Kommando Spezialkräfte facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kommando Spezialkräfte |
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KSK unit badge
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| Active | 20 September 1996 (Created) 1997 (Activated)–present |
| Country |  Germany |
| Branch | German Army |
| Type | Special forces |
| Size | ~1,100 active personnel |
| Part of | Rapid Forces Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Calw, Baden-Württemberg, Germany |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Brigadier General (Brigadegeneral) Markus Kreitmayr, since 2018 |
KSK Kommando Spezialkräfte (Special Forces Command, KSK) is an elite special forces military unit composed of special operations soldiers selected from the ranks of Germany's Bundeswehr and organized under the Rapid Forces Division. The KSK is a regular army unit at brigade level and (apart from the HQ and the Development Group) divided into two battalion-sized departments: Operational Forces and Support Forces.
KSK has received many decorations and awards from NATO, the United States and its affiliates and KSK operatives are frequently requested for joint anti-terror operations, notably in the Balkans and Middle East.
Contents
History
From 1973, until the KSK's formation in 1996, the West German (and later German) government assigned all counter-terrorist and special operations activities to the GSG 9, a highly trained police force. Like those of all German military units, KSK deployments require authorization from the German Bundestag (Federal Assembly). The unit has engaged in numerous anti-terror campaigns both in Europe and abroad; known engagements include operations inside Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and most recently in Afghanistan.
During the War in Afghanistan, the KSK worked carrying out numerous operations in the vicinity of the German deployment in Kabul.
As is to be expected with such units, specific operational details such as success and casualty rates are considered to be top secret and withheld even from the highest-ranking members of the Bundestag. This practice has elicited some serious concerns, resulting in agreement to increase both transparency and accountability, by disclosing mission details to selected members of the Bundestag, in relation to the future deployments of KSK forces.
Members of the KSK wear maroon berets as a symbol of their roots in airborne units. A metal badge is worn which consists of a sword surrounded by oak leaves. The flag of the Federal Republic of Germany is depicted on the bottom of the sword.
Related pages
Images for kids
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KSK land based training operations (2017)
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KSK air insertion training (2017)
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Sniper training (2006)
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See also
In Spanish: KSK para niños
