Korps Commandotroepen

Korps Commandotroepen
Uniform shoulder sleeve insignia of the Korps Commandotroepen (depicting a Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife)
Active	March 22, 1942 - Present
Country	Netherlands
Branch	Army
Type	Special Forces
Role	Special Forces
Size	One battalion
Garrison/HQ	Roosendaal
Motto	Nunc aut Nunquam ("Now or Never")
Colors	Black with Dark Green Border
Anniversaries	March 22

The Korps Commandotroepen (KCT) are the elite special forces of the Royal Netherlands Army. It is one of the two principal units tasked with special operations in the Netherlands (the other being the Maritime Special Operations Forces (MARSOF) of the Netherlands Marine Corps), and it is deployable anywhere in the world under any circumstance, conducting all conceivable missions from the full spectrum of special operations, including counter-terrorism overseas.

Contents 1 The History of Korps Commandotroepen 1.1 World War II 1.2 Dutch East Indies 1.3 The Modern KCT 1.4 Selection and Training 2 Mission 3 Role of Korps Commandotroepen 3.1 Special Reconnaissance 3.2 Direct Action 3.3 Collateral Activities 4 Battle honours 5 Equipment 5.1 Weaponry 5.2 Communication 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

The History of Korps Commandotroepen

World War II

The roots of the KCT go back to World War II. Under the name No.2 (Dutch) Troop, the first Dutch commandos were trained in Achnacarry, Scotland, as part of No.10 Inter-allied Commando. The unit was formed on March 22, 1942, the birthday of the present KCT. Its purpose was to conduct special operations, which, at the time, were operations that were considered too complex and too dangerous for conventional military personnel. The unit was disbanded in October 1945, but its members continued fighting in the Dutch East Indies, while others formed the Stormschool (1945-1950), located in Bloemendaal. In 1949, the Stormschool relocated itself to the Engelbrecht van Nassaukazerne in Roosendaal, now the home garrison of the present KCT.

Dutch East Indies

Korps Insulinde (1942-1945) was tasked with conducting guerrilla warfare in Sumatra against the Japanese. After the Japanese capitulation, the Korps Insulinde was tasked with the search and rescue of (Dutch) POWs. In November 1945, the unit was disbanded, and its members hooked up with Depot Speciale Troepen and former members of No.2 (Dutch) Troop to form the Regiment Speciale Troepen (1945-1950). This new unit was involved in the Indonesian independence wars after WW2. After Indonesia's independence was acknowledged by the Dutch government in 1949, the RST returned to the Netherlands. On 1 July 1950, on parliamentary recommendation, the RST merged with the Stormschool in Roosendaal to form the present Korps Commandotroepen.

The Modern KCT

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, much has changed. Particular events have shaped the organisation and capacity of the armed forces, and in particular, that of the KCT. With the threat of Cold War belonging to the past, many new conflicts appeared throughout the world. Nowadays, worldwide terrorism has become the biggest threat, and there has been a very big demand for specialist counter-terrorism units, able to operate overseas. To keep up with these demands, the KCT's old role of Commando Waarnemer-verkenner (Commando Force Reconnaissance) was replaced by that of the modern and versatile Commando Speciale Operaties (co-spec-ops, or Commando Special Operations).

The KCT switched from a "part conscript, part professional force" to a fully professional unit in 1995. The last conscripts made place for professional operators in 1996, when the Dutch conscription was suspended. From here, the KCT had undergone drastic changes in its structure and operational capability, and with great success. It has grown to a mature, professional and versatile SF unit. And it has built up a considerable reputation. Deployments to Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Iraq and more recently, Afghanistan provided many new insights and knowledge. Successful CT operations in Côte d'Ivoire (2004) and the Middle-East (2006) proved once again that the KCT is an extremely able, highly independent and versatile unit.

KCT operators wear a Commando Green beret. This shade of green is also in use by British Commando Qualified personnel and internationally often worn by other commando units. The gold-coloured KCT beret emblem displays a Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife, hand grenade and a ribbon with the unit's Nunc aut Nunquam motto on it. The background of the emblem consist of a gothic typeface "W", indicating the name Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands from 1898-1948. The beret emblem is worn on a black background with a green border.

Selection and Training

The KCT accepts applications from both enlisted and civilians. All candidates are subjected to an initial 3 day indoctrination phase where they experience what is demanded from an operator. After initial physical and psychological tests, prospective candidates are sent to Amsterdam for further tests and evaluation before being enrolled into a basic 2 week introductory course known as VO (Vooropleiding). The course serves to prepare candidates for the next phase, called ECO (Elementaire Commando Opleiding). ECO is a 8 week selection phase held twice a year in the forrests around Roosendaal and De Biesbosch, and is regarded as one of the most demanding courses of the Military of the Netherlands. Due to the environment and secrecy which the KCT operates under, not much is known about the course. Among the basic elements thought to be included are live fire exercises, long range patrolling, speed marches and mock interrogations, during which candidates are subjected to various methods (temperature, hunger, clothing, exhaustion).

Successful candidates begin the continuation course, VCO (Voortgezette Commando Opleiding), and are now aspiring commandos. The course covers all aspects of special warfare such as, reconnaissance, direct action (DA), counter-terrorism (CT), HALO/HAHO parachuting and combat diving. Lasting 16 months, it includes jungle training in Malaysia, mountain and terrain training in Switzerland and arctic training in Norway. In total about 10 different countries are used for training in order to prepare for deployments around the world. Upon completion the participants are considered operational commandos.

Mission

• To prepare and to conduct all conceivable missions from the full spectrum of Special Operations;
• To participate simultaneously in two peacekeeping operations with a maximum of four teams each;
• To be self-reliant in combat service support and administration;
• To act as Doctrine Centre for Special Operations;
• To provide internal and external training;^[1]

Role of Korps Commandotroepen

Korps Commandotroepen is an extremely capable and experienced unit, as it is an exceptionally "original" unit. Unlike many prominent special forces units in the world, often modeled upon the British Special Air Service (SAS), the KCT however, stands on its own, forming the doctrine centre for special operations in the Netherlands, and providing "internal" training for its operators, and "external" training for other (specialist) units within the Dutch armed forces.

Special Reconnaissance

The primary task of the Korps Commandotroepen is to conduct covert special reconnaissance operations. Operators gather and report intelligence as they infiltrate deep into enemy territory, observing, monitoring, analysing targets (enemy forces, buildings, infrastructure) and surrounding natural environment. Intelligence that would benefit the main battle force prior to an invasion, or intelligence that would benefit a direct action.

Direct Action

The second task of the KCT is to conduct so-called direct action (DA): covert offensive actions that are small in size, conducted violently with surgical precision, in a (very) short amount of time. They come in the form of raids, ambush, and sabotage/demolition, to take out a specific target. This could be specific individuals, structures, weaponry, etc. DA is an unconventional method in warfare, because a specific objective is accomplished quickly and covertly, instead of a mass confrontation in the open, seen in conventional warfare. The ultimate purpose is to bring the enemy force to its knees through deprival, humiliation and sabotage, not necessarily destroying it (as in conventional warfare), though the enemy would still have the ability to fight.

Typical DA tactics:

• capture and neutralisation, or destruction, of major facilities and material;
• capture and/or release of particular individuals or material;
• destruction of key infrastructure;
• overwhelming the enemy force by surprise with superior firepower, in the form of ambush and raids;
• sabotage of lines of communication.

The KCT is also tasked with counter-terrorism operations overseas. Domestic CT operations is the task of the Unit Interventie Mariniers of the Dutch Marine Corps.

Collateral Activities

The third task of the KCT is to provide Collateral Activities. The most significant function is training and operating with indigenous forces, in order to conduct guerilla warfare. Another significant function is to reinforce a battle force. This means that an operational team is part of a larger whole (for example, a main battle force), although remaining independent, providing support in firepower and other strategic and tactical advantages, as well as force protection (protection of coalition troops).

Additionally, combat search-and-rescue (CSAR) and humanitarian aid and disaster relief are other, not unimportant tasks of the KCT.

Battle honours

Arakan 1944, Nijmegen 1944, Eindhoven 1944, Vlissingen 1944 and Westkapelle 1944.

Djokjakarta 1948 and Central Sumatra 1948-1949 [1]

Bosnia-Herzegovina (1996-2000), Iraq (SFIR) 2003-2005, Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) 2005-2006 and (ISAF) 2006-2007

Equipment

Weaponry

• Glock 17M semi-automatic pistol 9x19mm Parabellum (M stands for maritime)^[2]
• Mossberg 590DA1 pump action shotgun 12 gauge
• FN P90 submachine gun 5.7x28mm^{[3][4][5][6][7][8]}
• Diemaco C8A1GD assault carbine 5.56x45mm NATO (GD stands for geluiddemper (suppressor))^[9]
• Heckler & Koch HK416 assault rifle 5.56x45mm NATO
• Heckler & Koch HK417 assault/designated marksman rifle 7.62x51mm NATO
• Heckler & Koch AG-NL grenade launcher 40x46mm
• Accuracy International Arctic Warfare sniper rifle 7.62x51mm NATO (few arms available)
• Accuracy International AWSM-F sniper rifle .338 Lapua Magnum
• Sako TRG-41 sniper rifle .338 Lapua Magnum (20 arms acquired prior to the Accuracy International AWSM-F procurement)
• Barrett M82A1 anti-material rifle 12.7x99mm NATO
• FN Minimi light machine gun 5.56x45mm NATO
• FN MAG general purpose machine gun 7.62x51mm NATO
• M2 Browning machine gun heavy machine gun 12.7x99mm NATO
• Heckler & Koch GMG automatic grenade launcher 40x53mm
• Thomson-Brandt Commando Type V 60mm light mortar^[10][11]
• M72A2 LAW light anti-tank weapon
• AT4 anti-tank weapon
• Special Operations Knife (SOK) Standard issue handmade survival knife by Hill Knives Holland.^[12]

Communication

• AN/PRC-148 Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio (MBITR) with headset

See also

• Marco Kroon, recent recipient of the Militaire Willemsorde

References

External links

• Korps Commandotroepen Homepage (in Dutch)
• Korps Commandotroepen Homepage (in English)
• Footage of Dutch commandos in Afghanistan (2006) 1
• Footage of Dutch commandos in Afghanistan (2006) 2