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Complete Guide
Special Times for
Special Ops
The term “special operations” appears to have taken on several meanings in recent years – depending on where it is used around the world.
In the past, those almost defying two words had a tendency to describe
covert, commando, penetration or sabotage missions – a good example
being the British SAS infiltration behind the Iraqi lines in 1991 to settle
the future of a few Scud launchers with Milan anti-armour missiles.
The Eurocopter Cougar, seen here in
EC725 five-bladed Mk2+ special
operations guise, is still the favourite
workhorse for many armed forces
around the world. France has recently
ordered 10 Mk 2+ for its Army’s
combat search and rescue operations.
(Eurocopter)
Eric H. Biass, Terry J. Gander,
Johnny Keggler, I.C. Young
From the Blue
T
he above-mentioned SAS missions
took place during Operation
Desert Storm in 1991. Today, an
operation like Desert Storm itself would
be regarded as a special operation. A
number of people in defence circles now
tend to regard all overseas deployments
as special operations.They might be, but
the equipment involved is of course
entirely different, or rather encompasses a much wider range.The consequence
is that it has become increasingly difficult to draw a line between “special ops”
dedicated equipment and plain military
equipment.
“…in spite of war films […],
helicopters did not
operationally exist during
the Second World War…”
When parachuting is not possible, the use of helicopters becomes an
obvious alternative. Depending on the number of commando members
and size of equipment to be dropped, the required machines can be
fairly large. For landing large armoured vehicles, though, there is no
alternative, an aeroplane is mandatory.
T
ypical candidates here are the
Eurocopter Cougar, the Sikorsky
Black Hawk and the Boeing Chinook. Europe will soon have a suitable
helicopter in the larger category with
the NHI NH90, particularly with its
rear cargo ramp. Of course, the ideal
machine will come from the United
States in the form of the Osprey once
this unusual machine has got ridden of
its teething trouble.
The V-22 has taken a lot of flak,
mostly from people who are first conComplete Guide by armada
cerned with budgets and secondly, from
those who simply cannot understand
that complicated things do not always
work under the first strike of a whip (in
fact, a number of these people often
comfortably fit in both categories).
After all, and in spite of war films showing the contrary, helicopters did not
operationally exist during the Second
World War and it took quite some time
after this to see them becoming reliable
and of any use as transport and armed
aircraft. Memories can be very volatile
37
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indeed. Special operations, though,
have a strong propensity to be required
in hostile environments, such as deserts
or cold, snowy regions.Thus, quite apart
from the sophisticated navigation and
mapping equipment, such helicopters
need additional equipment to protect
their engine air intakes. These, unfortunately tend to deplete the available
power by quite a few kilowatts.
The Military Airbus A400M is
perhaps the most needed item in
Europe right now. Should the
project not take-off, the Old
Continent will see itself becoming
dependent on other Western or
Eastern designs for its imminent
transport requirements. (Eads)
At long last, things appear to be looking up for the at one time seemingly ill
fated Osprey. It recently performed a
During a test carried out last January some 100 miles east of Maryland,
Osprey No. 10 flew up the starboard side of the USS Iwo Jima at 220 knots,
rolled into a 180-degree, three-G left bank, tilted the nacelles, hovered over
the deck and touched down on what is to be the home of the Marine Corp’s
MV-22 fleet. (Navair)
VIP flight and even more recently
aircraft No.10 operated by the V-22
Integrated Test Team landed on the
USS Iwo Jima.
In the Western World, the Hercules
and the Globemaster III have become
synonymous with airlift. The Boeing
Buggies to Battlebusses…
Today’s special operations forces have a bewildering array of vehicles
at their disposal. Ignoring motorcycles, quad bikes and mechanical
mule types, this article addresses the lightest 4 2 ‘fast attack’ designs
through to the latest protected heavyweight utility designs, stopping
short of ‘trucks’, but including an overview of light armoured vehicles
that meet a C-130 transportability caveat
T
he type of vehicle most closely associated with special operations scenarios is the four-wheel so-called
light strike, fast attack or armed reconnaissance type. These can generally be
split into one of two categories; high performance types based around tubular
space frame buggy designs, or the more
practical (generally speaking) massproduced light utility vehicle designs.
This past decade has seen proliferation in both categories, the idea of producing such a vehicle clearly appealing
to a great many manufacturers. And
while a low weight, high mobility, performance and payload concept sounds
simplistic enough, the number of prototypes that appear but once, confirms
the reality to be otherwise.
38
C-17, being a later design, has demonstrated its phenomenal one-man loading/unloading capability time and again
in Bosnia. The Europeans, for their
part, are still trying to put their budgets
into unison to acquire the so much
needed Military Airbus A400M.
Chenowth Military Products can
arguably be credited with securing military acceptance of buggy-type designs
following the mid-80s introduction of
their two-man (4 2) Fast Attack Vehicle. A three-man (4 2) Light Strike
Vehicle (LSV) designed for the US
Navy SEALs followed, both types seeing high-profile service (under the
DPV (Desert Patrol Vehicle) acronym)
during the Gulf War. The petrolengined LSV was superseded by a
third-generation diesel-engined (4 4)
Advanced LSV (ASLV) in Chenowth’s
Singaporean
armed forces
Flyers are
seldom seen ‘in
the flesh’, but
some are known
to be fitted with
the Spike ATGW
system.
(Armada/T. J.
Gander)
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Adcom’s H2A is powered by a 300 hp Cummins diesel engine giving this
3.25 tonne vehicle an exceptional 92 hp/tonne power-to-weight ratio.
(Armada/T.J. Gander)
line-up during 1997, but it was the earlier LSVs that were brought out of
mothballs, refurbished and deployed to
Afghanistan in December 2001.
In addition to various branches of
US armed forces, Chenowth LSVs were
supplied to Greece, Israel, Mexico,
Oman, Portugal and Spain, although
the operational status of these vehicles
is not known. Of broadly similar design
is the Longline LSV. Examples shipped
to the Gulf with British forces yet,
although now believed phased out of
service, as with the Cobra LSV the type
remains available.
Buggy-type designs are well-suited to
desert environments, and the Jordanian
Special Operations Command (Socom)
recently began fielding the King Abdullah Design and Development Bureau
(KADDB) AB3 Black Iris (4 2) and
Desert Iris (4 4) light special forces
vehicles. Orders followed extensive trials
in Jordan and South Africa, these supported by pre-production operational
deployment to Sierra Leone. Early production examples of the Black Iris have
been deployed by Jordanian Special
Forces in Afghanistan.
Singaporean Special Forces use the
Singapore Technologies Kinetics (STK)
Flyer LSV. STK is now the sole manufacturer of the Flyer LSV originally
developed by HSMV Corporation (now
the Flyer Group) and previously manufactured in Australia by ADI. It is understood that a few Flyer LSVs (possibly
two) were supplied to Indonesia.
Four second generation R-12D Flyer
1 models recently entered service with
the Hellenic Army’s Special Forces, and
the Flyer 21 LSV was a candidate for the
US Marine Corps recently abandoned
non-developmental item solution to its
Internally Transportable Vehicle (ITV)
requirement. Intended for operations
with the delayed V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor
craft, the ITV will eventually replace the
US Marine Corps’ ageing M-151 fast
attack vehicles.
Most buggy-type designs are short
production runs produced by specialist
manufacturers, hence designs (and
manufacturers) do ‘come and go’ all
too frequently. However, one design
that could be around for some time is
the China North Industries (Norinco)
FAV. Shown publicly for the first time
in late 2001, the type is believed to be in
service with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. Despite being offered
for export, dimensions of 4 2.095 2.21 metres (L/W/H) and a combat
weight of 1.95 tonnes aside, little information has been provided about the
vehicle. It appears to a 4 2 design and
was displayed mounting a 7.62 mm
machine gun for front passenger use,
and a 23 mm cannon in a ring-mount
integrated into the roll cage.
Another recent design is the Adcom
H2A. Clearly optimised for open space
operations, unlike many of its contemporaries the H2A is a true four-seater
plus stowage design. Payload is a generous 1.2 tonnes, comparing to 500 and
1000 kg for the KADDB AB3 and STK
Flyer, respectively. The H2A also leads
the pack in power output terms, its 5.9litre engine producing 300 hp, compared to a respective 102 and 110 hp for
the AB3 and Flyer.
Stretching the buggy-type envelope
that bit further is Israel’s Automotive
Industries Limited (AIL) Desert
Raider, a 6 6 tubular space frame
design with a walking beam rear bogie
One of kind – at the moment.
the Desert Raider 6 6 has
undergone field trials with
Israel’s Special Forces, but its
user remains undisclosed. (AIL)
suspension system with 600 mm of
stroke. The Desert Raider seats up to
five and has a 1.2-tonne payload capacity. As with most vehicles of this type,
users are not disclosed.
Conventional
Following minimal preparation the WMIK (Weapons Mount Integration Kit)
can be fitted to any Land Rover Defender XD by four soldiers in under four
hours. (I.C. Young)
40
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Buggy-type designs clearly have a special ops role, but with mass-produced
light utility designs being cheaper to procure, operate and maintain and are more
often better suited to the role, it follows
that these are most commonly adopted.
Land Rover and G-Wagon (G-Class) are
names that might spring most readily to
mind, but brief mention must also be
made of a selection from the extensive
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Making a rare appearance, a rather benign-looking USMC G-Class based
Interim Fast Attack Vehicle (IFAV). A similar design competed for the now
abandoned non-developmental item (NDI) solution to the USMC Internally
Transportable Vehicle (ITV) requirement. (Scott Gourley)
range of other special ops suitable light
utility vehicles available.
The Pinzgauer, with its torque tube
chassis design, portal-type swinging
half-axles and coil-spring suspension,
has excellent off-road mobility, which
makes it a special ops favourite. Also
featuring coil suspension (with beam
axles) is the Auverland A3F fast attack
vehicle, 254 of which were recently
delivered to the French Army. More
conventional in appearance are a number of jeep-type designs that include
South Korea’s Kia Motors KM42/KM41
series, India’s Mahindra & Mahindra
vehicles, and Israel’s AIL M-240 Storm
Multi Mission Vehicle, all of which have
been displayed in numerous special ops
type configurations.
The traditional Daimler-Chrysler
Jeep will not be overlooked despite
there being no military production of
the type at present. Daimler-Chrysler is
currently evaluating global market
potential for military versions of the
latest TJ model, production of which
(for the Egyptian Army) is scheduled
to start at Cairo’s Arab American Vehicles plant in 2003.
Toyota’s Land Cruiser must not be
overlooked either, many thousands
Widespread interest is being
shown in Auverland-Sovamag’s
A3F fast attack vehicle, possibly
a stretched version, and possibly
with independent suspension.
(I. C. Young)
42
being in widespread use, primarily in
the Middle East and South America.
However, aside from AM General’s
HMMWV which arguably falls outside
the light utility vehicle envelope, it is
Land Rover that probably has the highest profile, something doubtless aided
have been supplied to military users
since production began in 1979.The latest 270 CDI model is fitted with a 156
hp five-cylinder common rail diesel
engine coupled to a five-speed automatic gearbox. Interestingly, it was a
G-Class variant that competed against
the space framed Flyer R21 for the US
Marines ITV NDI solution. The
G-Class is already used by the USMC,
delays with what evolved into the ITV
requirement seeing the late-99 procurement of around 100 Interim Fast
Attack Vehicles (IFAV) based on the
G-Class 290 GD. Competitors included
a Land Rover RDV variant.
The G-Class provides the base for
CSIR’s Defenctek Bat 2 rapid reaction
utility vehicle, a contender for the
South African National Defence
Force’s (Sandf) requirement for an airdroppable platform for use by special
forces. Also competing is the MDB
designed, Land Rover component
based Taurus, and the Alvis OMC Wasp
(the believed winner), based on the
Appearances can
be deceptive. The
Alvis OMC Wasp
has a payload
approaching 1.5
tonnes. (Alvis
Vickers)
by users that include the British Army’s
SAS and US Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment. The Land Rover is internally
transportable by a CH-47 Chinook, a
major factor in its selection by the
Rangers; the HMMWV is only transportable as an underslung load.
The SAS aside, specialised Land
Rover variants are used in numbers by
other UK special forces. Types include
‘Winter/Water’, equipped for operations at -49C and in 1.5 metres of seawater, and the Wmik (Weapons Mount
Installation Kit).The Wmik is fitted with
full-length rollover protection and
allows the addition of myriad weapons
via a ring or pulpit mount. A further
development of the Wmik kit is marketed jointly by Land Rover and Ricardo
Special Vehicles as the latest Land
Rover Rapid Deployment Vehicle.
Another popular chassis choice is
the G-Class, almost 60,000 of which
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running gear of the Alvis OMC RG-32.
25 vehicles will replace 20 Ford
component-based Mechem Bat vehicles
procured in 1993.
The Sandf’s requirement to replace
its Jakkals 4 4 lightweight airborne
vehicle was recently met with the selection of the Gecko, an 8 8 skid-steer
design based on the commercial Argo
Conquest. Also competing for this 75vehicle/75-trailer contract was the
Supacat 6 6, around 60 examples of
which recently entered service with
Britain’s rapid reaction forces.
Supacat cannot confirm this, but the
company is known to be preferred bidder (with a variant of their 4 4 High
Mobility Load Carrier) for a British
special forces requirement for a CH-47
transportable Surveillance and Reconnaissance (SRV) vehicle to replace the
Land Rovers, the end-user is probably
the SAS.
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A Supacat 6 6 towing its dedicated fork lift pallet trailer (FLPT) and a
105 mm Light Gun. Maximum payload is 1.6 tonnes, with a maximum towed
load (ideal conditions) of up to 2.4 tonnes. (Supacat)
Heavier
The SRV’s 1.6-tonne payload requirement highlights a trend towards everincreasing capacities for special ops
vehicles, particularly those used by true
special forces. This trend increasingly
puts commercially based light utility 4
4 designs, with realistic payloads of
around one tonne, out of contention.
By way of example, other SRV com-
The Alvis Vickers Scarab is
touted by it manufacturer as the
best-protected vehicle in its class.
Currently competing for
programmes in Belgium and the
UK, this much-evolved design
eagerly awaits a launch
customer (I. C. Young)
petitors were a Pinzgauer 6 6, a Penman Engineering Land Rover 6 6
conversion and a Bucher (now Mowag)
Duro-based 4 4, this having a 5.5tonne combat weight.
Limited numbers of larger capacity
vehicles have been in service for a number of years, the Australian SAS’s 4.84tonne GVW Long Range Patrol Vehicle (LRPV) being a prime example. A
4 4 Land Rover derivative, the LRPV
is currently used by Australian Special
Forces in Afghanistan. Smaller 4 4
Land Rover Surveillance Reconnaissance Vehicles (SRV) compliment the
LRPVs, although interestingly the
weapon mount/roll cage fitted to the
latest SRVs precludes their internal
transport by a CH-47.
One long-established heavyweight
yet to be mentioned, but one that needs
little introduction is the HMMWV. The
latest Expanded Capacity Vehicle
44
(ECV) variant has a combat weight of
over five tonnes, and accepting that imitation is indeed the sincerest form of
flattery, similar in overall appearance to
the HMMWV is Japan’s little-known
soft skin or armoured and mates a wide
range of mission-specific modules to
automotive components from BRDM-2
and BTR-80 armoured vehicles.
The current trend towards protection has seen armoured variants of all
major light utility vehicles appear over
recent years. However, combined with
demands for increased payload, the
added weight of appliqué armour and
even rudimentary mine blast protection can place unrealistic demands on
such types, inevitably leading to compromise or the use of larger base vehicles. Protected versions of the Duro,
Iveco 40.10, HMMWV (and others) are
all now available, some chassis taking
protection to the next level and mounting purpose-designed armoured bodies. Examples of the latter including the
The M1113
Expanded Capacity
Vehicle (ECV) serves
as the foundation
for a number of
specialised HMMWV
variants including
this US Air Force
M1116 fitted with a
turret-mounted
M82A1 Barret rifle
for use in the EOD
role.(I.C. Young)
Kohkidohsha and Spain’s URO Vamtac.
Around 500 Vamtacs are in service with
Spanish armed forces in two differing
versions, tactical (190 hp) and logistical
(140 hp). Two Chinese manufacturers
have displayed close copies of the
HMMWV, although neither appears to
have been adopted by the PLA. The
KADDB AB17 Tiger, of which 1500 are
required by Jordanian armed forces,
also follows similar lines to the
HMMWV, while the amphibious GAZ
‘Vodnik’ is often described as the ‘Russian Humvee’. The Vodnik is available
Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) Terrier (Iveco 40.10) and the Mowag Eagle
(HMMWV).
Italy’s Iveco offers a different solution to the payload/protection/performance dilemma with its HMMWV-like
Light Multi-purpose Vehicle (LMV),
the first vehicle of its type with mine
protection integrated into the chassis.To
allow adaptation to specific role and
threat, all LMVs will be fitted for, but
not with, a modular armour package
developed by IBD of Germany. Similar
in spec to the M1114 armoured
The Italian Army is
expected to order
up to 2500 IVECO
LMVs, while the
variant pictured is
one contender for
the UK’s 400-plus
vehicle Future
Command and
Liaison Vehicle
(FCLV) requirement.
(I. C. Young)
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Krauss-Maffei Wegmann is currently developing the Dingo 2, to be based on
the latest Unimog U5000 chassis (KMW)
HMMWV, the heavier (6.7-tonne
GVW) LMV has an armour dependant
payload of up to two tonnes.
With few exceptions, anything
beyond HMMWV size will lack speed
and agility and as such can only be considered as conventional logistic support. Brief mention will however be
made of the Acmat VLRA and Unimog
ranges of trucks, both long-established
designs that have been deployed in
‘mother hen’ roles to lighter special
forces vehicles. The ever-durable
Acmat range is now available with a
Euro III emissions complaint engine
and automatic gearbox, while the latest
Euro III generation of U3000, U4000
and U5000 Unimogs entered production late 2002.
A VLRA chassis is used for the TPK
420 BL (7.8 tonnes combat weight) and
VLRB (9.6 tonnes combat weight) light
armoured vehicles, while the most
recent use of the Unimog chassis is for
the KMW Dingo, of which 147 have
been ordered for the German Army,
including some for special forces use.
Built For Purpose
Topping the protection scale are purpose-designed wheeled light armoured
vehicles, the type being eminently suitable for a huge number of special ops
roles including reconnaissance, personnel carrier and fire support. With variants of virtually all major types meeting
the C-130-deployable caveat, this
overview will include only a selection
of types that in the opinion of the
author, might or could best suit special
ops deployment.
Starting with 4 4s, ADI’s Bushmaster and the Arge consortium’s Fennek are but two that may have wished
for a less protracted development. Production of the Fennek for German
(202) and Netherlands (410) armed
forces is now underway, while the
Bushmaster - designed from the outset
for long-range self-sufficient operations - looks set to enter series production for the Australian Army in 2003.
Turkey’s Otokar Cobra is a monocoque
armoured hull mated to a HMMWV
driveline, while Alvis Vickers’ heavily
protected Scarab, like many other 4 4
designs, utilises proven Unimog running gear. Despite this and a South
African lineage, Scarab still awaits a
launch customer. The one 4 4 design
whose success others must surely seek
to emulate, is the Panhard et Levassor’s
Véhicule Blindé Léger (VBL). In over
17 years of production more than 1700
examples have been supplied to 15 different countries.
There are exceptions of course, but
most 6 6 designs are offered as variants of smaller 4 4 or larger 8 8
designs. Steyr-Daimler-Puch’s 6 6
Pandur has evolved into the Pandur II
available in 6 6 or 8 8 configurations and Iveco’s Puma is available as a
Despite its compact
weights and
dimensions the threeseat amphibious
Panhard VBL – seen
here on its first set of
wheels – will accept a
variety of weapons
and is adaptable to a
wide variety of roles.
(Armada/JK)
46
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4 4 or 6 6. The Mowag/General
Motors Defense Piranha/LAV, the
dominant light wheeled armoured
vehicle over recent years, is unique in
being available in 4 4 through to 10 10 configurations, although the latter
falls outside our C-130 caveat.
Over 5000 Piranha/LAVs (the
majority in 8 8 configuration) have
been produced. The Piranha II remains
available and the Piranha III (as the
LAV-III when manufactured by General Motors Defense) continues in production. The latest Piranha IV, with an
enhanced protection and greater carrying capacity when compared to its
predecessors, is at prototype stage. It is
reported to remain C-130 transportable at baseline level, following
preparation.
As the Stryker, the LAV-III is entering service with the US Army’s new
Brigade Combat Teams (BCT), with
current plans calling for 2131 vehicles,
the basic APC being armed with a 12.7
ADI’s Bushmaster (designed for
the most part by Ireland’s
Timoney Technology) is one of
an increasing number of vehicles
to feature independent
suspension. (I. C. Young)
mm machine gun or a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher. Projected variants
will include the 105 mm Mobile Gun
System, which is also required to be
C-130 transportable.
And while the future for the Piranha/LAV looks safe, perhaps it should
not rest too firmly on its laurels… the
previously mentioned Pandaur II likely
to prove a worthy competitor, while the
2001-unveiled STK Terrex AV81 - on
paper at least - appears to have the better of even the Piranha IV at every call.
…and Finally
The limited use of tracked vehicles on
special ops deployments should not be
discounted, a vehicle such as the
amphibious Alvis Hägglunds Bv 206
combines a marginal terrain capability
far superior to any wheeled vehicle
with a useful 2.25-tonne payload. The
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Piranha III/LAV-III, (as the Piranha IIIH) APC as delivered to the Irish Army and
fitted with a 12.7 mm HELIO turret. (Mowag)
armoured Bv 206S - ordered by five
European armed forces - was introduced in 1989 to meet the emerging
trend for crew protection, the larger
BvS 10 subsequently being developed
for higher volume/payload require-
The Wiesel 1
armoured weapon
carrier is powered
by a production
standard Volkswagen diesel engine
developing 86 hp
and with a maximum
speed of 75 km/h.
On 80 litres of fuel,
range is 300 km.
(I. C. Young)
With a road speed of 56 km/
hour, an amphibious
capability, and marginal
terrain performance way
beyond that of any wheeled
vehicle, the special ops usage
of the BvS 10 should not be
overlooked. (I. C. Young)
ments. BvS 10 has been adopted by the
British Royal Marines. Mention should
also be made of the similarly spec’d
STK Bronco, currently in production
for the Singaporean Army.
Another tracked option not to be
overlooked is the agile and unique
Rheinmetall Wiesel.The Wiesel 1 weighs
2.8 tonnes and two are transportable
internally by a Boeing a CH-47. The
Wiesel 2 multi-purpose carrier, with
twice Wiesel 1’s internal volume, weighs
4.1 tonnes and two are transportable
internally by a CH-53 helicopter.
Weapons
It has been mentioned before that the Special Operations world is just
that – special. Special Forces have to carry out all manner of missions that
demand not just the right type of operative but the right type of equipment, especially weapons. Since few special operations are conducted on
any conventional scale it follows that few entail any of the usual logistic
and other support on which conventional forces have to depend. Special
forces have to rely on their own resources so when it comes to a choice
of weapons they immediately encounter some challenges.
T
he first is that special operation
forces usually have to rely on what
they can carry. There may be operations where local transport can be captured or commandeered so it would not
be safe to plan for such transport
sources. The only safe alternative is
reliance on what can be ‘humped’. It
follows that most portable weapons are
small arms. Some of them may be crew
served, but the emphasis must be on
personal weapons. It is on such
weapons that this survey will concen-
48
trate. Vehicle-borne special operations
are dealt with separately, but it bears
mention that the weapons involved still
remain on the light side.
Having placed reliance on small
arms, the next challenge is to get from
them the maximum
that can be
achieved, both in weapon performance
and handling. All the small arms
described here will be of little value
unless the operators can utilise their
accuracy and firepower potential to the
full. As always, that demands dedicaComplete Guide by armada
Special Operations weapons
have to undergo extremes and
still keep working, as this
example of an FN Herstal
5.7 mm P90 demonstrates.
(FN Herstal)
tion on the part of the user plus thorough and constant training. These realities must not be forgotten in the
descriptions that follow.
Firepower
Special forces tend to rely on all manner of techniques other than firepower
alone to achieve their missions, but
Complete Guide
Compact and silent, the IMI
5.56 mm Micro-Tavor rifle
complete with an optional
sound supressor. (IMI)
when firepower is required it often has
to be delivered within an alarmingly
short time period and with maximum
effectiveness. That usually involves
automatic fire. Of course there will be
times when a single shot may be all that
is required but the operational emphasis is usually on burst fire.
The snag for the special operations
soldier is that automatic weapons can
consume ammunition on a grand scale
and there is only so much ammunition
that any soldier can be expected to carry.
This re-emphasises the need to obtain
the very best out of whatever weapon is
concerned.Apart from that, ammunition
supply dictates how long a special operations team member can remain effective. Without ammunition their activities
will come to a sudden halt so careful selfdiscipline in the expenditure of ammunition is paramount.
The customary individual weapon is
the assault rifle or a derivative. The
derivative almost always involves some
form of short-barrelled rifle, namely a
carbine. A carbine fires the same
ammunition as the full size rifle but are
handier, lighter and more compact for
deployment and transport in confined
areas (such as helicopters).
Shorties
One such carbine is the 5.45 mm AKS74U, available from several Eastern
Bloc sources, the most widely encountered being those manufactured by
KBP at Tula - more come from Poland
and Bulgaria, the former Yugoslav
source have apparently dried up. One
reason why the AKS-74U, for some reason known in the USA as a Krinkov,
has become so widely familiar of late is
that it is the weapon often observed as
part of Bin Laden’s wardrobe. Apart
from that, the AKS-74U is often
referred to as a sub-machine gun, no
doubt due to its stubby overall length of
just 490 mm with the butt stock folded.
Yet the AKS-74U fires standard 5.45 39.5 mm rifle ammunition and is
claimed to have a maximum effective
range of up to 500 metres, although
most combat encounter ranges will
usually be much less than that. To
expand its special operation utility the
AKS-74U can be provided with a special-to-type PBS-1 sound suppressor or
an under-barrel 40 mm grenade launcher. Perhaps the most unusual AKS-74U
Knight’s Armament rail adapter system, based on the extensive provision
of the MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny Rail
over the receiver and around the forestock. With each CQB weapon comes a
kit containing just about every combat
An all-round US
Special Opertions
favourite, the 5.56
mm M4 Carbine.
(Armada/T. J.
Gander)
combat accessory is a silenced grenade
launcher, the 30 mm BS-1, of which
more later.
The other most commonly encountered carbine is the US M4 Carbine
from Colts or FNMI. This has become
the weapon of choice for most US Special Forces who have introduced
numerous alterations to ensure it complies with their exacting specifications.
This has resulted in the 5.56 mm M4A1
Close Quarters Battle (CQB) weapon,
an M4 Carbine with all the bells and
whistles. The telescopic butt stock is a
standard M4 Carbine fixture but the
main changes are centred around the
A Bulgarian-made
AKS-74U shorty, in
this example
chambered for the
Nato 5.56
cartridge.
(Armada/T. J.
Gander)
50
Another variation on the Tavor
theme, the Micro-Tavor 9 mm
sub-machine gun. (IMI)
Complete Guide by armada
accessory that can be conceived, from
optical and night sights to a 40 mm
grenade launcher and a forward hand
grip. These accessories can be attached
to the weapon via the rails, as and when
required for a specific mission, and
removed with equal facility.
The CQB M4 Carbine will be issued
to all US Special Forces teams, including the Rangers and some Marine
Corps units, where they will replace the
array of weaponry currently in service.
One problem has already arisen with
the M4 CQB Carbine. US Special
Forces train so hard and routinely fire
so many rounds of live ammunition
that they are wearing their new toys out
long before what was expected. Also
getting a hammering are the sound suppressors now frequently employed on
special forces carbines. These are
becomingly increasingly favoured, not
so much to keep operations quiet but to
enable the users to maintain their aural
senses at a high pitch in enclosed firing
areas. Within confined areas such as
building interiors the carbine’s firing
signature, usually more severe than
that of a rifle due to the short barrel,
could inflict severe hearing damage to
anyone nearby unless ear defenders are
Complete Guide
A very silent and very deadly bedfellow, the Russian 9 mm VSS silent sniper
rifle. (Armada/T. J. Gander)
based around the 5.56 mm M16-type
rifle receiver with barrels as short as
105.2 mm, resulting in a rifle only 510
mm long with the usual Colt pattern telescopic butt stock retracted. The muzzle
blast and flash that would normally
emanate from such a short barrel is virtually eliminated by a special muzzlemounted device known as a VortX flash
suppressor and compensator.
Eastern Bloc
worn. Wearing such ear protection also
reduces the aural senses that are so
essential during close quarter combat.
A suppressor simply reduces the firing
signatures to a bearable level.
There are many other carbines suitable for special operations employment, one being the 5.56 mm Tavor
bullpup from Israel Military Industries
(IMI). Here the usual Tavor shorty is
known as the Ctar-21 or Tavor Commander, the barrel being reduced in
length from the standard 460 mm to 380
mm; the Commando can accommodate
a suppressor at the muzzle. However
there is an even shorter Tavor, the
Micro-Tavor. This differs from other
Tavor models in several respects, not
the least being the overall length of just
520 mm, of which 250 mm is the barrel.
It weighs only 3.3 kg. Other changes
from the standard models have followed intensive field trials by Israeli
Special Forces. The forestock has been
revised in outline while the position of
the reflex sight mounting rails over the
receiver has been altered slightly. IMI
claims that the Micro-Tavor is the
shortest assault rifle available.
Another item of note regarding the
Micro-Tavor is that apart from the
model firing 5.56 45 mm rifle ammunition there is also a variant firing 9 19
mm Parabellum pistol ammunition. This
places the Micro-Tavor within the submachine gun category but it is one variant that Israeli Special Forces have
decided they require.The internal mechanisms are changed from gas operation
to simple blow back, while Uzi pattern
box magazines continue to be inserted
through the suitably adapted magazine
well. Kits containing the necessary components can transform a standard Tavor
into the 9 mm Micro-Tavor. Models firing 0.40 S&W or 0.45 ACP pistol ammunition are anticipated.
An assault rifle with near carbine
dimensions is the Singapore Technologies Kinetics Sar 21. Here the length of
the standard assault rifle is only 805 mm
overall, thanks to its bullpup configura-
Two versions of the
5.56 mm Sar 21 rifle from
Singapore Technologies
Kinetics, with the specialpurpose variant in the
foreground.
(Armada/T. J. Gander)
tion. For special operation forces,
lengths of Picatinny Rail can be added
around the forestock while a 40 mm
grenade launcher is but one possible
combat add-on. The Sar 21 is in production for the Singapore armed forces.
Perhaps the most dramatic compact
special operations rifle comes from Military Manufacturing (M2) of Las Vegas,
Nevada. They produce ultra-shorties
One of the several configrations of the Russian 9 mm A-91 short assault rifle.
(Armada/T. J. Gander)
52
When it comes to Russia and some
other nations within the former USSR,
the observer is almost overwhelmed by
the number of weapons and weapon
types specifically designed for special
operations forces. One reason for this, it
seems, is the number of local armed
forces and agencies maintained for one
reason or another, from internal security to tax gathering, in addition to the
military special operations forces. Each
organisation seems to have its own particular requirements and each designer
Complete Guide by armada
concerned seems to have his or her own
corresponding solution. The end result
is a plethora of models on offer.
One weapon selected by Spetsnaz
forces, although originally intended for
issue to Russian Interior Ministry
(MVD) units, is the OTs-14 Groza special weapon system (the OTs- provides
an indication that the weapon involved
is for special operations). It was placed
into production during 1994 but is still
little known, even though it has been
offered for export sales. As its title
denotes, the OTs-14 Groza is more of a
system than a specific weapon for not
only can bits and pieces be added or
taken off, it is also possible to select calibres as well, again as and when an
operational mission dictates. One possible calibre is the 7.62 39 mm M1943
cartridge used with the AK-47/AKM
assault rifles series while the other is a
special 9 39 mm cartridge, the SP-5 or
SP-6. These latter low velocity cartridges have heavy bullets with steel
cores that render them suitable for
what can only be described as antimateriel fire missions as the bullets can
Complete Guide
Underwater odditz, the Russian 5.66 mm APS underwater rifle intended to be
used against underwater operators. (Armada/T. J. Gander)
cases are ejected forward and out of the
rifle. Several variations of the twin grip
layout have been observed, prompting
the conclusion that the A-91M format is
still being ‘worked on’. On the A-91M
the trigger is so far forward that a special
grenade launcher mounted over the
short barrel protrusion has had to be
introduced. Known as the GP-97, it
launches standard 40 mm grenades to
about 400 metres. No known sales of the
A-91M have been detected to date.
Specials
smash critical combat equipment, such
as radios or computers, and even make
a mess of airframes.The bullets can also
penetrate Kevlar body armour so they
become powerful all-purpose projectiles. The 7.62 and 9 mm OTs-14 Groza
models are not normally inter-changeable under field conditions.
The OTs-14 Groza is essentially an
all-in-line bullpup version of the AKS74U originally designed by a bureau
known as TsKIB SOO of Tula. KBP, also
of Tula, produces the system. Various
foregrips or forestocks can be utilised as
desired while the front end can be configured to mount a 40 mm grenade
launcher or a muzzle suppressor. An
optical or night sight can be added to the
overhead iron sight bracket.
The 9 39 mm steel cored SP-5 and
SP-6 cartridge is also employed by
another special operations weapon, this
time the Vikhr SR-3 short assault rifle
from the Central Institute of Precision
Machinery Construction at Klimovsk.
This weighs only two kg when empty
and is only 360 mm long with the metal
butt stock folded up and over the
receiver. A box magazine contains
either 10 or 20 rounds so the weapon is
small enough to carry beneath outer
clothing without attracting attentions.
Yet another short assault rifle that
fires the special 9 39 mm round family is the A-91 Series compact rifle from
KBP. This is not another bullpup but a
conventional layout rifle that has
appeared with numerous detail changes
to date. Apart from being offered chambered for the special 9 39 mm cartridge it has also been offered for 5.45 39.5, 5.56 45, or 7.62 39 mm ammunition, presumably to attract export
sales. One of the main items of note
regarding the A-91 is that it weighs only
2.1 kg when empty.When the steel frame
butt is stowed up and over the receiver
the overall length is 385 mm.
International but
silent benture, the
British LEI 7.62 mm
TRG-SPP rifle built
around a Finnish
Sako bold action
rifle. (LEI)
To confuse matters, one further KBP
product is another special operations
rifle known as the A-91M. This rifle has
nothing to do with the A-91 just mentioned, as it is another bullpup design,
this time chambered only for 7.62 39
mm M1943 ammunition. The A-91M
appears to have originated as a design
study directed towards a totally
enclosed receiver for ambidextrous
operation. To this end spent cartridge
Long-range specialist, the South African Mechem NTW-20 anti-material rifle
can be chambered for both 20 mm and 14.5 mm ammunition. (Mechem)
54
All the weapons outlined above may be
taken as typical carbines likely to be
employed by special forces. To them
must be added a variety of ‘special’
rifles that do not readily fall into the
individual weapon category. At the top
of the list come yet more weapons from
Russia.
Two of them are rifles based around
the same receiver, fire the same ammu-
Complete Guide by armada
nition and feature sound suppression as
a fixture. They are the 9 mm AS Val
silent assault rifle and the VSS silent
sniper rifle. Both fire the aforementioned 9 39 mm SP-5 or SP-5 low
velocity cartridge and both utilise a barrel-length double chamber suppressor
to keep firing sounds down to a minimum. The AS Val is meant to be a silent
assault weapon for formations such as
Spetsnaz while the VSS is a sniper or
dedicated marksman rifle effective at
ranges up to about 400 metres. At that
distance there will be no sound or flash
indication of from where the rifle is
being fired. The VSS has provision for
telescopic or night sights and can be
broken down into sub-assemblies for
carrying, typically in a briefcase container. Both rifles are produced by the
Central Institute of Precision Machinery Construction at Klimovsk, usually
known by the unpronounceable name
of TSNITochmash.
Two further suppressed rifles for
special operations are on offer from
Izhmash at Izhevsk. One is the 7.62 mm
SV-98, a suppressed and ruggedised
Complete Guide
The British Accuracy International 12.7 mm AW-50F has found several
customers with more in the pipeline. (Armada/T. J. Gander)
version of a competition rifle. This is
available chambered for either Eastern
Bloc 7.62 54R or 7.62 51 mm
NATO. A more unusual weapon is the
SV-99 chambered for the 0.22LR cartridge, not usually regarded as an operational round. This is a true special
operations weapon as it is intended for
the silent, close range elimination of
targets such as guard dogs or sentries.
When fired, the SV-99 makes virtually
no sound at all. For carrying, the SV-99
can be broken down into several subassemblies and there is even provision
to install either a butt stock or a pistol
grip to suit the mission. To assist accuracy a low power telescopic sight is a
fixture and a bipod is provided. When
assembled the SV-99 is only one metre
in overall length.
When suppressed rifles are considered there is plenty of choice from outside Russia. It seems that nearly every
specialist rifle manufacturer can supply
suppressed rifles but as the market is
limited few seem to advertise their
capability. Two examples will indicate
the types available, both of them from
the UK and both with bolt actions. One
is the Accuracy International AW
Covert 7.62 mm sniper rifle system. On
this model the suppressor completely
shrouds the barrel so that, when firing
sub-sonic ammunition, there is virtually no identifiable sound signature. A
take-down version of the AW Covert is
available, complete with a folding butt
stock. Then there is the Law Enforcement International 7.62 mm TRG-SPP
based around the Finnish Sako TRG
Clearly a widespread special
forces favourite, the Heckler &
Koch 9 mm MP5K sub-machine
gun. (Heckler & Koch)
56
sniper rifle but with a new suppressed
barrel. Numerous other similar rifles
could be mentioned.
Smaller Specials
Until relatively recently nearly all special operations forces seemed to favour
sub-machine guns, the ubiquitous
Heckler & Koch 9 mm MP5 being a
stock folded up and over the receiver
the SR-2 resembles a large pistol, as it
is then only 367 mm long, short enough
for it to be fired from one hand when
necessary. Empty weight is just 1.63 kg.
The SR-2 is being marketed as part
of a ‘complex’, partnered with the 9 mm
SR-1 Vektor pistol (see below) as both
fire the same special ammunition.
Numerous other Russian submachine guns abound, one of the more
unusual being the 9 mm PP-90. Its qualifications as a special operations
weapon is somewhat suspect but is
mentioned here as it is the sort of
weapon that could be carried stowed
away and brought out only when necessary. When carried the PP-90 resembles a box magazine. This unfolds to
form an angular sub-machine gun that
could act as a last ditch weapon for personal defence. The PP-90 is chambered
for 9 18 mm Makarov pistol ammunition. The similar PP-90M is for the
The FN Herstal/PGM 12.7 mm Hecate II rifle in a very fitting operational
setting. (FN Herstal)
particular favourite. These days the
trend is towards shorty assault rifles, as
mentioned above. Such rifles are just as
handy as a sub-machine gun and fire a
more powerful cartridge to longer
ranges, yet somehow the sub-machine
gun is still widely employed for special
operations, particularly in the former
Eastern Bloc nations.
Numerous standard production submachine guns, such as the MP5 already
mentioned, are still diverted for special
purposes but once again, Russia has
developed some sub-machine guns
specifically for special operations. One
of the most promising is the 9 mm SR2 from TSNITochmash of Klimovsk.
This Uzi-style sub-machine gun fires a
special 9 21 mm cartridge that is so
powerful it requires a gas-operated
rotary locking mechanism in place of
the usual less involved locking systems.
The power is required to propel an
armour-piercing bullet through Kevlar
body armour. Box magazines holding
20 or 30 rounds are fed into the weapon
through the pistol grip. With the butt
Complete Guide by armada
9 19 mm Parabellum. Just to make
life interesting there is another Russian
sub-machine gun known as the 9 mm
PP-90M1. This has nothing to do with
the PP-90 as it is an entirely different
design with the attraction of being able
to use either a 30-round box magazine
or a tactically useful helical magazine
holding 64 rounds.
A matched pair, the FN Herstal
FiveseveN pistol (top), with the
P90 sub-machine gun below,
both firing the same 5.6 x 28
mm ammunition. (FN Herstal)
Complete Guide
The Heckler & Koch 4.6 mm
Personal Defence Weapon
(PDW) with the butt retracted.
(Armada/T. J. Gander)
Several other Russian sub-machine
guns exist. One of them, specifically
designed for special operations forces
but displaying no particular features
for its role, is the 9 mm OTs-02 Kiparis
(Cypress), perhaps better described as
a machine pistol. It was designed as far
back as 1972 but was not placed into
production by Enterprise Metallist of
Uralsk in Kazakhstan until 1991. It is an
entirely conventional design with a vertical box magazine holding up to 30
9 18 mm Makarov pistol rounds. A
special laser target designator is available for this model.
Outside Russia the sub-machine gun
world is gradually being invaded by the
new generation of what are described
as Personal Defence Weapons (PDW).
While several contenders have entered
what is still a very limited market for
the PDW, two products deserve special
mention, the FN Herstal 5.7 mm P90
and the Heckler & Koch 4.6 mm PDW.
Both are intended to be carried by their
users for prolonged periods and only
resorted to when really needed but for
special operations they have added
attractions. Both fire small armourpiercing or ball bullets that not only
penetrate body armour but will impart
nearly all their potential energy on
impact, creating significant traumainducing shock effects that will remove
the recipient from any further partici-
pation in events. As the rounds are relatively light and small it is possible for
one soldier to carry significant amounts
of ammunition, the P90 having a horizontal 50-round magazine.The Heckler
& Koch PDW has a 20-round magazine.
The P90 and PDW have the further
advantage of being extremely compact
and light. The P90 is so designed that it
can be slung or otherwise carried about
the person for long periods without
inflicting inconvenience or discomfort.
The Heckler & Koch PDW can be carried in a holster. If required, both can
be fired from one hand and both are
provided with easy-to-use optical
reflex sights. The price to be paid for all
this convenience and ease of carrying is
that the maximum effective range for
both ammunition types is 200 metres.
For most special operations that range
would be more than adequate.
The Heckler & Koch 9 mm UMP 0.45 sub-machine gun based on the receiver
of the G36 assault rifle. (Armada/T. J. Gander)
Away from the advanced PDWs, the
well-established Heckler & Koch MP5
is still a firm special forces favourite,
the calibre options now expanded to
include 0.40 S&W. Most in-service
models fire 9 19 mm Parabellum.The
MP5 family is now an extensive one,
with numerous minor variations to suit
particular customers, but one model
definitely comes into the special operations bracket. This is the 9 mm MP5K,
The 0.45 Mk 23 Mod 0 USsocom pistol complete with supressor and tactical
light. (Scott Gourley)
58
the model with no butt stock and just
the pistol grip and a forward grip to
hold. With a 15-round box magazine
instead of the usual 30-round item the
MP5K is easy to carry and weighs only
two kg empty and is just 325 mm long.
The MP5K has found widespread
approval and is licence produced in
Turkey, Pakistan and Iran.
Many US sub-machine gun users
continue to favour the heavier pistol
calibres, no doubt thinking that the
heavier the hit the less chance of retaliation. For them Heckler & Koch now
markets the 0.45 UMP (Universal
Machine Pistol). Based around the suitably modified receiver of the G36
assault rifle, the UMP was originally
produced by Heckler & Koch’s US
associates. The UMP makes extensive
use of glass fibre-reinforced polymers
to combine strength with light weight,
Complete Guide by armada
yet compared to many other submachine guns the UMP is something of
a handful. Versions are available chambered for 0.40 S&W pistol ammunition.
Pistols
Being essentially short range weapons,
pistols have few advantages over other
small arm types during special operations but handiness and portability are
two of them. Operatives carrying heavy
or bulky equipment such as radios usually have no alternative to carrying a
pistol for personal protection but often
find when a weapon is needed in
earnest that pistols are just as likely to
be as lethal. They are also difficult to
aim and fire accurately, unless a great
deal of training has been involved, and
the low power ammunition often lacks
the force to effectively disable a determined adversary.
Yet special pistols have been devised
for special operations. One of the better known is the Heckler & Koch 0.45
Mark 23 USsocom pistol developed for
the US Special Operations Command.
This pistol was developed to meet very
exacting specifications, including last-
Complete Guide
ing reliability under extreme handling
and environmental conditions, and it
can also carry combat accessories such
as a suppressor, a combat light or a
laser aiming module.The USsocom pistol has repeatedly demonstrated that it
can meet the many demands made of it
with constant ease. It also has to be said
that it is a bulky pistol that requires a
great deal of training and experience to
handle properly, while the resultant
price tag is too large for many potential
users. Less costly equivalents have been
devised by Heckler & Koch, such as its
0.45 USP45 Tactical based on their
standard USP pistol.
Another powerful pistol devised
specifically for special operations is the
9 mm SR-1 Vektor. Produced by TSNITochmash of Klimovsk, the SR-1 is the
latest version of the P-9 Gurza, now out
of production. It fires the same
Another underwater weapon, the
4.5 mm SPP-1M pistol with a clip
of its special ammunition.
(Armada/T. J. Gander)
9 21 mm ammunition as the SR-2
sub-machine gun, so the bullet can penetrate 30 layers of the Kevlar used for
body armour or a 6 mm-thick steel
plate. It has numerous design features
that make it suitable for special operations, one being the 18-round magazine.
Magazine changing is made more rapid
by a specially contoured magazine well
and a device that, as the magazine is
slammed home, the slide left open after
the last round was fired is automatically closed, loading a fresh round as it
travels forward. The pistol can thus be
brought back into action with a minimum of delay. Several safeties are
incorporated and all controls are
ambidextrous.
Firing more conventional ammunition is the OTs-33 Pernach from KBP.
Designed specifically for special operations, the OTs-33 is a machine pistol
capable of firing at a cyclic rate of 850
rds/min but with a modified blow back
operating system that enables the firer
to keep the pistol under control during
bursts. It was designed as a replacement
for the 9 mm Stechkin (APS) machine
pistol that was notorious for its uncontrollability. Due to its automatic fire
capability the OTs-33 has a magazine
60
The Russian 7.62 mm PSS silent
pistol. (Armada/T. J. Gander)
capacity of 18 or 27 rounds, although
for the latter the end of the magazine
protrudes from the pistol grip. A rudimentary removable butt stock can be
provided to assist aiming. The OTs-33
was procured for Russian Federation
Interior Ministry (MVD) units.
One pistol that must be mentioned is
the FN Herstal 5.7 mm FiveseveN. This
is the partner to the FN Herstal P90
PDW mentioned above and it fires the
same Kevlar-penetrating 5.7 28 mm
cartridge. Apart from that the FiveseveN is unusual in many ways, not the least
being the extensive use of moulded
polymers in its construction. The FiveseveN has no safeties as only a definite
and determined trigger pull will make
the pistol fire. The absence of external
fire control levers makes the FiveseveN
easy to carry in a holster and the risk of
snagging the pistol on clothing or other
objects is minimal. For special operations one of the most attractive features
is the ammunition capacity. The box
magazine in the grip can hold no less
than 20 rounds, a very valuable asset in
any close range firefight.
As the slow and deliberate trigger
pull of the FiveseveN does not appeal
to some prospective users, FN Herstal
has developed the FiveseveN Tactical,
essentially the same pistol as before but
with a crisper single action trigger and
an external safety lever.
As far as suppressed pistols are concerned, just about any pistol can be provided with a sound suppressor, typically those from the extensive range of
Brügger + Thomet. However, there are
a few purpose designed silent pistol
such as the Chinese Norinco 7.65 mm
Type 64, which is really a conventional
pistol with an integral suppressor housing. Far more unusual is the Russian
7.62 mm PSS. This resembles a conventional pistol but it fires a special 7.62 42 mm cartridge, the SP-4. The SP-4
cartridge contains a piston between the
propellant and a blunt-nosed slug. On
igniting the propellant the piston drives
the slug along the barrel but as the cartridge has a distinct shoulder around
the neck the piston remains inside the
Complete Guide by armada
case, trapping all the sound and flash.
Virtually nothing can be seen or heard
in the way of a firing signature.
The PSS holds six rounds and weighs
850 grams loaded. It is claimed to have
an effective range of up to 50 metres,
penetrating two millimetres of steel
plate or a steel helmet at 25 metres
while still retaining sufficient energy to
inflict a lethal wound. The little PSS is
not a pistol to trifle with.
Oddities such as the 7.62 mm NRS
scouting knife have found numerous
Russian special operations applications
and it has been joined by another, similar weapon. This is the OTs-54 Komplekt (Package) combat knife that contains a single shot barrel chambered for
a variety of pistol ammunition calibres,
including the 7.62 mm SP-4 silent cartridge for the PSS pistol. The knife handle is removed for loading, firing along
the blade being via a button-type trigger. The Komplekt is issued along with
a light combat engineering tool combining an axe and a saw.
Underwater
Underwater firearms for use by combat
divers are still rarities. A few types are
still kept very much under security
wraps, but Russia has marketed two of
these highly specialised weapons.
One is the 4.5 mm SPP-1M fourbarrelled pistol. Each of the barrels
holds a cartridge firing a long, slim, drag
stabilised dart. The four rounds are
inserted into the barrels in a clip, to be
fired in succession by a double action
trigger mechanism. At a depth of 20
metres the lethal range is 11 metres,
and that involves penetrating a padded
diving suit or a 5 mm-thick mask.
The second Russian underwater
weapon is the 5.66 mm APS rifle. For
this the 5.66 mm cartridges are enlarged
versions of the SMM-1M pistol round
but have a longer range performance at
depth, the lethal range at a depth of 20
metres being 20 metres. Each dart is 120
mm long, the overall length of the cartridge is 150 mm. 26 rounds can be car-
A fistful of power – the Russian
9 mm P-9 Gurya. (Armada/T. J.
Gander)
Complete Guide
Still one of the more
unusual special
forces weapons, the
Russian 7.62 mm
NRS scouting knife
which fires the
same supressed
sound ammunition
as the PSS pistol.
(Armada/T. J.
Gander)
ried in a distinctively contoured curved
box magazine and fire can be either fully
or semi-automatic.
Big and Lethal
Sniper rifles have always been a special
operations weapon as all too often they
are central to the mission undertaken,
getting that important single bullet
onto a target at exactly the right
instant. Apart from the silenced versions already mentioned, there are few
models designed specifically for special
operations but, as usual, the Russians
have managed to come up with one.
This is the 7.62 mm OTs-03AS Dragunov or SVU. It is a shortened bullpup
derivative of the widely employed SVD
dedicated marksman rifle. The SVD
butt has been removed but the mechanism has been little changed other than
to cater for the bullpup layout. Even
the PSO-1 optical sight remains as
before although iron sights are provided as well. The overall length is thus
reduced to 900 mm. A prominent
attachment at the muzzle acts as a combined flash hider and sound suppressor.
A bipod is optional, having the unusual
feature that it can be hinged to one side
to provide firing stability when placed
against walls. One aspect of the OTs03AS that does differ from the SVD is
that it has a fully automatic fire mode.
As the box magazine holds only ten
7.62 54R rounds it has to be assumed
that this feature is for emergency use
only. The OTs-03AS has been issued to
Russian Interior Ministry (MVD) units
and has seen service in Chechnya.
The 5.56 mm Negev Commando
from IMI of Israel. (IMI)
62
The OTs-03AS is probably the only
specifically designed special operations
sniper rifle, although numerous other
models have been adapted for special
missions. One topic regarding sniper
rifles is that a trend towards rounds
other than the 7.62 51 mm Nato can
be detected. Rounds such as the 0.338
Lapua Magnum, 0.300 Winchester Magnum and 0.300 Winchester Short Magnum can provide enhanced ballistic performances at the longer ranges, so more
and more sniper rifles are certain to
appear chambered for these rounds.
Specialist rifles must include the
anti-materiel rifles (AMR) with calibres of 12.7 mm and upwards.These are
very much special operations weapons
as they have few applications during
conventional warfare. It is not possible
for a survey of this nature to mention
every single model by name as there
are too many, with more appearing
every year. It has to be emphasised that
AMRs are not intended to be long
range, anti-personnel weapons. They
are meant for the destruction of high
combat value materiel targets such as
parked aircraft, communication centres
and command installations, where one
well-placed bullet can create havoc,
emphasising the AMR’s role within
special operations.
Perhaps the most widely deployed
AMRs are the US Barretts from the
12.7 mm Model 82 onwards, while the
British Accuracy International AW50F
is already finding niches within many
special operations units. From Russia
comes the 12.7 mm V-94 with its
removable barrel for added portability,
while the French/Belgian PGM 12.7
mm Hecate II has found widespread
European approval. The Hecate II is
now marketed by FN Herstal who will
also be dealing the advanced 12.7 mm
OM.50 Nemesis when it appears in the
near future.
There are many other AMRs, many of
them destined to remain as impractical
designer’s dreams, but one special example has to be mentioned.This is the South
African PMP NTW 20/14.5, a large
weapon but one with many AMR appliComplete Guide by armada
cations. The 20/14.5 part of the designation indicates that the rifle can be transformed to fire two different cartridges.
One is the Eastern Bloc 14.5 114 mm,
while the other is the 20 83.5 mm
MG151, the latter normally associated
with aircraft cannon and having a high
explosive payload capability. By changing barrels and other calibre-related
components the bolt action NTW 20/14.5
can be reconfigured in the field to suit
any particular mission in under 30 seconds.Another field expedient is the stripping down into several sub-assembles to
be distributed on two backpacks for carrying over distances.
The NTW 20/14.5 is a hefty load
weighing 26 kg and with an overall
length of just over 2 metres for the 14.5
mm version. This latter calibre can
deliver effective aimed fire to over 1800
metres, the box magazine holds three
rounds – two to back up that all-important first shot.
Heavier Items
Special operations forces often have to
rely on grenade launchers to provide
The get-out-of-trouble-fast version
of the FN Herstal 5.56 mm
Minimi, the Minimi Special
Purpose Weapon (SPW).
(FN Herstal)
fire support during fire fights, but this
type of armament is rarely relied on as
a precision weapon. For knocking out
structures or other hard obstacles the
usual recourse is to a shoulderlaunched weapon such as the ubiquitous RPG-7, the US M72 anti-tank
rocket launcher series or the Israeli
Shipon. Once again, there are many
similar grenade or shoulder-launched
systems that could be mentioned but
none of them are specifically special
forces weapons.
As always there are exceptions and,
once again, two of them emanate from
Russia. One has already been briefly
mentioned, the BS-1 silent 30 mm
grenade launcher. There can be few
applications for such a highly specialised weapon outside special opera-
Complete Guide
This still from a high-speed film shows the dramatic thermobaric explosion of a
Mep penetrator inside a US Marine Corps-standard bunker, which can be
seen on the left before the test. (Ruag Munition)
tions. It can be applied to any AKS-74U
short assault rifle, the 30 mm grenade
being propelled from the short barrel
by a special cartridge. The grenade is
muzzle loaded while the cartridge feed
This cross view revealing a Mep
penetrator-cum-warhead (just the
black rod) inside an AT4 ogive
shell shows a remarkable
contrast between size and effect
if one takes the effect of the
weapon against a bunker seen
in the photo above into
consideration. (Ruag Munition)
involves a bolt action and a curved box
magazine through the launcher’s pistol
grip. It seems the silencing principle
operates in a similar manner to that of
the PSS SP-4 silent pistol cartridge previously mentioned. The grenade can be
launched to an effective range of about
100 metres. It has to be mentioned that
the BS-1 is intended to disguise the
user’s firing position only, as the
grenade detonation on impact is certainly not silent.
One further Russian grenade
launcher remains to be mentioned, this
time a real oddity as it is based on an
entrenching tool. The overall concept
of this launcher, known as the 40 mm
Variant, dates back to the late 1930s
when some bright spark decided that
an entrenching tool with a steel handle
could be readily converted into a
37 mm mortar bomb launcher. A rod
insert was removed from the handle,
enabling the spade section to act as a
recoil-spreading baseplate and allowing the spade handle to act as the barrel. The rod insert could be used as a
barrel-supporting monopod.The Spade
Mortar idea got to the production state
only to be by-passed after mid 1941 by
other more pressing needs.
It seemed that the Spade Mortar concept had been consigned to history only
for it to be revived recently. The overall
concept remains as before but this time
the entrenching tool handle/barrel is
used to launch standard 40 mm high
explosive fragmentation grenades. The
grenades involved include the spin-stabilised Vog-25 or Vog-25P, both with a
potential maximum range of about 400
metres. The option always remains that
the entrenching tool format can still be
used as it always has, swung as a nasty
close quarters weapon.
Rockets and Missiles
Here the recent trend has been for
weapons that can be fired from confined spaces. Rockets increasingly use
the Davis principle recoil mechanism
while guided missiles go for what is
termed “soft launch” whereby a small
motor expels the missile out to a safe
The IMI Shipon is also
a relatively newcomer
and is available with
either anti-armour or
anti-bunker tandemcharge warheads.
(Armada/EHB)
64
Complete Guide by armada
distance from the firer before it ignites
its sustainer rocket motor.
Special operations teams increasingly have to operate in urban environments and emphasis is now shifting to
anti-bunker warheads as opposed to
pure anti-armour. There are two challenges in this respect: the first is to
obtain a fuzing system that will enable
the warhead to explode within the
building, and not on the other side of it
as one of the authors once saw it happening (the building had softer walls
than expected and the projectile
pierced the first wall, flew through the
building and exploded as it travelled
out of the bottom wall); the second is to
see as much of the available energy
being used inside the building and not
The multiple-purpose Alcotan100, from Instalaza fitted with a
computerised Vosel day/night
sight that automatically corrects
the gunners aiming point when
firing against a moving target.
The Alcotan-100, a new weapon
that received its certification in
mid-2002, has a Davies recoil
system allowing it to be fired
from confined spaces out to a
range of 600 metres. In this
configuration the weapon
weighs 14 kg. (Instalaza)
as it penetrates it. In the latter context,
there have been attempts to produce
tandem charges, with the first one – hollow type – in charge of penetrating the
wall, followed by a grenade to devastate whatever might be behind it. This
technique has, however, proven to offer
mixed results.
An answer appears to emerge with
hardened penetrators like the Mep
type recently developed by Ruag (see
our special report on this Swiss firm in
this issue). Such penetrators can be
filled with a thermobaric warhead,
which have devastating behind-wall
effects. The Ruag penetrator has
proven its ability to penetrate over 20
centimetres of double-reinforced concrete or 1.5 metres of sandbags. The
Mep warhead can be fitted to the
Dynamit Nobel PzH, the Bofors AT4
and the Russian RPG-7.
Complete Guide
Word of Mouth
Without a means of communication, any special operation is doomed
to failure. Hand signals work whilst on patrol and in non-secure areas,
but word needs to reach the outside world – to call for fire, report on
progress or to signal for extraction.
Johnny Keggler
S
o much has been reported on handheld radios and other means of
communication that a mention of
having to drag that old reliable PRC-77
about the jungles and deserts is to beat
a dead horse. Times have changed and
personal communication devices – let’s
keep it simple, radios – have come a long
way in the design and capabilities
departments.
Small, light, multi-channel, secure
and, most importantly, easy to use are
today’s standard requirements when
designing a hand-held for Special Ops
use. Multi-channel and software programmable radios have hit the scene
with full force and have proven so reliable that they are now features that no
self-respecting commando would be
caught without.
Channel changing on the fly and having the capability to cover a stretch of
the spectrum with one radio is a combatproven feature that provides Special
Ops teams with a peace of mind that
they have the support they require.
In the Hot Seat
During Operation Enduring Freedom
in Afghanistan, US Air Force Special
Operations team member, MSgt. Tim
Stamey (now retired), caught in a crossfire with a group of unfriendlies, called
in air support from a variety of sources
on his Harris AN/PRC-117F(C) radio.
“So capable was this radio”, mentions
Stamey, “that I had communication
with almost everyone. That took some
getting used to. Where before I would
have to wait until my requests were
sent around the net to the folks I needed support from, all I did with the PRC117 was to punch in the preset, talk to
the artillery guys, then other fire teams,
and lastly the CAS and gunship crews,
and then sit tight until the boys in the
air crested the hills and took care of
business. Without a doubt, that radio
was a life-saver!”
Other success stories of the Harris
‘wonder radio’ were shared with Armada’s editors during the AUSA convention in October 2002, but this is, by no
means, the only option for special forces.
Nor is it the only choice. But at that time
in combat – one that worked.
The –117F(C) is a member of the
Falcon II family of radios that includes
the AN/PRC-150(C) HF radio, in the
hands of the US Special Operations
Command, the US Army’s 82nd Airborne and Stryker Brigade combat
teams. Under $ 3.3 million contract,
Harris supplied high-frequency (HF)
AN/PRC-150(C) radios in manpack
The AN/PRC117F radio from Harris Communications has been widely and
rapidly accepted by special forces units, partly because of its versatility and
reliability in almost any situation and environment. (Harris)
66
Complete Guide by armada
and vehicular configurations to the U.S.
Army Reserve, in 2002, to conduct its
missions in joint environments, cutting
across service boundaries.
The AN/PRC-150(C) is the only HF
radio certified by the National Security
Agency (NSA) for its embedded information security features. It was
designed to meet the security requirements of US military, Nato and Partnership for Peace forces, as well as government agencies and embassies
around the world.
Even longer on features, the
MBITR Multiband Inter/Intra
Team Radio from Thales
Communications is a special
forces “grab-n-go” favourite.
(Armada/JK)
Another hand-held on show at
AUSA, and found in the hands of Special Forces teams, is the MBITR from
Thales Communications (formerly
Racal). The Multiband Inter/Intra
Team Radio (MBITR) has already had
an illustrious career, but in its newest
guise exudes versatility from its very
design. The radio’s ‘grab-n-go’ style
sees the hand-held saddled into a vehicle charger that provides 20 W of RF
amplification, then simply grab the
hand-held and off one goes with
between 100 mWatts to 5 Watts for
AM/FM voice or data comms across
the 30 to 512 MHz spectrum. US Type 1
Comsec is embedded, and options
include Sincgars Sip, Havequick II,
ANDVT and Retransmit. Thales’
software-definable MBITR is a part of
Thales Communications’ offering for
the JTRS programme.
For an even smaller voice, the Thales
MSHR, Miniature Secure Handheld
Radio, provides a digital voice and data
communication system with Type 1 or
Complete Guide
Richard Marcinko’s Rogue Warrior
paperback series.
Most recently the US Marine Corps,
in the process of developing its own
version of Special Ops teams (not to
sleight the recon units or snipers) who
are training with both the Army and
Navy, has committed to placing Masters of Defense blades in the hand of
every team member. Many US Navy
Seal team members carry either the
company’s CQD Mk V, Mk VI, the
extra versatile Mk I or a combination of
Benchmark manufactures a wide range of knives. An interesting item is this
Model 9100SBT which, according to the American company, “is approved
issue item for all US Coast Guards rescue swimmers and authorised for use in
US Air Force survival kits”. (Benchmark)
exportable encryption and narrowband
capability.The radio has been endorsed
by the NSA and is ready for action with
Special Forces and federal law enforcement personnel.
Hoof, Belt and Pocket
Not to ignore what most Special Ops
teams carry on their person, mention
must be made of a few of the ‘pocketed’
items (cheatie wheaties excluded) that
find favour with the ‘hidden’ soldiers.
Combat is a nasty business, made
even more gruesome by some of the
defensive weapons designed for handto-hand combat. Building on the “No
Fear” lines is the range of knives from
Masters of Defense. Each blade has
been specially designed by either a special operations team member, combat
trainer, martial arts master (mistress in
one case) or specialist in lethal force
training. Masters of Defense knives
have taken the Special Forces personal
weapon world by storm, and taking a
sample in one’s hand tells the complete
story. One blade was even designed by
Chief James D. Watson, Seal team two
plank owner and known as“Patches” in
The very appropriately named
Masters of Defense CQD Mk VI
Stinger. Special forces units in
various countries have their eyes
on the company’s complete line.
(Armada/JK)
these. Internationally, the blades have
been ordered by and supplied to a variety of military and special police units
in Europe – the French also have them
in view for the Felin future warrior programme.
Another well-known knife comes
from Victorinox – the SwissTool. This
multi-faceted, never-leave-home-without-it tool contains a collection of
handy, sturdy and very usable implements is almost standard kit with any
soldier, sailor and airman on the front
lines or back at HQ. Victorinox has
recently been marketing its “Onehanded Soldier Knife”, a flick-bladed
version of its trademark tool that features a leather punch, wood saw, a few
screwdrivers and other useful items.
Nobody makes a move without foot protection! From the Polish company,
Kupczak, these heavy-duty Gore-Tex boots are from the line of specialised
footwear products for military and special forces operatives. Ninety per cent
of the company’s products are exported to Western Europe, and the Kupczak
brand is rapidly gaining recognition in the US market. (Armada/JK)
68
Complete Guide by armada
“Water Boy!”
Hydration systems also feature strongly in any special operation – where the
double-barrel set of canteens once had
Complete Guide
is associated with the water from many
filtration system.
Treading Lightly
From Poland, Kupczak products are
gaining more and more recognition in
the west. A full range of footwear is
available for Special Forces, border
guards and government security officers in many countries, as well as the
Polish Grom Special Forces. The com-
One of the most reliable multi-tools on offer anywhere, the Victorinox
SwissTool has participated in many a Special Forces operation. Rarely just
along for the ride, this myriad-use collection of tools has become a standard
selection for warriors of many countries. (Armada/JK)
The Spearhead hand-held radio
from ITT Communications is
touted as the world’s smallest
hand-held tactical radio – and
one of the most versatile. The
small radio is Sincgars to JTRS
compatible. The finished product
should be available by mid2003. (Armada/JK)
Volume 27, No. 1, February/March 2003
ARMADA INTERNATIONAL
is published bimonthly in Zurich, Switzerland.
Copyright 2003 by Internationale Armada Aktiengesellschaft, Aeulestrasse 5, FL-9490 Vaduz,
Principality of Liechtenstein
Head Office: ARMADA INTERNATIONAL
Thurgauerstrasse 39, CH-8050 Zurich/Switzerland
Phone: (+41 1) 308 50 50, Fax: (+41 1) 308 50 55
e-mail: mail@armada.ch
Web Site: www.armada.ch
Publisher: Caroline Schwegler
Publishing Director: Peter Stierlin
Editor-in-Chief: Eric H. Biass
Editor: Johnny Keggler
Art Work: Johnny Keggler
Regular Contributors: Roy Braybrook, Doug Richardson,
Brian Walters
Administration: Thomas Schneider, Pia Kraft
70
to suffice the backpack versions give an
almost hands-free access to the silent
bag of wet. Blackhawk and Camelbak
alike offer low profile, pack-with-pockets and insert varieties, the latter of
which are shoved inside any available
backpack or rucksack. Camelbak’s slogan “Hydrate or Die” is not just a collection of catchy words!
Another means of hydration comes
in the form of water purification equipment, a station where Alpine Water sets
up shop quite comfortably. The
3000CM purification system supplies
between 473 and 568 litres per hour –
enough for the crew of a forward operating area. To get away from the
crowds, Special Operations teams can
carry the company’s 1800BP backpack
system that provides in excess of 6814
litres per day.
A smaller, pocket-sized purifier can
be had from the Katadyn line. The
Swiss company offers the Bottle water
filter that contains a three-stage filter
that is also effective against viruses, but
the all-rounder is the Combi, which
uses both activated carbon and ceramic filtration to eliminate bacteria and
reduce chemicals and the bad taste that
Advertising offices:
Austria,Finland,Germany,Scandinavia,Switzerland,Spain
Hans-Ruedi Fröhlich, Franz-Rittmeyer-Weg 5,
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Phone: (+41 41) 760 72 78, Fax: (+41 41) 760 72 79
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France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxemburg
Peter Stierlin, Thurgauerstrasse 39, CH-8050 Zurich
Phone: (+41 1) 308 5050
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Phone: +44 (0) 1206 299211, Fax: +44 (0) 1206 299212
e-mail: mike.elmes.@aerospacemedia.co.uk
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
LAGUK Co. Ltd., Yuri Laskin, Novoriazanskaya Street 31/7,
App. 96, RF-107060 Moscow, Russian Federation; Phone:
(+7 095) 912 1346, Fax: (+7 095) 912 1260
e-mail: ylarm-lml@ntu-net.ru
USA – Special Reports Gene Selven & Associates, Inc., Gene
Selven, Kim Newman, 7291 Coronado Drive, Suite 8, San Jose,
CA 95129, Phone: (408) 996 7400, Fax: (408) 996 7871
e-mail: gselven@aol.com
Complete Guide by armada
A ‘daypack’ hydration system
from the field leader –
Blackhawk, who produces a
wide variety of combat gear
accessories. (Armada/JK)
pany produces approximately 200,000
pair of special tracking boots for regular army and Special Operations
troops.
Little mentioned, but of paramount
importance are the timepieces. Most
military members have their own preference but with the Special Forces (particularly the US Navy SEALs) one
watch does shine brighter than others –
the Traser series from mb-microtec.The
Swiss company produces the watch
with the illuminating tritium gas sealed
inside tiny glass cells. No recharging in
lighted rooms or even by sunlight is
required, yet the dial is so bright it can
be used to read a map in triple canopy
a
darkness.
Western USA – West of the Mississippi River
Diane Stevenson,
810 Val Sereno Drive
Olivenhain, CA 92024,
Phone: (858) 759 3557, Fax: (858) 759 3552
e-mail: dianestevenson@cox.net
Eastern USA – East of the Mississippi River
Margie Brown & Associates, Margie Brown,
4775 Mallard Court,
Warrenton, Virginia 20187-2500
Phone: (540) 341 7581, Fax: (540) 341 7582,
e-mail: margiespub@erols.com
All other countries: contact the Head Office.
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