Elite troop

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Elite troops define themselves in modern warfare by, among other things:

  • specialized equipment and armament that often differ from the regular troops

Elite troops according to modern understanding are especially those units that are often referred to as commandos or special units . Examples are the GSG 9 of the Federal Police , the German Special Forces Command (KSK), the German frogmen , the British Special Air Service (SAS) or Special Boat Service (SBS), the US-based US Navy Seals and Delta Force . In modern warfare, they are mainly used for military reconnaissance , sabotage , the apprehension of war criminals and the liberation of hostages. Their operations usually go unnoticed by the public and do not always take place under the permitted restrictions of international law .

In addition to comprehensive combat and perseverance training, commandos attach particular importance to the ability to work in a team, psychological resilience and high intelligence. In most countries, language lessons and negotiation tactics are also part of the training.

Since September 11, 2001 , such elite troops have played a special role in the fight against terrorism . They are particularly suitable for guerrilla warfare due to their possibilities for unnoticed intrusion and long stay in an operating area as well as their difficult accessibility by the enemy .

The term "elite troops" is often used for certain branches of the arm of a modern army. B. Parachute - or mountain fighters or fighter pilots due to their particularly demanding training, their corps spirit and the specialized manner of deployment as a kind of elite force. However, they differ from the above scheme in their conventional role in warfare.

Historic elite troops

Elite troops were troops that consisted of specially selected - and mostly young - well-trained teams. Usually they were better equipped than other units and therefore often met extraordinary operational requirements.

In this sense the princely bodyguards form :

an elite force.

In the sense of the core troop, a battle reserve, the guard was first introduced as an elite troop by Napoléon I in 1804 by forming the guard impériale from teams who participated in two campaigns, served 5-6 years, etc. There were also elite companies among Napoleon's line regiments, e.g. B. Voltigeurs and grenadiers or carbines .

In a broader sense, the Prussian and Russian Guards, the Austro-Hungarian Kaiserjäger and Italian Bersaglieri can also be described as elite troops, as they received selected recruits.

literature

  • David Bohrer: US Elite Associations - SEALs, Green Berets, Rangers, USAF Special Operations, Marine Force Recon . Motorbuch Verlag, ISBN 978-3613021518
  • Hugh McManners: Elite and Specialty Organizations Worldwide: History - Equipment - Missions . Motorbuch Verlag 2005, ISBN 3-613-02529-9
  • Kaj-Gunnar Sievert: Command Company. Special units in worldwide use , Mittler, ISBN 3-8132-0822-2
  • Kaj-Gunnar Sievert: Command Company: Covert Access - Special Forces in action . 1st edition. ES Mittler & Sohn, Hamburg / Berlin / Bonn 2010, ISBN 978-3-8132-0916-7 .
  • Reinhard Scholzen , Kerstin Froese: GSG 9: Interior views of a special association of the Federal Border Police. Motorbuch, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-613-01793-8 .
  • Reinhard Scholzen : SEK: Special task forces of the German police. Motorbuch, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-613-02016-5
  • Reinhard Scholzen: KSK: the special forces command of the Bundeswehr. Motorbuch, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-613-02384-9 .
  • Reinhard Scholzen: KSK. Pictures of an elite group. Motorbuch, Stuttgart 2013, ISBN 978-3-613-03547-8 .