72nd Reconnaissance-commando Battalion
Encyclopedia
The 72nd Reconnaissance
-Commando
Battalion is a battalion within the Special Brigade unit in the Serbian Army. In the past it was brigade-size, and included the CT "Hawks" Battalion (now Counter-terrorist Battalion
), and was known as the 72 Special Brigade. Currently it has the status of a battalion within the restructured Serbian Army. Its main tasks are reconnaissance and demolition.
The unit was formed in 1992, its headquarters are located in Pančevo
.
, the unit is realized:
s, Steyr AUG
rifles, Sako TRG-22/42 sniper rifles
7.62 mm, 7.9 mm and 12.7 mm sniper rifles, 7.62 mm machine guns and various types of pistols and revolvers of the battalion's own choice. The 72nd Reconnaissance-commando Battalion's heavy armament consists of disposal, Serbian-made grenade-launchers
, hand rocket-launchers also of domestic production, the "Wasp
" Armour-piercing rocket system, and the 60 mm and 82 mm light mortars and optic-electronic devices for night
operations.
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
-Commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
Battalion is a battalion within the Special Brigade unit in the Serbian Army. In the past it was brigade-size, and included the CT "Hawks" Battalion (now Counter-terrorist Battalion
Counter-terrorist Battalion of MP Serbian Special Brigade
The Counter-terrorist Battalion nicknamed: "Sokolovi" is a battalion within the Special Brigade unit of the Serbian Army. In the near past it was brigade-size, with 72nd Reconnaissance-Commando Battalion, and together was named 72 Special Brigade. It has the status of a battalion within the...
), and was known as the 72 Special Brigade. Currently it has the status of a battalion within the restructured Serbian Army. Its main tasks are reconnaissance and demolition.
The unit was formed in 1992, its headquarters are located in Pančevo
Pancevo
Pančevo is a city and municipality located in the southern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina, 15 km northeast from Belgrade. In 2002, the city had a total population of 77,087, while municipality of Pančevo had 127,162 inhabitants. It is the administrative center of the South Banat...
.
Training
Range of combat training is very broad and includes tactical, fire and physical training the highest professional risk. In addition to a very demanding selective training, which is the first entrance criteria for the Special BrigadeSpecial Brigade
The Special Brigade is the main and the most elite special forces unit of the Serbian Land Forces. It consist from counter-terrorist, recon units, commando units, paratroopers and diving units....
, the unit is realized:
- Training of members of units in the use of cold weapons, the implementation of martial art skills, the use of weapons with high fire power;
- Training complex action tactics of special operations;
- Training in parachuting, diving, swimming, climbing and rescue services.
Weaponry and equipment
The battalion is armed with Serbian-made 7.62 mm and 5.56 mm rifles, R4 assault rifleR4 assault rifle
The R4 is a 5.56mm assault rifle that was introduced into service with the South African Defence Force in 1982, replacing the earlier 7.62mm FN FAL rifle, that was manufactured in South Africa under a license agreement from Fabrique Nationale as the R1...
s, Steyr AUG
Steyr AUG
The AUG is an Austrian bullpup 5.56mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1970s by Steyr Mannlicher GmbH & Co KG . The AUG was adopted by the Austrian Army as the StG 77 in 1977, where it replaced the 7.62mm StG 58 automatic rifle...
rifles, Sako TRG-22/42 sniper rifles
Sako TRG
Sako TRG-22/42 sniper rifles were developed by the Finnish firearm manufacturer SAKO of Riihimäki. The TRG-22 is designed to fire standard .308 Winchester ammunition, while the TRG-42 is designed to fire more powerful .300 Winchester Magnum and .338 Lapua Magnum ammunition and therefore has a...
7.62 mm, 7.9 mm and 12.7 mm sniper rifles, 7.62 mm machine guns and various types of pistols and revolvers of the battalion's own choice. The 72nd Reconnaissance-commando Battalion's heavy armament consists of disposal, Serbian-made grenade-launchers
Grenade launcher
A grenade launcher or grenade discharger is a weapon that launches a grenade with more accuracy, higher velocity, and to greater distances than a soldier could throw it by hand....
, hand rocket-launchers also of domestic production, the "Wasp
M80 Rocket Launcher
The M80 nicknamed the "Zolja", meaning WASP in English, is a portable one-shot disposable 64 mm anti-tank weapon, designed in the former Yugoslavia...
" Armour-piercing rocket system, and the 60 mm and 82 mm light mortars and optic-electronic devices for night
Night vision
Night vision is the ability to see in low light conditions. Whether by biological or technological means, night vision is made possible by a combination of two approaches: sufficient spectral range, and sufficient intensity range...
operations.
See also
- Special BrigadeSpecial BrigadeThe Special Brigade is the main and the most elite special forces unit of the Serbian Land Forces. It consist from counter-terrorist, recon units, commando units, paratroopers and diving units....
- MP Counter-terrorist BattalionCounter-terrorist Battalion of MP Serbian Special BrigadeThe Counter-terrorist Battalion nicknamed: "Sokolovi" is a battalion within the Special Brigade unit of the Serbian Army. In the near past it was brigade-size, with 72nd Reconnaissance-Commando Battalion, and together was named 72 Special Brigade. It has the status of a battalion within the...
- 63rd Parachute Battalion