| Särskilda Skyddsgruppen (SSG) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1994 - 2011 |
| Country | Sweden |
| Branch | Swedish Armed Forces |
| Type | Special Forces |
| Role | Direct action, Long range reconnaissance, Counter-terrorism, VIP-protection, Personnel recovery. |
| Size | Classified |
| Part of | Under the direct command of the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | Karlsborg, Västergötland |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Classified |
Särskilda Skyddsgruppen (Special Protection Group, SSG) 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. SSG can be deployed to achieve specific, well-defined and often time critical results of strategic or operational significance which cannot be achieved through the use of conventional forces. Typical missions undertaken by SSG are to engage and destroy targets of great significance to the enemy, to rescue people captured by the enemy or held hostage, and to gather intelligence through combat. SSG's missions require its operators to covertly infiltrate and move inside hostile territory and remain undetected for very long periods.
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Some part of the unit is always held in a state of alert in case of an urgent situation within Sweden. The unit was also deployed in Afghanistan in support of the NATO group ISAF, responsible for security in Kabul and other areas, and to Congo under French command, where it engaged enemy forces several times without any losses of their own during Operation Artemis.
On November 25, 2005, four SSG operatives were wounded during a reconnaissance mission in northern Afghanistan. Of the wounded, Jesper Lindblom died due to his injuries on December 9, 2005 and Thomas Bergqvist died after having been airlifted to a hospital in Europe.
In 2008, SSG and SIG were deployed to Chad, to prepare for the Swedish contribution of marines to EUFOR.
In 2011, the SSG and SIG were merged to create the Särskilda Operationsgruppen (Special Operations Group, SOG).[1]
SSG draws its personnel from officers of all three branches of the military, however mainly from K3 (Airborne & Reconnaissance Infantry), Kustjägarna (Marine Rangers), Norrlandsjägarna (Arctic Rangers) and each applicant must pass a two-week long grueling selection process. Before selection takes place, the applicants are invited to attend a pre-selection weekend, where they will be tested and given notice of the likelihood of failure or success and how to improve themselves. Selection may only be attempted once unless there are certain mitigating circumstances that caused the applicant to fail.
Because of its level of secrecy, the time it takes to train a recruit has not been made public by the SSG but according to the armed forces´ website, basic operator training takes more than one year. Each soldier receives common training including parachuting, scuba diving and VIP protection. As an operative he will also receive special training within different areas such as HAHO/HALO parachuting, explosives, first aid, sniping and special weapons training. An SSG operative has the ability to insert and extract by several means such as on foot, paradrop, submerged, and by boat and vehicle.
Applications from both sexes are accepted, and females have to meet the same standards as male applicants.
Training is often held in countries other than Sweden, and joint exercises with other countries special forces are frequent.