infantry units. After the Second World War, a total of 6 commando units were set up from 1945 to 1947 and named after fallen French officers. The Commando Hubert was one of them. These commandos were used in the French Indochina War. They carried out amphibious reconnaissance and attacks e.g. B. in the Mekong Delta.
Cold war and modern times
After the Second World War , the Commando Hubert was converted into a combat swimmer unit and relocated to Algeria . There the unit took part in the Algerian War. After the Algerian War, the combat swimmers of the Commando Hubert's found their final home in Toulon. During the Cold War, the Hubert Commando carried out secret reconnaissance missions against Warsaw Pact institutions and was involved in all French interventions abroad.
Calls
This unit has carried out numerous missions, for example in the nuclear tests in France and in the context of UN peace missions.
Relatives killed
Alain Bertoncello and Cédric de Pierrepont became known as members of the unit . They were killed on the night of May 8-9, 2019 during a hostage rescue operation near Gorom-Gorom , in northern Burkina Faso , and were given a state funeral.
literature
- Sören Sünkler: Europe's elite and special units . Motorbuch Verlag, 2008, ISBN 978-3-613-02853-1 .
- Mike Ryan, Chris Mann, Alexander Stilwell: The Encyclopedia of Special Forces . Moewig Verlag, 2005, ISBN 3-8118-1895-3 .
Web links
- Commando Hubert at specwarnet.net (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Sören Sünkler: Elite and special units of Europe . Motorbuch Verlag, 2008, ISBN 978-3-613-02853-1 , p. 102 .
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Mike Ryan, Chris Mann, Alexander Stilwell: The Encyclopedia of Special Forces . Moewig Verlag, ISBN 3-8118-1895-3 , pp. 158 ff .
- ^ Les commandos marine. Archived from the original on July 9, 2011 ; Retrieved September 1, 2014 (French).
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAbqVfpHwa4 Commando Hubert & the Burkina Faso Mission | May 2019
- ^ Commando Hubert. Retrieved September 1, 2014 .
- ↑ Elian Peltier: Two French Soldiers Are Killed in Raid That Frees Four Hostages in Burkina Faso. The New York Times, May 10, 2019, accessed January 26, 2020 .