Special Operations Command (Australia)

Special Operations Command
Active	2002—Present
Country	Australia
Type	Special operations
Role	Special operations
Size	2,050 (Active) 750 (Reserve)
Part of	Australian Defence Force
Headquarters location	Potts Point, New South Wales
Motto	Acies Acuta (The Cutting Edge)
Commanders
Current commander	Major General Jeff Sengelman

The Special Operations Command (SOCOMD) is a command within the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Special Operations Command (SOCOM) was established in May 2003, to unite all of the ADF special forces units. As of 2007, Special Operations Command was fully operational. Australia's Special Operations Command is of equivalent status to Australia's Maritime, Land and Air Commands. All of its constituent units are drawn from the Australian Army. It is modelled on the equivalent commands in the United States and British militaries.

History

A Special Operations Task Group patrol in Afghanistan in October 2009

• East Timor (May 2006–)
• Security for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne (March 2006)
• Afghanistan (2001– )
• Iraq (2003–2009)
• Security for the 2003 Rugby World Cup (October–November 2003)
• Security for President George W. Bush's visit to Canberra (October 2003)

While Special Operations Command had not formally commenced operations at the time, it appears that the headquarters may have overseen the boarding of the North Korean freighter MV Pong Su in April 2003, which involved elements of the both the SASR and 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando) Tactical Assault Groups.

In 2007, the APEC Summit hosted in Sydney had Special Operations Command involvement regarding security as world leaders, including John Howard, George W. Bush and other government and economic leaders were in attendance.

Structure

Order of battle

Soldiers from Special Operations Command during a media demonstration in May 2003

Special Operations Headquarters or SOHQ (Canberra and Sydney)

• Units under direct control of SOHQ:
  • Special Operations Logistics Squadron (Sydney)
  • Special Forces Training Centre (Singleton, NSW) - established on 1 December 1998 to conduct selection courses for the SASR, 1st Commando Regiment and 2nd Commando Regiment.^[1][2]
• Special Air Service Regiment (Swanbourne, WA)
  Incorporates the role of Tactical Assault Group (West).
  • 1 Squadron
  • 2 Squadron
  • 3 Squadron
  • 4 Squadron (existence has never been publicly acknowledged)^[3]
  • 152 Signals Squadron
  • Base Squadron
  • Training Squadron
• 1st Commando Regiment a mixed Regular Army and (Army Reserve) Unit (Sydney)
  • 1 Commando Company (Sydney)
  • 2 Commando Company (Williamstown, VIC)
  • 301 Signals Squadron (elements in both Sydney and Melbourne with the commando companies)
• 2nd Commando Regiment (Sydney, NSW)
  Incorporates the role of Tactical Assault Group (East).
  • A Company
  • B Company
  • C Company
  • D Company
  • 126 Signals Squadron
  • Operations Support Company
  • Logistics Support Company
• Special Operations Engineer Regiment (Sydney, NSW)
  • A Squadron
  • B Squadron
  • Logistic Support Troop

SOTG cooperates with and / or is supported by various services, units and commands from Australian Defence Force and Government (including ASIS). In Afghanistan, SOTG personnel have been supported by elements of the Australian Army and Air Force, including RAAF Combat Control Teams, which are Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) qualified.

Special Operations Commander Australia (SOCAUST)

The following have held the position of Special Operations Commander Australia, with the ranks and honours as at the completion of their tenure:

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Special forces of Australia.

• Canadian Special Operations Forces Command
• Commandement des Opérations Spéciales (France)
• United States Special Operations Command

Notes

References

• Blaxland, John (2014). The Australian Army from Whitlam to Howard. Port Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781107043657. 
• Kuring, Ian (2004). Redcoats to Cams: A History of Australian Infantry 1788–2001. Loftus, New South Wales: Australian Military Historical Publications. ISBN 1876439998. 

Further reading

• Australian Defence Minister Press Release, 29 October 2005. New Special Operations Commander Appointed
• Australian Defence Minister Press Release, 5 May 2003. New Special Operations Command
• Australian Defence Minister Press Release, 25 September 2003 Defence Support To World Cup Security
• Horner, David (2002). SAS: Phantoms of War. A History of the Australian Special Air Service (Second ed.). Sydney, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-647-9. 
• Captain Jason Logue (2003). Tartan TAG

External links

• Australian special forces in Afghanistan – September 2006