Underwater Defence Group Command

Underwater Defence Group Command Sualtı Savunma Grup Komutanığı
Logo of SAS
Active	1963–Present
Country	Turkey
Allegiance	Turkish Armed Forces
Branch	Turkish Naval Forces
Type	Special Forces
Role	Defusal of mines or unexploded torpedoes Disabling enemy vessels Amphibious Assault Counter-Terrorism
Insignia
Abbreviation	S.A.S.

Turkish Naval Forces
Components

Structure Installations
Special Forces
Amphibious Marine Infantry Brigade Underwater Offence Group Underwater Defence Group
History
History of the Naval Forces
Equipment
Active ships Active aircraft Entire fleet

Underwater Defence Group Command (Turkish: Sualtı Savunma Grup Komutanlığı) or Underwater Defence (Turkish: Sualtı Savunma) simply SAS is one of two special operations units of the Turkish Navy, based in the Foça Naval Base near İzmir, on the Aegean coast of Turkey.

The missions of the Su Altı Savunma (SAS) include coastal defence operations, such as clearing mines or unexploded torpedoes, and disabling enemy vessels or weapons with underwater operations; as well as counter-terrorism and VIP protection.^[1]

History

The first S.A.S. and S.A.T. units were established in 1963 in the city of Iskenderun, following a joint training program with the US Navy SEALs from San Diego. The original name of the S.A.S. unit was Su Altı Müdafaa (S.A.M.), while the original name of the S.A.T. unit was Su Altı Komando (S.A.K.), and they were bound to the Kurtarma ve Sualtı Komutanlığı (K.S.K.), or Rescue and Underwater Command. In 1974 the S.A.S. and S.A.T. group commands became bound to the Turkish Navy's General Command, and participated in the Turkish military invasion of Cyprus later that year.^[2]

Mission

Their main tasks are:^[3]

Deactivation or disposal of explosive material, mines and/or unidentified ordnance under the water off the friendly ports and coasts.
Deactivation or disposal of explosive material, mines and/or unidentified ordnance under the water off the target coasts or ports. That includes clearing of the target beaches of mines, explosives, booby traps and tank traps, prior to the amphibious assault of the friendly forces.
Deactivation or disposal of explosives and mines that might be present on the course of the friendly troops and/or VIP military personnel.
Consultancy in defending the strategic facilities against stealth assaults by enemy commandos.

SAS units do not perform assault, counter-terrorism, recon or CQC missions. A real-time duty executed by the SAS has been the clearing of the Girne Beach, Cyprus, prior to the amphibious assault of the Turkish Armed Forces to the island in 1974.

Equipment

Handguns

Submachine Guns

H&K MP5A3

Assault Rifles

Machine Guns

Sniper Rifles

Rockets & Explosives

Gallery

Explosive ordnance disposal by a personnel of Underwater Defence.
Personnel of Underwater Defence during a training.

References

↑ http://www.ozelkuvvetler.com/sas/sualti-savunma-komutanligi
↑ http://www.dho.edu.tr/sayfalar/00_Anasayfa/11_Pusula/70/sualti-savunma-sas-grup-komutanligi.html
↑ "Su Alti Savunma (SAS)". Shadow Spear. Retrieved 18 May 2014.

External links

Promotional/Training video of unit

Special forces of the Turkish Armed Forces

Turkish Armed Forces	Special Forces Command

Turkish Land Forces	1st Commando Brigade Hakkari Mountain and Commando Brigade

Turkish Naval Forces	Underwater Offence Group Command Underwater Defence Group Command Amphibious Marine Infantry Brigade Command

Turkish Air Forces	Combat Search and Rescue Command

Gendarmerie General Command	Gendarmerie Special Operations Command Gendarmerie Special Public Security Command

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