Previously Unknown Australian SF Unit operating in Middle East

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Details are beginning to leak out about a previously unknown Australian SF unit operating in the Middle East.

Some of the details to emerge:

It is about 40 members strong in the Middle East.
There are 200 support personnel.
Many members have previous SASR experience but not all.
It is probably not a subunit of the SASR.
The commander is believed to be a civilian (i.e. he is not currently a member of the ADF although he may have been in the past). This has raised speculation it is controlled or part of ASIS.
Operators are believed to be classified as members of the Australian Army but they do not wear Australian uniforms.
They are based outside of Iraq/Afghanistan. They fly in for short missions (around 4 days) and then are immediately flown back to their base.
Every 3 months they are flown to Europe for medical checks and an extended break.
They have had extensive training outside of Australia. Many at a base outside of Paris with CIGN instructors and instructors from the CIA's covert action arm. There is also training in the USA and UK. Assasination techniques are part of the training.

--0--

This has been pulled from an Australian site. No refs or links to it. Has been submitted by someone who is operational.
 

moughoun

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
It could be similar to the US gray fox or the Brit's "DET" in function or maybe even the French paramilitary unit's attached to DGSE, which perform most french specops
 

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
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  • #3
moughoun said:
It could be similar to the US gray fox or the Brit's "DET" in function or maybe even the French paramilitary unit's attached to DGSE, which perform most french specops
I'm assuming that it is attached to work with Grey Fox. The initial co-op is done with US SOCOM, Frances CIGN plus an undeclared UK specops unit.

CIGN does the French COIN trg and even though is a "police unit" is deemed to be their specialised specwarfare cadre.
 
A

Aussie Digger

Guest
Here's the ADF's view on this report:

FINANCIAL REVIEW WRONG ON SPECIAL FORCES ALLEGATIONS


STATEMENT ON AUSTRALIAN SPECIAL OPERATIONS

IN RESPONSE TO ARTICLE BY BRIAN TOOHEY ON 28 AUGUST 2004

IN THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW



The article is factually incorrect and misleading. The explicit assertion made that Australian troops belonging to a Special Operations unit, are operating in the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO), and that this unit is part of a special operations group, is wrong.

The only ADF units operating anywhere within the Middle East are those announced by Government and listed on the Defence Web Site. The ADF is not conducting Special Forces operations of any kind.

From time to time, a small number of Special Forces are in Iraq on third country deployment, or providing protective security.

ends.

Obtained from www.defence.com.au

I personally think he is confusing Ex Australian Specwarries with an actual line ADF unit. There are a large number of ex ADF specwarries and police tactical team members serving in Iraq at present on various tasks for various organisations.

I am highly sceptical of any "secret" ADF Unit serving there. SASR hae been deployed there a number of times since the war ended, but on protective security tasks for the Defence Minister (who has been there several times), the Prime Minister and other dignitaries.

Our entire ORBAT is available for viewing as is our entire defence budget on the ADF's website. Any such unit is not funded by the ADF and is not part of our ORBAT.

Our government has shown a remarkable level of ineptitude in being able to keep "secrets" and such a force would have been detected and reported on by now.

There "might" be some sort of ASIS "force" operating in or around Iraq and is probably part of "the war on terror", though it is still illegal for ASIS operatives to undertake "armed covert operation missions" and are only allowed to bear arms in self defence...
 

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
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  • #5
specwarries could be attached to specific processes, but I find it hard to believe that it's part of a quango. OTOH, ASIS could only participate in these events if they were attached to sepcwarrie ops - and I can't see that happening.
 
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