• Purpose: • The purpose of this presentation is to inform about various aspects of the Special Forces branch of the Romanian Army so that you may be more educated about the subject and more prepared for a career in the Military.
• Batalionul 1 Operatii Speciale "Vulturii" - 1st Special Operations battalion •
"The Eagles" The Romanian Armed Forces already had several special operations forces which belonged to different branches of the military. After a study which spanned several years, a decision was taken in 2003 to keep some of them in the future, but disband other and establish an integrated special forces battalion which will have a response time of 72 hours, similar to Delta Force, SEAL DEVGRU or the 22nd SAS Sabre squadrons. The new battalion represents the main SOF unit of the military.
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US Equivalents: Delta Force, SEAL DEVGRU, Army Special Forces (all J-SOC components)
History of the Romanian Special Forces •
The real story begins in the 1990s, when after the fall of the communist regime, some commanders in the armed forces pushed forward the idea of creating a new, integrated special operations unit, which would become the country's most elite unit and comprise of the best men in the military. At the same time, others wanted to keep the existing order of battle. At that time, the Mountain, Airborne, Marine and Diving structures each had several SOF capable units, ranging from detachment to battalion size. • There were talks in the Defence Ministry and the Armed Forces around the year 2000, about what to do with Romanian's Special Operations Forces. • In the year 2000, Romania had at least four Scouting battalions, at least 6 airborne special operations battalions, one marine battalion, one combat divers company and one special operations company. In the end, the specialists decided to take a hibrid solution. They maintained some of the SOF components existent at that time, while at the same time disbanded others and established an integrated special forces battalion.
Characteristics •
The battalion will have an estimated strength of 500 men, and would incorporate several modules, including but not limited to a mountain module and a diving module. Another module will be modeled after the US Army Special Forces, commonly known as the Green Berets. Several Romanian soldiers have attended and successfully graduated the US Army SF selection process, in its entirety, and they, together with several SF advisors, are now conducting a selection process in Romania to increase the number of members for that module. The US SF officers are rotated every 6 months during their stay in Romania. A colonel in the US SF stated: "I am extremely priviledged, [... pause ...] let me repeat that, extremely priviledged, to have worked with the Romanian Special Forces, and I am very confident in their skills and capabilities".
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The training methods of the battalion are obviously classified. Judging from video sequences and interviews, it can be said however that the battalion trains on all possible terrain and for a large variety of missions. Direct action, special reconnaissance, counterterrorism, intelligence gathering, hostage rescuing, sabotage, airborne insertion, intractions, extractions, close protection, as well as other operations are expected to be performed by this unit so the training is up to standards. Since many of the members of this unit have completed selection courses and training sessions abroad, they have also participated to training sessions in various circumstances which could not have been emulated on national soil. As such, the men which have undertaken the SF courses have been to jungle environments, while others have been close to the arctic region, etc.
• Members of the battalion have been known to employ the M-4 Call Commander 5.56mm assault rifle, which is used in the US and UK as the primary weapon of choise for special forces. The Eagles also used brand new armoured Humvee's, at least 8 of them being in the arsenal of the battalion by the end of 2006. Some of the Humvee's are fitted with 50mm submachineguns to increase firepower. Romania ordered 16 Humvee's originally, but their number was increased later during the year to 24. Eight of them have arrived at the 1st SOF battalion Eagles, 8 at the Humint battalion and 8 at the 265th MP battalion in Bucharest.
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Since various units from allied countries have helped to the creation and organization of this battalion, and also if we consider the capabilities, equipment and combat experience it will have, it is only obvious to assume the unit will hold yearly international exercise with similar units from allied countries.
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In 2006, the first company of the battalion has become operational. However it is now known that members of the 1st SF bn have long been deployed to combat missions abroad, sometimes in small detachments as instructors, and most of the time as individuals incorporated into light infantry battalions. The latter tactic has also been used to deploy Mountain Hunters, Humint, Para's and Marines to real combat missions
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Afghanistan
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It has been admitted publicly in late 2006 that several of the KIA and injured troops in Afghanistan have been in fact members of the 1st bn Eagles.
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Iraq
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Romania has since 2003 a "special detachment" in Iraq. The detachment comprises of 56 men, grouped in a comand and analysis team, three intelligence teams, one mobile team, and two Shadow 600 UAVs. While the three intelligence teams might be Humint, the mobile team might be from the 1st bn Eagles. Sources have long stated that members of the 1st bn Eagles participated in combat operations in Iraq. Iraq
Stories •
One company of the battalion has now become operational(2006)
In october 2004, the 404th Scouting Center was transormed in the Humint battalion. The location in Buzau also houses the 2nd Joint Center of Operations (Centrul 2 Intrunit) which coordinates all the Romanian troops deployed anywhere in the world. The event was celebrated with a demonstration of tactical abilities, hostage rescuing, assault of a terrorist camp and others. The battalion is now a reality, and it will become fully operational in 2007. However, the first company of the battalion has already become operational in 2006. Even prior to that event, small size detachments of the unit took part in combat operations in various parts of the world, including Afghanistan and Iraq. The Special Forces battalion represents one of the best special operations unit in Romania. Thanks to its selection process, which has an extremely high failure rate, as well as to the multi-national cooperation which for the past 5 years has helped create this unit, the battalion could also be considered one of the best special operations units in the world.
