Frogman Corps (Denmark)
 | This article includes a list of generalreferences,butit lacks sufficient correspondinginline citations.(December 2014) |
| Frogman Corps[1] | |
|---|---|
| Frømandskorpset | |
 Emblem of the Frogman Corps | |
| Active | 17 June 1957 – present[2] |
| Country |  Denmark |
| Branch |  Royal Danish Navy |
| Type | Frogman |
| Role | Special operations Combat diving Special reconnaissance |
| Size | 150[3] |
| Part of | Special Operations Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Kongsøre[1] |
| Nickname(s) | FKP, Et hold af frøer |
| Engagements | Operation Ocean Shield |
| Decorations |  Presidential Unit Citation(United States) |
| Website | Official Facebook page |
TheFrogman Corps[1](Danish:Frømandskorpset) is the maritimespecial operations forceof theDanish Armed Forcespart ofSpecial Operations Command.On 1 July 2015, the Frogman Corps transferred from theRoyal Danish Navyto the newly establishedSpecial Operations Command.[4]
History
[edit] |
The Frogman Corps was established on 17 June 1957 based on the model of the United Kingdom'sSpecial Boat Service,USUnderwater Demolition Team,andMarinejegerkommandoenin Norway. Initially it was under the Danish Navy's Diving School at Flådestation Holmen (Naval Station Holmen,Copenhagen), but in 1972 it was made an independent unit, operationally under the submarine squadron.
Role
[edit]The Frogman Corps' primary role is reconnaissance, but it is also tasked with assaulting enemy ships, sabotage of fixed installations, advanced force and maritime anti-terrorism tasks.
It also performs special operations work on land, including anti-terrorism and anti-criminal work. The Corps supports the police with matters that demand highly specialised diving. Local authorities, etc. can also benefit from the frogmen's skills, for example when underwater installations must be inspected.
Training
[edit]The Frogman Corps trains at the Torpedo Station at Kongsøre[5]and works through a long series of courses, e.g.:
- Combat swimmer course for three weeks
- Advancedscuba divingcourse
- Rescue swimmer course
- Survival course
The basic Frogman Course is nine months. Each year 500–600 applicants start the course and less than a dozen complete all nine months. Since its creation in 1957, 311 have completed the training and become frogmen as of 2015[update].[6]
King Frederik X of Denmarkpassed selection and completed continuation training to become a badged Frogman, in the course of which he earned the nickname "Pingo,"when hiswetsuitfilled with water and he was forced to waddle like a penguin.[7][8]
In 2015, aDR-produced documentary detailing the life of Frogman cadets was released.[9]
Operations
[edit]The Frogman Corps were involved in operations in Afghanistan, such asTask Force K-Bar,and in Iraq.[10]
From 2008 until the end of 2014, the Frogman Corps was involved incounter-piracyoperations as part ofOperation Ocean Shield.[10]On 5 February 2010, ten Frogman Corps members aboardHDMSAbsalon (L16)conducted acounter-piracy missionin theGulf of Adenapproaching theAntigua and Barbuda-flagged merchant vesselAriellaby rigid hull inflatable boat which had been hijacked by six armed Somali pirates.[11][12]They scaled the side of the ship and freed the 25 crew, who had locked themselves in a secure room, and continued to search the vessel for the pirates who had fled.[12]
In November 2021, a unit from the Frogman Corps was involved in counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Guineadeployed aboard theRoyal Danish NavyfrigateHDMS Esbern Snare (F342).On 25 November 2021 soldiers from the unit were involved in a firefight with eight suspected pirates aboard a fast-moving craft where four suspects were killed and one wounded and the surviving three were captured. The soldiers suffered no casualties.[13]
Equipment
[edit]- SIG Sauer P320X-Carry (replaced Glock Model 17 in service, when the military adopted the P320)
- Heckler & Koch MP5
- SIG MCX[citation needed]
- Gevær M/10 (Colt Canada C8 IUR rifle)
- Finskyttegevær M/04 (Sako TRG-42)
- GRK M/03 40 mm (Colt Canada M203A1)
- Dysekanon M/85 (Carl Gustav M3)
- Panserværnsvåben M/97 (AT-4 CS)
Gallery
[edit]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abc"Facts and Figures - The Danish Armed Forces"(PDF).Danish Defence.February 2011. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 30 April 2019.Retrieved13 September2017.
- ^"Fotos fra frøernes Kongsøre - Frømandskorpset fejrede sig selv med action i Isefjorden".Danish Defence(in Danish). 16 June 2017. Archived fromthe originalon 15 September 2017.Retrieved14 September2017.
- ^Havskov, Jens Anton (24 June 2013)."The Danish Version of the Navy SEALs".bt.dk(in Danish). Berlingske Media.Retrieved4 August2016.
- ^"Jægerkorpset og Frømandskorpset overdrages til Specialoperationskommandoen [Jaegercorps and Frogman Corps transferred to Special operations command]".Danish Defence(Press release) (in Danish). 25 June 2015. Archived fromthe originalon 26 May 2017.Retrieved16 June2017.
- ^Frømandskorpset."About"(in Danish).Facebook.Retrieved15 January2017.
- ^"Frømandskorpset (1:5)"(Video).DR.dk/TV(in Danish).Retrieved9 November2015.
- ^Bremer, Sophie (21 November 2011)."Pingo Playing With Australian Special Forces".Ekstra Bladet(in Danish).JP/Politikens Hus A/S.Retrieved15 January2017.
- ^"Alt det du ikke ved om kronprins Frederik".DR(in Danish).Retrieved10 July2023.
- ^Rasmussen, Sofie Amalie."DR1 giver et unikt indblik i Frømandskorpset".DR.dk(in Danish).Retrieved3 November2015.
- ^ab"Frømandskorpset - About".Facebook(in Danish). This is the official Facebook site of the Danish Naval Special Warfare Group (Frogman Corps).Retrieved17 June2017.
- ^"NATO warship Absalon saves ship from pirate attack".United States European Command(Press release).Retrieved16 June2017.
- ^ab"Danish Forces Storm Somali Pirate Ship, Free 25 People On Board".Fox News.5 February 2010.Retrieved16 June2017.
- ^"Fire dræbt efter ildkamp med Frømandskorpset".DR(in Danish). 2021-11-25.Retrieved2021-11-27.
External links
[edit]
- Danish Defence FrømandskorpsetArchived2018-08-29 at theWayback Machine(in Danish)
- Official Facebook Frømandskorpset page(in Danish)
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