| Frogman Corps[1] | |
|---|---|
| Frømandskorpset | |
 A visit, board, search and seizure training on the USS Vella Gulf | |
| Active | 17 June 1957 – present[2] |
| Country |
 Denmark |
| Branch |
 Royal Danish Navy |
| Type | Special operations force |
| Role |
Counter-terrorism Special operations Law enforcement Search and rescue Amphibious warfare Arctic warfare Naval boarding Covert operations Demolition Direct action Hostage rescue Intelligence gathering Surveillance Sabotage Special reconnaissance Close protection High-value target |
| Size | 150[3] |
| Part of | Special Operations Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Kongsøre[1] |
| Nickname(s) | FKP, The frogs (Frøerne) |
| Decorations |
 Presidential Unit Citation (United States) |
| Website | Official Facebook page |
| Commanders | |
| Chief of SOKOM | Major general Jørgen Høll |
| Ceremonial chief | Commander Jens Bach |
| Notable commanders |
Robert Christensen (1957–1970)(Founder) Finn Volke (1970–1975) Mogens Christensen Stefan Neubauer Andersen |
The Frogman Corps[1] (Danish language: Frømandskorpset ) is the maritime special operations force of the Danish Defence part of Special Operations Command. On 1 July 2015, the Frogman Corps transferred from the Royal Danish Navy to the newly established Special Operations Command.[4]
History[]
The Frogman Corps was established on 17 June 1957 based on the model of the United Kingdom Royal Marines Special Boat Service, Underwater Demolition Team, and Marinejegerkommandoen, in Norway. Initially it was under the Danish Navy's Diving School at Flådestation Holmen (Naval Station Holmen, Copenhagen), but in 1972 it was made an independent unit, operationally under the submarine squadron.
Role[]
The Frogman Corps primary role is reconnaissance, but it is also tasked with assaulting enemy ships, sabotage of fixed installations, advanced force and maritime anti-terrorism tasks.
It performs special operations work on land also, including anti-terrorism and anti-criminal work. The Corps supports the police with clearing up criminal matters that demand highly specialised diving. Also, local authorities, etc. can benefit from the frogman's skills, for example when underwater installations must be inspected.
Training[]
The Frogman Corps trains at the Torpedo Station at Kongsøre[5] and works through a long series of courses, e.g.:
- Combat swimmer course for three weeks
- Advanced scuba diving course
- Rescue swimmer course
- Survival course
The basic Frogman Course is nine months. Each year 500-600 applicants start the course and less than a dozen complete all nine months. Since its creation in 1957, 311 have completed the training, and become a Frogman.[6]
Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark passed selection and completed continuation training to become a badged Frogman, in the course of which he earned the nickname "Pingo".[7]
In 2015, a DR-produced documentary detailing the life of Frogman cadets was released.[8]
Operations[]
The Frogman Corps was involved in operations in Afghanistan such as Task Force K-Bar and in Iraq.[9] From 2008 until the end of 2014, the Frogman Corps was involved in counter-piracy operations as part of Operation Ocean Shield.[9] On 5 February 2010, ten Frogman Corps aboard HDMS Absalon (L16) conducted a counter-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden approaching the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged merchant vessel Ariella by rigid hull inflatable boat which had been hijacked by six armed Somali pirates.[10][11] They scaled the side of the ship and freed the 25 crew, who had locked themselves in a secure room, and continued to search the vessel for the pirates who had however fled.[11]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Facts and Figures - The Danish Armed Forces". February 2011. https://www2.forsvaret.dk/eng/About/Facts/Documents/Facts_And_Figures_UK.pdf. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
- ↑ "Fotos fra frøernes Kongsøre - Frømandskorpset fejrede sig selv med action i Isefjorden." (in Danish). 16 June 2017. https://www2.forsvaret.dk/nyheder/overige_nyheder/Pages/Fotosfrafr%C3%B8ernesKongs%C3%B8re.aspx. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ↑ Havskov, Jens Anton (24 June 2013). "The Danish Version of the Navy SEALs" (in Danish). Berlingske Media. http://www.bt.dk/danmark/det-danske-svar-paa-navy-seal-derfor-blev-froemandskorpset-oprettet. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
- ↑ "Jægerkorpset og Frømandskorpset overdrages til Specialoperationskommandoen [Jaegercorps and Frogman Corps transferred to Special operations command"] (in Danish). 25 June 2015. https://www2.forsvaret.dk/nyheder/overige_nyheder/Pages/J%C3%A6gerkorpsetogFr%C3%B8mandskorpsetoverdragestilSpecialoperationskommandoen.aspx. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
- ↑ "About" (in Danish). https://www.facebook.com/pg/Fr%C3%B8mandskorpset-1482295382051877/about/?ref=page_internal. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ↑ "Frømandskorpset (1:5)" (in Danish) (Video). https://www.dr.dk/tv/se/froemandskorpset/froemandskorpset-1-5#!/00:30. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
- ↑ Bremer, Sophie (21 November 2011). "Pingo Playing With Australian Special Forces" (in Danish). JP/Politikens Hus A/S. http://ekstrabladet.dk/flash/kongelige/danskekongelige/article4240345.ece. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
- ↑ Rasmussen, Sofie Amalie. "DR1 giver et unikt indblik i Frømandskorpset" (in Danish). http://www.dr.dk/om_dr/nyt+fra+dr/programmer_koncerter/2015/10/26161159.htm. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Frømandskorpset - About" (in Danish). This is the official Facebook site of the Danish Naval Special Warfare Group (Frogman Corps). https://www.facebook.com/pg/Fr%C3%B8mandskorpset-1482295382051877/about/?ref=page_internal. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
- ↑ "NATO warship Absalon saves ship from pirate attack". http://www.eucom.mil/media-library/article/20037/nato-warship-absalon-saves-ship-pirate-attack. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Danish Forces Storm Somali Pirate Ship, Free 25 People On Board" (in English). Fox News. 5 February 2010. http://www.foxnews.com/story/2010/02/05/danish-forces-storm-somali-pirate-ship-free-25-people-on-board.html?. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
External links[]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Frømandskorpset. |
- Danish Defence Frømandskorpset (in Danish)
- Official Facebook Frømandskorpset page (in Danish)
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The original article can be found at Frogman Corps (Denmark) and the edit history here.