5542
Special Ops: Journal of the Elite Forces & SWAT Units Vol. 42
Various authors ISBN 962-361-160-9
64 pages, 211 color photos
This
book contains these articles:
1)
Belgian Special Forces Group
Despite
having its own Special Forces Group and plenty of operational experience
in places like Kosovo and the Congo, it's not often this elite force
from Belgium receives any publicity in the media. And certainly
not the degree of exposure given in this Special Ops article! Operators
and their equipment are clearly shown, while their organization
is covered in the accompanying text.
2)
French Legionnaires in Afghanistan
France continues to deploy troops to Afghanistan, and who better
to cover them than a French photojournalist in the form of veteran
Yves Debay. This article looks at "Marsouins" (French
Infantry Marines) of 21eme RIMa and 6eme BLB as they perform stabilization
operations in the strategic area north of Kabul.
3)
Maritime Counterterrorism Autumn Waves
Maritime terrorism is a very real threat, and military forces
need to prepare for it. This was the purpose of Exercise Autumn
Waves, which brought together 240 troops from the Netherlands, Germany,
USA, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and UK. The article shows various Special
Forces personnel in action, including remarkable close-ups of personnel
and the weapons they're trained to use.
4)
Polish 1st PSK Commandos
This unit can trace its lineage back to commando units formed
in WWII, and it provides Poland with a different range of skills
to the GROM counterterrorist unit. 1st PSK has matured through recent
operational experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, and this article
looks at both combat areas, as well as pre-deployment training in
Poland itself.
5)
Swiss Para Recon
Fallschirmgrenadiere Kompanie 17 of Switzerland serves as a
long-range special reconnaissance unit designed to operate deep
behind enemy lines. It's the only paratrooper unit in the Swiss
Army, but its small size belies the big tasks it can perform with
its independent teams consisting of 4-6 men. This elite unit is
here showcased with a whole range of their equipment and weapons.
