Marinejegerkommandoen

Marinejegerkommandoen (MJK) is a Norwegian maritime special operations forces unit. It was formally established in 1951. It is located in Ramsund in the northern part of Norway and at Haakonsvern Naval Base in Bergen. MJK is employed in many kinds of operations, such as unconventional warfare, guerrilla warfare, special reconnaissance, recovery or protection of ships and oil installations, various counter-terrorism missions, hostage rescue and direct action (which includes sabotage, raids, kidnapping and specific enemy assassinations).

As is expected from any special forces, the training to become an MJK operative is long and arduous, taking a minimum of two years and then further augmented by courses taken during the following contract period, such as field medical training, sniper training and forward air control (FAC) training. The candidates are put through extremely demanding tests, on one of the field-tests which is known to the public, each of the candidates (which at this point of the selection consists of about 5-8 men) must carry a 60 kg rucksack while being hunted by "enemies" which consists of Home Guard-soldiers, K-9 units and policemen. At some point in the test, the candidates will be caught and sent to 36 hours of rough interrogation (CAC-training).

Marinejegerkommandoen's role in domestic and international security
"Operatives are tasked to accomplish missions where conventional forces are unsuited. MJK operatives are highly mobile, with stamina and forceful firepower in terms of their operative size. MJK operatives are specialists in land and maritime operations. They are trained and equipped to solve missions while under extreme climatic and environmental stress."

MJK is an integral part of the special operations command mesh that serves to protect Norway’s interests, both domestic and internationally. As this unit is to be used with maximum efficiency internationally, it is modelled after the NATO Special Operation Forces definition.

Domestic security
MJK’s role in a domestic defence situation is multifaceted, augmenting those of the Forsvarets Spesialkommando (FSK), Hærens Jegerkommando (HJK).

International operations


MJK has participated in a number of international operations, most notably and most recently twice in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, in 2002, as a part of Task Force K-Bar, and in 2003. MJK’s contribution has largely been kept secret, but from what is available, its missions have included DA (direct action), Forward Air Control (FAC) and SR (Special Surveillance and Reconnaissance), and cooperating with United States special operations forces in the fight against the Taliban.

Their participation in Afghanistan has been rewarded with the Navy Presidential Unit Citation on 8 February 2005 on grounds of their efforts. The Presidential Unit Citation is the highest unit award given by the US and was awarded to all of the units that were members of Task Force K-Bar.

Despite their manning levels, which are small compared to units from the USA, Canada, Australia etc., they can carry out large-scale special operations. MJK has been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq; in Iraq they hunted Scud missiles and Iraqi command and control. They have also operated with other SF units along the Iranian border. Norway has an extensive desert system (cite needed) where MJK train; the temperature can reach up to 35°C. MJK is also the unit with the highest number of operations among the other special operation forces of the Coalition in the area (2001–2005). The group has among other things performed missions in the Helmand and Uruzgan provinces of south Afghanistan.

William H. McRaven, a United States Navy Admiral who previously served as the commander of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), said in an interview with a Norwegian newspaper in 2007 that he regarded the Special Operations Forces of Norway to be among the top special forces in the world and that one of his favourite operations was the Norwegian heavy water sabotage by the Norwegian resistance forces during World War II.

Weapons

 * Automatgevær 3F2 - assault rifle
 * Heckler & Koch HK416 - assault rifle
 * Colt Canada C8 SFW - assault rifle
 * Heckler & Koch MSG90 - sniper rifle
 * Accuracy International L115A1 - sniper rifle
 * Barrett M82A1 - high-powered heavy sniper rifle
 * Heckler & Koch MP5 - submachine gun
 * Browning M2 - HMG
 * Rheinmetall MG 3 - GPMG
 * FN Minimi Para - LMG
 * Heckler & Koch USP - pistol
 * AG-C - grenade launcher
 * Talley Defense Systems M72 LAW - light anti-armor weapon
 * Carl Gustav recoilless rifle