Fallskärmsjägarna
Encyclopedia
Fallskärmsjägarna, also known as Fallskärmsjägarkåren (in English Parachute Ranger Corps), is a Swedish parachute unit.
The unit is based in K3 Karlsborg
at the Fallskärmsjägarskolan
(Parachute Ranger School, commonly known as FJS) and is a Swedish
military
Special Operations
unit.
(FJS) was created in 1952 by Captain Nils-Ivar Carlborg and modelled after the British post-World War II
airborne commando forces such as the Parachute Regiment and the Special Air Service
(SAS), with the objective to create a highly mobile force which had the flexibility to operate behind enemy lines and carry out long range reconnaissance missions to passively gather military intelligence.
or SSG) and Särskilda Inhämtningsgruppen
(Special Reconnaissance Group or SIG), but there is no official coordination of training or operations between these units. Recent reorganizations of the Swedish armed forces have given the unit a more international profile, although details of foreign engagements remain classified.
Around 2001, the Swedish armed forces organized a new special forces unit, called FJS IK, or Fallskärmsjägarskolans Insatskompani, which consisted of contracted former FJS conscripts for international deployment. In 2002, FJS IK were deployed to Afghanistan, and in 2003, FJS IK were deployed alongside SSG
in Congo during Operation Artemis. In 2006 FJS IK was renamed Särskilda Inhämtningsgruppen
(SIG), which along with SSG makes up Sweden's special forces. Their operations and structure are classified.
The unit recruits primarily commissioned officers from units across the armed forces. Public information on SIG is extremely limited although according to the information on the Swedish Army website, it is claimed that they master every aspect of intelligence gathering.
Main mode of deployment is by parachute but the unit can also be deployed via helicopter and boats. The 6 men teams operate in small autonomous groups trained for long term independence and autonomy. Each group consists of a group leader and a deputy group leader, a sniper, demolitions expert, medic and communications expert. If required for the mission, an interpreter may be assigned to the unit to handle local civilian interaction or interrogations.
The unit is made up of conscripts who have all volunteered for the special service, commissioned officers and reserve officers who in most cases are former FJS conscripts. The complete training program is for 12 months (previously 15) and is a very condensed and demanding program. It is considered to be the most physically and mentally demanding training programs within the Swedish Armed Forces.
Selection to the unit is one of the toughest in the Swedish army, including a two-day pre-selection and three induction weeks in addition to the regular armed forces recruiting process. The unit also recruits commissioned officers from other military units which have to undergo a rigorous selection program and training, culminating in the “Eagle March”. The Eagle March is preceded by a number of group tasks after which the units are deployed via parachute and set out to complete a 60–70 km march with a 30 kg combat pack in rough terrain followed by a ~10 km individual navigation test-course carrying combat gear and weapons. The march and navigation test must be completed within 24 hours and without being captured in order "graduate" as a Fallskärmsjägare. Note that "The Eagle March" must be successfully completed by all military personnel serving at FJS once a year. Commissioned officers wishing to serve at FJS must pass a special program known under the code-name "0231" ending with the march to be eligible for the service. Successful candidates who complete the march within the prescribed time frame is awarded the "Golden Eagle". Officers from other units who successfully complete the program may receive a position in the unit. The Golden Eagle is not the unit's insignia but an official training badge (utbildningstecken) awarded to those who complete the FJS training program. Selected conscript soldiers from the unit have the option after having completed the whole training program to complete a reserve officer program and become officers in the reserve placed with the unit. A candidate can at any time during the training program (and in particular during the induction weeks) be separated from the unit and sent home or transferred to other units in case standards are not met. Injuries are common and injured candidates are frequently given the opportunity to come back the following year if desired.
as well as in Congo. It is believed that this force from FJS became the foundation for the newly formed Särskilda Inhämtningsgruppen
(Special Reconnaissance Group).
, which is awarded after the first parachute jump. The maroon beret
is common headwear for parachutists in the western world's armed forces. The individual sign of having passed the unit’s training program which culminates in the “Eagle March” is the Golden Eagle in metal which is worn on the left hand breast pocket – on the field uniform a textile version is worn on the upper part of the right hand sleeve. The eagle is considered the “real” mark of a Fallskärmjägare as it is only given to those who completed the training program whereas the beret with the insignia is worn after having completed the first parachute jump. The eagle can be worn on uniforms in any unit as it is an award for completed training whereas the insignia shows the affiliation to a particular army unit.
The unit is based in K3 Karlsborg
Karlsborg
Karlsborg is a locality and the seat of Karlsborg Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 3,574 inhabitants in 2005. This garrison town lies at the shore of lake Vättern in Västergötland.-History:...
at the Fallskärmsjägarskolan
Fallskärmsjägarskolan
Fallskärmsjägarskolan, commonly known as FJS, is the Swedish Army's Parachute Ranger School and the home of Fallskärmsjägarna and Särskilda Skyddsgruppen...
(Parachute Ranger School, commonly known as FJS) and is a Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
military
Swedish Armed Forces
The Swedish Armed Forces is a Swedish Government Agency responsible for the operation of the armed forces of the Realm. The primary task of the agency is to train, organize and to deploy military forces, domestically and abroad, while maintaining the long-term ability to defend the Realm in the...
Special Operations
Special operations
Special operations are military operations that are considered "special" .Special operations are typically performed independently or in conjunction with conventional military operations. The primary goal is to achieve a political or military objective where a conventional force requirement does...
unit.
History
FallskärmsjägarskolanFallskärmsjägarskolan
Fallskärmsjägarskolan, commonly known as FJS, is the Swedish Army's Parachute Ranger School and the home of Fallskärmsjägarna and Särskilda Skyddsgruppen...
(FJS) was created in 1952 by Captain Nils-Ivar Carlborg and modelled after the British post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
airborne commando forces such as the Parachute Regiment and the Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
(SAS), with the objective to create a highly mobile force which had the flexibility to operate behind enemy lines and carry out long range reconnaissance missions to passively gather military intelligence.
Organization
FJS is organized under Livregementets husarer at K3 but under the command of Överbefälhavaren, the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces. K3 is also the home of the Air-mobile Ranger Battalion (LBB or luftburen Jägarbataljon in Swedish), airmobile infantry similar to the US 101 Air Assault Division, the Special Protection Group (Särskilda SkyddsgruppenSärskilda Skyddsgruppen
Särskilda Skyddsgruppen is a special operations unit of the Swedish military which became active in 1994. The exact number of operatives is classified but is thought to be between 60 and 80, with an average age of 31...
or SSG) and Särskilda Inhämtningsgruppen
Särskilda Inhämtningsgruppen
Särskilda Inhämtningsgruppen is one of the two Swedish special operations units and was created in 2006, when it broke out of the Parachute Ranger School Fallskärmsjägarskolan. The exact number of operatives is classified but is thought to be between 50 and 70, with an average age of 30...
(Special Reconnaissance Group or SIG), but there is no official coordination of training or operations between these units. Recent reorganizations of the Swedish armed forces have given the unit a more international profile, although details of foreign engagements remain classified.
Around 2001, the Swedish armed forces organized a new special forces unit, called FJS IK, or Fallskärmsjägarskolans Insatskompani, which consisted of contracted former FJS conscripts for international deployment. In 2002, FJS IK were deployed to Afghanistan, and in 2003, FJS IK were deployed alongside SSG
SSG
- Organizations :* Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group, within the United States Navy* Safesoft Global, former name of Seioglobal, a Chinese IT company* Särskilda Skyddsgruppen, a special forces unit of the Swedish Defence Forces...
in Congo during Operation Artemis. In 2006 FJS IK was renamed Särskilda Inhämtningsgruppen
Särskilda Inhämtningsgruppen
Särskilda Inhämtningsgruppen is one of the two Swedish special operations units and was created in 2006, when it broke out of the Parachute Ranger School Fallskärmsjägarskolan. The exact number of operatives is classified but is thought to be between 50 and 70, with an average age of 30...
(SIG), which along with SSG makes up Sweden's special forces. Their operations and structure are classified.
The unit recruits primarily commissioned officers from units across the armed forces. Public information on SIG is extremely limited although according to the information on the Swedish Army website, it is claimed that they master every aspect of intelligence gathering.
Operations and training
FJS's operational field of expertise is in intelligence gathering deep inside enemy controlled territory and have secondary duties in sabotage and tactical diversion. The unit has special training in Arctic warfare and can sustain operations for extended periods (in excess of one month) deep inside enemy territory without resupply or support from other parts of the armed forces.Main mode of deployment is by parachute but the unit can also be deployed via helicopter and boats. The 6 men teams operate in small autonomous groups trained for long term independence and autonomy. Each group consists of a group leader and a deputy group leader, a sniper, demolitions expert, medic and communications expert. If required for the mission, an interpreter may be assigned to the unit to handle local civilian interaction or interrogations.
The unit is made up of conscripts who have all volunteered for the special service, commissioned officers and reserve officers who in most cases are former FJS conscripts. The complete training program is for 12 months (previously 15) and is a very condensed and demanding program. It is considered to be the most physically and mentally demanding training programs within the Swedish Armed Forces.
Selection to the unit is one of the toughest in the Swedish army, including a two-day pre-selection and three induction weeks in addition to the regular armed forces recruiting process. The unit also recruits commissioned officers from other military units which have to undergo a rigorous selection program and training, culminating in the “Eagle March”. The Eagle March is preceded by a number of group tasks after which the units are deployed via parachute and set out to complete a 60–70 km march with a 30 kg combat pack in rough terrain followed by a ~10 km individual navigation test-course carrying combat gear and weapons. The march and navigation test must be completed within 24 hours and without being captured in order "graduate" as a Fallskärmsjägare. Note that "The Eagle March" must be successfully completed by all military personnel serving at FJS once a year. Commissioned officers wishing to serve at FJS must pass a special program known under the code-name "0231" ending with the march to be eligible for the service. Successful candidates who complete the march within the prescribed time frame is awarded the "Golden Eagle". Officers from other units who successfully complete the program may receive a position in the unit. The Golden Eagle is not the unit's insignia but an official training badge (utbildningstecken) awarded to those who complete the FJS training program. Selected conscript soldiers from the unit have the option after having completed the whole training program to complete a reserve officer program and become officers in the reserve placed with the unit. A candidate can at any time during the training program (and in particular during the induction weeks) be separated from the unit and sent home or transferred to other units in case standards are not met. Injuries are common and injured candidates are frequently given the opportunity to come back the following year if desired.
International Involvement
FJS have been involved in low intensity conflicts under UN flag notably Kosovo and Bosnia where they served as the intelligence platoon to KFOR primarily working with personal based intelligence gathering (“HUMINT”) and also in Afghanistan as support for the International Security Assistance ForceInternational Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
as well as in Congo. It is believed that this force from FJS became the foundation for the newly formed Särskilda Inhämtningsgruppen
Särskilda Inhämtningsgruppen
Särskilda Inhämtningsgruppen is one of the two Swedish special operations units and was created in 2006, when it broke out of the Parachute Ranger School Fallskärmsjägarskolan. The exact number of operatives is classified but is thought to be between 50 and 70, with an average age of 30...
(Special Reconnaissance Group).
Insignia
The unit’s insignia (förbandstecken) is a parachute circumscribed by laurel leaves. This is worn in the maroon beretMaroon beret
The maroon beret is a military beret and has been an international symbol of elite airborne forces since it was chosen for British airborne forces in World War II. This distinctive head dress was officially introduced in 1942, at the direction of General Frederick Browning, commander of the British...
, which is awarded after the first parachute jump. The maroon beret
Maroon beret
The maroon beret is a military beret and has been an international symbol of elite airborne forces since it was chosen for British airborne forces in World War II. This distinctive head dress was officially introduced in 1942, at the direction of General Frederick Browning, commander of the British...
is common headwear for parachutists in the western world's armed forces. The individual sign of having passed the unit’s training program which culminates in the “Eagle March” is the Golden Eagle in metal which is worn on the left hand breast pocket – on the field uniform a textile version is worn on the upper part of the right hand sleeve. The eagle is considered the “real” mark of a Fallskärmjägare as it is only given to those who completed the training program whereas the beret with the insignia is worn after having completed the first parachute jump. The eagle can be worn on uniforms in any unit as it is an award for completed training whereas the insignia shows the affiliation to a particular army unit.
See also
- Swedish Armed ForcesSwedish Armed ForcesThe Swedish Armed Forces is a Swedish Government Agency responsible for the operation of the armed forces of the Realm. The primary task of the agency is to train, organize and to deploy military forces, domestically and abroad, while maintaining the long-term ability to defend the Realm in the...
- Special ForcesSpecial forcesSpecial forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
- Särskilda SkyddsgruppenSärskilda SkyddsgruppenSärskilda Skyddsgruppen is a special operations unit of the Swedish military which became active in 1994. The exact number of operatives is classified but is thought to be between 60 and 80, with an average age of 31...
- Kustjägarna