Special Air Service of New Zealand

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Special Air Service of New Zealand

Cap Badge of the Special Air Service of New Zealand
Active July 7, 1955 - current
Country New Zealand
Branch Army
Type Special Forces
Role Counter-Revolutionary Warfare
Close Target Reconnaissance
Size One regiment
Garrison/HQ Papakura, New Zealand
Motto Who Dares Wins
Battles/wars Malayan Emergency
Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation
Vietnam War
Operation Desert Thunder
INTERFET
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Anaconda
Decorations Presidential Unit Citation

The Special Air Service of New Zealand (NZ SAS) was formed on July 7, 1955 as an elite New Zealand Army unit capable of undertaking special missions. It was modelled on the British Special Air Service (SAS).

NZSAS operators at an NZDF open day
NZSAS operators at an NZDF open day

Contents

[edit] History

In June 1955 it was decided that the New Zealand Army required an elite unit capable of unconventional warfare. Modeled on the British Special Air Service, the NZ SAS was quickly seen to be both effective and professional. The very arduous selection process, as then, only has a success rate of approximately 2%. Even after being "badged", the probationary period can see further applicants returned to their original units.

[edit] World War Two

Prior to the formation of the NZ SAS, many New Zealanders served with the famous Long Range Desert Group (LRDG), which had a close relationship with the SAS. It was nicknamed "the Mosquito Army" by Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell. Special Air Service soldiers would refer to it as the "Libyan Desert Taxi Service."

[edit] Malaya and Borneo

New Zealand Special Air Service troopers during a mission in Malaya.
New Zealand Special Air Service troopers during a mission in Malaya.

From 1955 to 1957 a NZ SAS Squadron was attached to the British SAS in Malaysia for operations during the Malayan Emergency.

[edit] Vietnam

Based in Nui Dat, Vietnam, the NZ SAS 4th Platoon served under Australian command in November 1968, attached to the Australian SAS. The NZ SAS troopers were involved in the South Asia conflict from 1968 to mid the 1970s.

[edit] Combat Tracker Teams: Dodging an Elusive Enemy

Trained by New Zealand's elite Special Air Services, Combat Tracker Teams were intended to give American units a decisive edge over Viet Cong in the jungle.

[edit] Afghanistan

Starting in late 2001, the NZ SAS began operations assisting in the War on Terrorism in Afghanistan. Three 6-month rotations of between 40 and 65 soldiers from the NZ SAS served in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom before the unit was withdrawn in November 2005.[1] On June 17, 2004, two NZ SAS soldiers were wounded in a predawn gun-battle in central Afghanistan. Secrecy still surrounds much the NZ SAS's operations in Afghanistan.

In December 2004, the crack units received a Presidential Unit Citation from US President George W. Bush for "extraordinary heroism" in action.

The citation said SAS units helped "neutralise" Taliban and al Qaeda in "extremely high risk missions, including search and rescue, special reconnaissance, sensitive site exploitation, direct action missions, destruction of multiple cave and tunnel complexes, identification and destruction of several known al Qaeda training camps, explosions of thousands of pounds of enemy ordnance."

"They established benchmark standards of professionalism, tenacity, courage, tactical brilliance and operational excellence while demonstrating superb esprit de corps and maintaining the highest measures of combat readiness."

New Zealand Army
Ngati Tumatauenga

Components
Regular Force
Territorial Force
Structure of the New Zealand Army
History
History of the New Zealand Army
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
Battle of Gallipoli
Personnel
List of senior officers
Officer rank insignia
Enlisted rank insignia
Notable Units
SAS
Infantry Regiment
Intelligence



[edit] Organisation

1 New Zealand SAS Group

  • Headquarters Support Wing
  • Training Wing
  • A SAS Squadron (Air, Boat, and Mountain Troops)
  • B SAS Squadron (Air, Boat, and Mountain Troops)
  • CTTAG (Counter Terrorist Tactical Assault Group)
  • EOT (Engineer Operations Troop)

Note - Teams of about 4 to 6 soldiers, led by a captain or sergeant, are the basic operational elements of the NZSAS.

The Counter-Terrorist Tactical Assault Group consists of 18 soldiers. Though officially part of the SAS these soldiers do not pass through the SAS selection course and are not permitted to wear the SAS's 'winged dagger' badge. The CTTAG has the role of responding to terrorist incidents in New Zealand.[2][3]

[edit] Alliances

[edit] Equipment

The equipment that the NZSAS uses is not known to the public but it is known to use (or will use soon) Javelin MRAAW, M4 rifles, LAWs and assault boats.[citation needed]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Mills, T.F.. New Zealand Special Air Service. Regiments.org. Retrieved on February 20, 2007.

[edit] External links

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