Malaysian Armed Forces. Military ranks of the Ground Forces

Flag of the Malaysian Armed Forces

Story

The first Malay military units appeared at the beginning of the 20th century during the period of British colonial rule. On January 23, 1933, the Federal Council of the United Malayan States issued a decree establishing the first Malay rifle regiment. On March 1, 1933, the first training company was formed from 25 volunteers, the British Major Mcl S. Bruce from the Lincolnshire Regiment became the commander. By January 1, 1935, the strength of the training company of the Malay Regiment was 150 recruits.

The Malayan Regiment received its first baptism of fire on February 14, 1942 in the defense of the Opium Hills against the Japanese army.

General information

Composition of the armed forces

Ground troops

With 17 corps, the Malaysian Land Forces are divided into 4 districts, 3 of which are located on the continent and the 4th in East Malaysia. Special Forces Units, 10th Airborne Brigade and army aviation are independent units and report directly to the commander.

Military ranks of the Ground Forces

Military ranks similar to the British, consist of 17 ranks.

officers

The officer corps consists of 3 levels:

Senior officers

• lieutenant colonel ( Leftenan Kolonel)
• Colonel ( Kolonel)
• Brigadier General ( Brigedier General)
• Major General ( Mejar General)
• lieutenant general ( Leftenan General)
• General ( General)

• Recruit ( Recruit)
• Private ( Prebet)

Air Force

see also

• Military ranks in the Malaysian Armed Forces (Malay)

Notes

Links

• Malaysian Ministry of Defense official website (Malay)
• Official website of the General Staff of the Malaysian Armed Forces (Malay)

"Bofors" (full name Bofors 40 mm Luftvärnsautomatkanon, abbr. Lvakan 40/60 or L / 60, from Swedish - "40-mm anti-aircraft automatic gun [mobile army, with a barrel length of 60 calibers] Bofors brand", - military indices varied depending on the specific modification and on the operating country) - an automatic anti-aircraft gun of 40 mm caliber, developed in 1929-1932 by the Swedish company AB Bofors. The most common and used tool air defense World War II, which was actively used by both opposing sides, both in land and ship versions with numerous modifications (casemate, towed, self-propelled armored and unarmored, railway, airborne, etc.). As of 1939 (at the time of the outbreak of hostilities in Europe), Swedish manufacturers exported Bofors to 18 countries of the world and entered into licensing agreements with another 10 countries. The production of guns was carried out by the military industry of the Axis countries and allies in the Anti-Hitler coalition. The 40-mm Bofors gun was in service with many countries of the world. Its further development was the Bofors L70 gun. The Bofors L60 is often referred to simply as "Bofors".

HK33 is a German assault rifle developed by Heckler & Koch based on automatic rifle HK G3. The main differences between the HK33 and the G3 are the smaller caliber, weight and dimensions. The weapon mechanics have not changed.

It is possible to install various USM modules, both with and without queue cut-off. Receiver- stamped. A 40-mm grenade launcher and a bayonet can be installed, and it is also possible to throw rifle grenades from the barrel (except for shortened versions).

The license for the production of the HK33 was sold to the Turkish company MKEK, which began production of an assault rifle in 1999. Turkish army.

M240 (FN MAG) (United States Machine Gun, 7.62mm, M240) - a single machine gun, a modification of the Belgian FN MAG, adopted by the US Army and Marine Corps, also used in equipping the Chinese Jaguar tank. It is an automatic weapon built according to the scheme with a gas drive of automation and locking the barrel. The M240 has been used by the United States military since the late 1970s. It is widely used by infantry, most often rifle companies, and is also installed on ground vehicles, boats and helicopters.

The Naval Special Warfare Force (Malay Pasukan Khas Laut), abbreviated as PASKAL) is a special unit of the Malaysian Navy.

The task of PASCAL is to carry out small combat operations at sea that take place and return to the river, ocean, swamp, delta or coastline. PASKAL also performs tasks intended for conducting operational and strategic reconnaissance at sea and in the coastal strip, conducting special reconnaissance and sabotage activities, combating terrorism and maritime piracy, guerrilla war, counter guerrilla warfare, jungle warfare, counter terrorism, close defense, hostage rescue and external internal defense.

Although PASCAL was created as a maritime counter-terrorism unit, it has become a multifunctional special operations unit with roles that include operations high risk reconnaissance, conducting special and sabotage activities, search and rescue operations and other tasks.

PASCAL is an all-encompassing force formally established on October 1, 1980 after a five-year adjustment period to ensure compliance with the maritime requirements of Malaysia's Exclusive Economic Zone through sea, air and land operations.

The Royal Malaysian Air Force (Malaysian: Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia) is one of the branches of the Malaysian armed forces.

The Royal Malaysian Maritime Force (Malay: Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia) is one of the branches of the Malaysian armed forces.

Non-conscript armed forces (voluntary armed forces) - armed forces formed on a voluntary basis, without the use of the institution of military conscription, or (in a number of countries) - with its partial use. Recruitment into the troops is carried out with the signing of a contract with a future soldier with an offer of adequate wages, future benefits at the end of the contract and other incentives. At the same time, a fairly large number of countries leave the possibility of conscription in emergency conditions.

In recent decades, due to changes in geopolitics, the number of countries that have refused conscription in Peaceful time, has increased significantly.

Malaysia

Story

The first Malay military units appeared at the beginning of the 20th century during the period of British colonial rule. On January 23, 1933, the Federal Council of the United Malayan States issued a decree establishing the first Malayan Fusiliers. On March 1, 1933, the first training company was formed from 25 volunteers, the British Major Mcl S. Bruce from the Lincolnshire Regiment became the commander. By January 1, 1935, the strength of the training company of the Malay Regiment was 150 recruits. On January 1, 1938, the first battalion was formed, and in December 1941, the 2nd battalion. The Malay Regiment received its first baptism of fire on February 14, 1942 in the defense of the Opium Hills against the Japanese army. September 1, 1952, the Federal Intelligence Unit is created December 8, 1986 - the final formation of the Royal Land Forces

Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces

Supreme Commander the highest ranking office in the Malaysian military command structure. The office dates to the 1957 creation of the Federation of Malay. It is the current role, duties and powers that are regulated by the Malaysian constitution and the country's federal armed forces function. The Malaysian constitution establishes that the office of supreme commander is attached to the person of the federal heads of state.

• Minister of Defense.

• One member appointed by the Conference of Rulers.

• The chief of the state's armed forces who is appointed by the King of Malaysia.

• UN Secretary General of Defense.

• 2 officers of the administrative personnel of the armed forces of the country of the federation, appointed by the king.

• Senior member of the federal navy, appointed by the king.

• Senior member of the Federation Air Force, appointed by the king.

• Up to 2 other members appointed by the king.

September 16 is Malaysian Armed Forces Day. The history of their creation by the Malaysians dates back to 1933, when 25 young Malays received initial military training under the guidance of English instructors in Port Dickson. In the same year, the first Malayan infantry regiment was formed as part of the British colonial ground forces.

By the time the Federation of Malaysia was proclaimed in 1963, the total strength of the country's armed forces had reached 22,000. Of these, the ground forces (seven infantry battalions as part of the Royal Malay Regiment, three infantry brigades, two artillery regiments, a reconnaissance regiment) accounted for 19 thousand military personnel, the Navy (three minesweepers, 10 maritime patrol vessels with a displacement of less than 100 tons) -2 thousand. The Air Force included 14 training and transport aircraft.

Military - Maritime forces. The history of their creation, as well as ground forces, dates back to the colonial past of the country. In 1939 (at the beginning of the Second World War), the British command for the first time recruited representatives of the Malay population in order to strengthen their own Navy. In 1957, when the independence of the Federation of Malaya was proclaimed, a division of the Malay naval forces who were in Singapore were transferred to Federation territory. With the creation of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, they received the name of the Royal Navy.

The command and control of the Malaysian Navy is carried out by the Chief of Staff of the Naval Forces, whose residence is in the Ministry of Defense in Kuala Lumpur. Two other headquarters are subordinate to him. One of them is in Singapore, the other is in Labuan ( East Malaysia). Until the completion of the construction of the naval base in Lumut (Perak), the main naval base of Malaysia continues to be the base in Woodlands (Singapore).

Air Force- the youngest branch of the armed forces of the country. The history of their creation dates back to 1958, when the first Malay unit of 12 people was created as part of the British Air Force, who had 2 training aircraft at their disposal. The development of this type of armed forces in the 70s proceeded at a fairly rapid pace. By the beginning of 1976, the personnel of the Royal Malaysian Air Force consisted of 5300 people, and the aircraft fleet - 200 units, a significant part of which was transport aviation.

Since the formation of Malaysia in 1963, the importance of air communications and transport aviation has continuously increased. This is largely due to the fact that the states of Sabah and Sarawak are separated from West Malaysia by about 750 km.

The recruitment system of the Malaysian army is carried out by recruiting volunteers aged 18 to 45 years. In the construction of the armed forces, Malaysia adopted the experience and structure of military command, as well as the organizational forms of military formations and units of Great Britain. Up to the present time, there have been fairly close military contacts between Malaysia and Britain, carried out, in particular, within the framework of the five-sided military-political agreement ANZUK.

By the early 1980s, new plans were developed in Malaysia to increase the size of this type of armed forces, including paramilitaries and a volunteer reserve, or territorial army, modernization and changes organizational structure ground forces.

Important in the plans for the reorganization of the ground forces were military exercises called Gonzales IV (mid-1980). Carried out on an unprecedented scale (with the participation of 50,000 troops), they showed that the Malaysian army is making the transition from the ability to conduct short-term operations (mainly in the jungle against insurgent groups) to the ability to conduct long-term and large-scale military operations.

According to the constitution, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Malaysia is the Supreme Ruler. In practice, the general direction and management of the armed forces is carried out by the Council national security(NSS), established in 1971. The Council decides on the most important issues of the country's military strategy and security, as well as coordination of the actions of the branches of the armed forces. The chairman of the National Security Council is the head of the executive branch - the prime minister. The latter is accountable to Parliament, which, in accordance with the constitution, has the right to declare war, to finally determine the size and composition of the Malaysian armed forces, and to approve annual appropriations for their development.

The NSC's monthly meetings are attended by the Deputy Prime Minister (incumbent Minister of the Interior), the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance and Information, the Commander of the Armed Forces and the Inspector General of Police. The military and police are also represented on state and local security councils.

The Malaysian government began to pay increased attention to the development of the Navy in the second half of the 70s. By the beginning of the 80s, the Malaysian Navy numbered 7 thousand people and were able to conduct independent fighting. In 1983, the number of Navy personnel was increased to 9 thousand people. An ever greater role is assigned to the naval forces in repulsing the threat of an attack from outside. With the introduction of the 200-mile economic zone, the patrol functions of the Navy also expanded.

The functions of the coast guard were assigned to the maritime police, for which, by 1981, 5 new maritime berths had been built. In addition to the main naval base in Lumut, the construction of new bases and the modernization of old ones are being accelerated. Among them are the naval bases in Port Kelang, Johor Bahru, in Kuching and on the island of Labuan (East Malaysia).

) and in matters of repelling external aggression, its leadership traditionally focuses on cooperation with the United States, Great Britain and other states of the British Commonwealth of Nations, the basis of the national military doctrine is the concept "general defense" and "self-reliance".

The development and structure of the Malaysian military department was influenced by the need to fight the insurgency within the country, the aggravation of the military-political situation in Southeast Asia as a result of the war in Indochina, and the presence of unresolved territorial conflicts in the region.

As one of the three branches of the armed forces, the Air Force has the highest level of technical equipment, combat readiness and vocational training personnel. They were created to effectively combat political opponents of the regime existing in the country and the need to ensure its territorial integrity in connection with gaining independence in the late 50s (formerly a British colony). The size of the country, the difficulties of land communications associated with the presence of tropical jungles and the predominance of mountainous terrain, large maritime spaces separating the eastern and western parts of Malaysian territory, as well as regularly occurring (from the beginning of the 60s to the end of the 80s) insurgent attacks in the surrounding areas were the factors that influenced the development and formation of the structure of the Malaysian air force.

Having at the time of creation (June 2, 1958) in their composition 14 military personnel and one aircraft, over the years of their existence, they have eliminated the backlog in terms of combat capability from the air forces of other states of Southeast Asia ( currently have about 13 thousand people, about 200 aircraft) and are the most dynamically developing in the region. In accordance with the provisions of combat use he identified the following tasks as priorities: covering the main administrative and industrial centers, as well as military facilities from air strikes, close air support for ground forces, patrolling the adjacent waters of the seas and strait zones, conducting aerial reconnaissance, and transporting personnel and equipment. In addition, they are entrusted with the functions of assisting the authorities in the fight against opponents of the existing regime within the country, the elimination of the consequences of natural disasters, as well as in the implementation of state programs for socio-economic development.

Organizational structure. At present, the functioning of the Malaysian Air Force is provided by a unified and interconnected command structure, which provides for their comprehensive development and build-up of combat capabilities. It is based on the concepts of central planning and management, as well as decentralized execution of tasks. The command and control structure enables all units and subunits of the Malaysian Air Force to operate in accordance with a single concept as autonomous and independent combat units, which include all the necessary elements of logistics support for daily activities. The Malaysian Air Force headquarters is at the center of this organizational structure and is an integral part of the combined headquarters of the country's armed forces, located in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.

The Air Force Headquarters organizationally consists of two main directorates: planning and development, operational. The first is responsible for long-term planning of the development of this type of aircraft, determining the directions of military scientific research, as well as for creating improvement programs individual elements national air forces. The second deals with the development of doctrines, options for mobilization deployment, contingency plans (natural disasters, intensification of the insurgency, etc.), conducting exercises, as well as monitoring the daily combat training of subordinate units and subunits. The general leadership of this type of armed forces is entrusted to the commander, whose deputy is also the chief of staff of the Air Force.

Since 1996, the Malaysian Air Force has been based on a doctrine called Back To Basics. It was developed with the aim of improving the quality of performance by personnel of their functional duties while strictly observing the requirements of guidance documents and manuals. According to the leadership of this military department, the implementation of the doctrine will make it possible to constantly develop the national air force and bring it into line with all the requirements placed on it.

The Malaysian Air Force consists of four aviation divisions (ad), whose commanders are responsible for the training and combat readiness of subordinate units and subunits.

The leadership of the 1 hell is entrusted with the solution of the tasks of the country's air defense and gaining air superiority.

2 hell carries out air transport transportation of the Air Force. 3 ad - logistic support of Air Force units, including the operation of ground equipment and the distribution of consumables.

4 hell is entrusted with the function of deploying advanced command posts designed to guide the conduct of special operations units of the Air Force. Its command is also responsible for conducting aerial reconnaissance in the provinces of Sabah and Sarawak.

According to the foreign press, there are a number of units and subunits in the combat strength of the Malaysian Air Force (see table).

Aerodrome network. There are about 115 airfields on the territory of the country, of which 32 are with artificial runways, 83 are unpaved; including 80 with a runway length of about 900 m. Ten air bases are used to base the Malaysian Air Force units. If necessary, aircraft of the national air force can perform flight missions, using the largest airports in the country as operational airfields, where the necessary stocks of materiel have been created and there is equipment for their full operation. Malaysia has eight airfields with runways between 2,400 and 3,700 meters long.

Personnel training. According to foreign experts, the flight crew of the Malaysian Air Force has a fairly high level of training. In developing training methods, the experience of the military departments of both the leading Western countries, primarily the United States and Great Britain, and the member states of the ANZUK bloc is widely used. Flight personnel are trained at the flight school. It was opened at the Sungei Besi air base in December 1958, in April 1964 it was redeployed to the Alor Setar air base. The initial training of cadets in piloting skills is carried out on RS-7A aircraft. Then their training continues on the Hawk Mk108 combat training aircraft. At the end of the school, cadets are awarded the primary officer rank and pilot qualification. Further improvement of their flight training is taking place in the combat units of the national air forces, as well as in training centers in Australia, the USA and Great Britain.

The training of air force personnel of ground specialties is carried out mainly at school technical training, opened in Kuala Lumpur in August 1963, and partly in educational institutions ground forces. Combat training of units and subunits of the Air Force is organized in accordance with national plans and within the ANZUK block. It is aimed at increasing the combat capability and combat readiness of all formations of the national air force. Considering possible options conducting combat operations, they solve combat training tasks in peacetime in conditions as close as possible to real ones. For this purpose, special training grounds and training centers are equipped on the territory of the country.

F/A-18D fighter-attack fighter units, as well as Hawk Mk208 attack aircraft, are practicing how to strike various ground and sea targets using both conventional aerial bombs and guided weapons.

Much attention is paid to learning how to overcome the enemy's air defense system.

Squadrons of MiG-29, F-5E and F fighters are the main active air defense systems. They are preparing to cover administrative and economic centers, as well as military facilities by intercepting enemy aircraft at maximum ranges to the point where they use air-to-ground weapons.

Training in military transport aviation is aimed at working out tasks for the transfer of personnel, weapons, military equipment and means of logistics, airborne assault. At the same time, actions are envisaged in the interests of both their own armed forces and allies.

Colonel A. Alekseev

Specificity military-political situation in Southeast Asia, which is distinguished by the diversity of the ethnic and religious composition of the population, as well as the strong positions of left-wing radicals, makes many states of the region pay considerable attention to the creation, equipping and training of special forces. The most serious in terms of preparation and combat experience considered special forces of the island states of Southeast Asia - Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines. This is due to the fact that for many decades these states have had to wage war against partisan formations operating in wooded and mountainous areas on many islands. Separatist nationalist movements, Islamic fundamentalists and communist partisans are longtime opponents of these states and have been waging armed struggle against them since the middle of the 20th century. In the last article, we talked about the special forces of Indonesia, and this time we will talk about the special forces of Malaysia.

The fight against partisans and the experience of the British SAS

Malaysia acquired political sovereignty in 1957 - first as the Federation of Malaya, which included the Malay Peninsula, and in 1963, the provinces of Sabah and Sarawak, located on the island of Kalimantan, became part of the Federation of Malaysia. Ever since the first post-war years, since the second half of the 1940s. the authorities of British Malaya were faced with an armed struggle waged by the Communist Party of Malaya.

The Malayan War was one of the first post-war colonial conflicts of the British Empire, in which the British had to face a developed guerrilla movement and, accordingly, gradually develop a special tactics of warfare. Subsequently, it was the experience of the Malayan War that began to be used by the British in other colonies. The presence of a partisan movement in the jungles of Malacca very soon indicated the need for the authorities of British Malaya to create special units that could effectively track down and destroy partisan detachments.

In the late 1940s - 1950s. military operations against the Malayan communist guerrillas were carried out by units of the troops of the countries of the British Commonwealth. In the jungles of Malacca, besides british soldiers, visited by Australians, New Zealanders, Rhodesians. It was the Malayan War that forced the British military leadership to abandon plans to dissolve the famous SAS - Special Air Service, which were hatched after the end of World War II. The SAS fighters were tasked with a long stay (up to four months) in the Malay jungle. During this time, it was supposed not only to search for and destroy partisans, but also to establish contacts with the local population, acquire the sympathy of the "forest tribes" and use the natives in confronting the communist partisans. The unit operating in Malaya was called the "Malay Scouts", or 22nd SAS. It included not only recruited British soldiers, but also Rhodesians, New Zealanders, Australians and Fijians.

In addition to the SAS, the famous "Gurkhas" - Nepalese shooters who served in the British army - actively fought in the jungles of Malaya. Also, the Sarawak Rangers were used against the communist partisans - a special unit whose roots go back to the middle of the 19th century - it was then that the Englishman James Brooke, who became the "white rajah" of Sarawak, in the north of the island of Kalimantan, created this elite unit from local aborigines - dayaks. After the entry of Sarawak into Malaysia, the Sarawak Rangers became the basis of the Royal Malaysian Army Ranger Regiment. Personnel This unit is still recruited mainly from the Ibans - representatives of the largest Dayak tribe in Kalimantan, inhabiting the Malaysian province of Sarawak.

When Malaysia gained political sovereignty, the country's leadership had to independently solve the problem of pacifying the rebels operating in the Malay jungle. Moreover, soon after the annexation of the Kalimantan provinces of Sabah and Sarawak to Malaysia, neighboring Indonesia began subversive activities against the country. Indonesian President Sukarno disputed Malaysian rights to Sabah and Sarawak, considering these provinces to be the historical territory of the Indonesian state, since they were located on the island of Kalimantan, most of which became part of Indonesia. Sukarno began to act against Malaysia with the help of communist guerrilla units that collaborated with the Communist Party of Malaya.

Special Service Group - Army Special Forces

The Directorate of Special Forces was created as part of the Malaysian Ministry of Defense. In 1965, at the height of the confrontation with Indonesia, the Malaysian command began recruiting volunteers from the ground forces and the navy who wanted to take a commando training course. There were 300 people who wanted to get into special forces. On February 25, 1965, selection training began at the camp in Johor Bahru. The course was conducted by specialists from the British Royal Marines. Rigid selection weeded out the vast majority of candidates - there were 15 people who had to go through a six-week basic commando training course. However, out of these 15 best, only 13 people passed the training course - 4 officers and 9 sergeants and corporals. Even a list of Malaysian special forces of the first set has been preserved. These are Lieutenant Colonel Shahrul Nizam bin Ismail (retired as a general), Major Abu Hassan bin Abdullah (retired as a colonel), Lieutenants Mohammad Ramil bin Ismail (later promoted to the rank of Major General), Gaazli bin Ibrahim (also retired as General Major) and Hussin bin Awang Senik (retired as Colonel), Staff Sergeant Zakaria bin Adas, Sergeants Anuar bin Talib, Ariffin bin Mohamad, Yahya bin Darus, Corporals Silva Dorai and Mu Ki Fa, Corporals Johari bin Haji Mord Sirai and Sabri bin Ahmad. Thus began the Special Service Group - Grup Gerak Khas - the special forces of the Malaysian army.

With the help of British instructors from the Royal Marines, already in the same 1965, the composition of the Special Service Group was expanded and the young special unit conducted 6 more basic courses. On August 1, 1970, the 1st Special Service Regiment was formed in Sungai Udang - in Malacca. In January 1981, the headquarters of the Special Service Group was established at the Imphal camp in Kuala Lumpur. By this time, in addition to the headquarters, the Group, similar in size to a brigade, included three special service regiments, as well as combat and logistics support units. The combat training of the Malaysian special forces was carried out jointly with commando units of Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.

On August 1, 1976, the Special Military Training Center (Pusat Latihan Peperangan Khusus) was formed, in which combat training of the military personnel of the Special Service Group is carried out in the following areas: basic training of commandos of the army, air force and navy of Malaysia, training of personnel of special operations forces in accordance with the requirements leadership of the country, advanced training of military personnel of special operations forces, testing of special forces soldiers, providing qualified instructors for special forces units. During training at the training center, the military personnel of the Special Service Group go through the following stages of training.

The first five-week training course is of the greatest importance in determining the individual physical and psychological state of the fighters. At this stage, the main emphasis is on strengthening physical endurance, improving handling, explosives, the acquisition of skills in medicine, topography, mountaineering and climbing, tactics of special forces. Fighters with full combat gear must make several forced marches for 4.8 km, 8 km, 11.2 km, 14 km and 16 km. This stage usually ends with the elimination of several cadets who do not fit in time in passing the assigned distance.

The next two-week training course involves preparation for combat operations in the jungle and includes the acquisition of skills for survival in the jungle, guarding and patrolling the jungle, arranging a military camp in a wooded area, and conducting combat operations. Then the soldiers of the special forces move on to the next stage of training, where they are expected to have a combat march in full gear. Three days are given for the passage of 160 km. The cadets who managed to cover this distance in the appointed time must live for seven days in a swampy area without food or even uniforms, being dressed only in underwear. Thus, emphasis is placed on learning marshland survival practices. Those who do not cope with the task are eliminated from the special forces.

Next, the cadets will have a stage of training in actions at sea. For two weeks, future commandos are taught the basics of navigating small vessels, rowing, landing on the shore, and scuba diving. The final exam at this stage of training is to overcome the distance of 160 km along the Malay Strait in kayaks. The fifth stage of training includes completing tasks to establish communication with "agents" and evade a meeting with a mock enemy. If caught, cadets face torture and ill-treatment. The commandos are tasked with continuing the path to the designated checkpoint, after which the test can be considered completed.

The Special Service Group includes three Special Service regiments. The 11th Special Service Regiment is sometimes also referred to as the Counter-Terrorist Regiment. Its competence includes the fight against terrorism, including the release of hostages and the conduct of anti-terrorist operations, including the fight against revolutionary insurgents. The regiment was trained by specialists - instructors from the 22nd British SAS and the American Green Berets. Within the Special Service Group, the Counter-Terrorist Regiment is considered an elite regiment. It is smaller than the other two regiments in size and includes 4 squadrons. But only those commandos who have served at least 6 years in other regiments of the special service can get into the service of anti-terror.

The 21st Commando Regiment and the 22nd Commando Regiment are also called anti-insurgency. They specialize in non-traditional warfare methods - guerrilla and counter-guerrilla operations, special intelligence, and sabotage. Here the greatest emphasis is placed on preparing for action in the jungle. The 22nd Commando Regiment was created on January 1, 1977 at the Sungai Udang camp in Malacca. On April 1, 1981, the 11th and 12th Special Service Regiments were formed, whose task was to support the 21st and 22nd Commando Regiments. However, noticeably the 12th regiment was reduced.

The Malaysian Special Service Group reports to the headquarters of the armed forces and the headquarters of the country's ground forces. The group is commanded by Brigadier General Dato' Abdu Samad bin Haji Yacoub. The honorary chief is the Sultan of Johor. Currently, one of the serious problems of the special forces is the departure of many old fighters from the service and the personnel shortage associated with this. To prevent layoffs and attract new recruits, the military command in 2005 decided to increase the salaries of military personnel depending on the length of service - at the expense of the so-called. incentive payments.

Soldiers of the Special Service Group wear military uniform established for the ground forces of Malaysia, but differ from the military personnel of other units in a headdress - a green beret with the emblem of a special service. The emblem of the Malaysian army special forces is a dagger in front of the muzzle of a roaring tiger. The color background of the emblem is obliquely blue and green. Green color symbolizes the unit's affiliation with commando forces, while the blue symbolizes the special service's historical connection to the British Royal Marines. The tiger means ferocity and power, and the naked dagger is a symbol of the fighting spirit of the commandos, as it acts as a mandatory element of the equipment of any Malaysian special forces. Also, special service soldiers wear a blue strap, symbolizing the connection with the Royal Marines. On the left pocket, those of the special forces who have parachute training also wear the image of wings.

The combat path of the special service for half a century of its existence includes numerous episodes of participation in hostilities - both on the territory of Malaysia and abroad. From 1966 to 1990, for 24 years, the commandos took an active part in countering the communist guerrilla movement in the jungles of Malaysia. Strictly speaking, for this purpose, units of the army special forces were originally created. In 1993, the Malaysian special forces, together with units of the Pakistani army, took part in the battle in Mogadishu (Somalia) in 1993, where one special service soldier was killed and several people were injured. In 1998, the army special forces provided security for the 16th Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, acting in conjunction with police special forces units. Malaysian special forces became the only commando unit from Southeast Asia to take part in the peacekeeping operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2006, special service fighters, together with the 10th airborne brigade and police special forces, participated in the pacification in East Timor. Also, Malaysian special forces participated in peacekeeping operations in Lebanon - in 2007, in Afghanistan - in order to assist the New Zealand military contingent in Bamiyan. In 2013, in the province of Sabah, the army special forces took part in the search for and elimination of a terrorist group.

Special Aviation Service

As in Indonesia, in Malaysia each branch of the armed forces has its own special forces. The Malaysian Air Force includes Pasukan Khas Udara, or PASKAU - Air Force Special Aviation Service). This unit is used for anti-terrorist activities and special operations. Royal Air Force Malaysia. The immediate tasks of aviation special forces include search and rescue, adjustment of aviation fire and the fight against terrorism and insurgency.

The history of aviation special forces, as well as special forces of the ground forces, goes back to the period of confrontation between the Malaysian government forces and the guerrillas of the Communist Party of Malaya. After the Communist Party militants fired mortars at the air base, as a result of which the Royal Air Force transport aircraft was destroyed, the air force command issued a directive to create a new special unit to ensure the security of the air bases. On April 1, 1980, a new unit was created, which began to be trained by British instructors from the SAS. By March 1, 1987, 11 squadrons of Malaysian aviation special forces were created. It was originally called Pasukan Pertahanan Darat dan Udara (HANDAU) - Air and Ground Defense Forces, and on June 1, 1993 received its modern name PASKAU.

In fact, PASKAU exists as a regiment of the Royal Malaysian Air Force. It consists of three main types of squadrons. The first are anti-terrorist squadrons. They specialize in the fight against terrorism, the release of hostages and the destruction of terrorists, in aviation operations to free the hostages. Such a squadron includes groups of six fighters each - a shooter, a sniper, a communications expert, an explosives engineer, and a medic. The second - air combat search and rescue squadrons are used to carry out rescue operations behind enemy lines. Their mission is to find and rescue downed RAF crews and their passengers as quickly as possible. Finally, the third type of squadron - to protect air bases - performs tasks for the defense of air bases, as well as the defense of radar stations and air defense bases. Finally, their task is to correct aircraft fire.

The training of aviation special forces of Malaysia is carried out at a high level. For twelve weeks, the commandos go through test missions. Tests include forced marches for 160 km. non-stop, climbing, boating, jungle survival, sniper shooting, hand to hand combat. The main emphasis in the training of aviation special forces is on training in actions to free hostages and prevent the hijacking of civilian and military aviation. After successfully completing the training and passing the tests, officers, sergeants and enlisted units receive the right to wear a blue beret and commando dagger.

Throughout the history of its existence, PASKAU has repeatedly taken part in search and rescue operations. In 2013, aviation special forces units, together with other military and police formations, participated in the operation against Sulu terrorists. Forty military personnel of the unit participated in the peacekeeping operation in Afghanistan, also Malaysian aviation special forces took part in the peacekeeping operation in Lebanon. The Special Aviation Service is subordinate to the headquarters of the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The commander of the Special Aviation Service Regiment is Colonel Haji Nazri bin Dashah, and the honorary chief is General Dato Rodzali bin Daoud.

Marine special forces - on guard of Malayan oil

In 1975, the command of the Malaysian Navy also felt the need to create its own special forces. It was decided to recruit volunteers from among the officers and sailors of the Navy for the purpose of their further training in special commando programs. Thus began the history of the Royal Malaysian Navy Special Forces - Pasukan Khas Laut (PASKAL). This unit was given the task of conducting small-scale naval operations in rivers, seas, deltas, on the coast or in swampy areas. In general, the focus of this special unit also had much in common with the army and aviation special forces - among the main tasks were counter-guerrilla warfare, the fight against terrorism, the protection of protected persons, and the release of hostages. Initially, PASKAL was tasked with protecting the naval bases of Malaysia.

In 1977, the first batch of thirty officers, commanded by Captain Sutarji ben Kasmin (now a retired admiral) was sent to Kota Pahlavan, a naval base in Surabaya (Indonesia). By this time, relations between Malaysia and Indonesia had long since normalized and the countries had become important strategic partners in matters of defense and security. In Indonesia, the Malaysian naval special forces began training under the guidance of instructors from KOPASKA, a similar special unit of the Indonesian Navy. Later, special forces officers were also sent to Portsmouth - for training at the base of the Royal Marines of Great Britain, and to California - for training at the base of the special forces of the US Navy. In Coronado, at the base of the US Navy, special forces were trained under the leadership of Lieutenant Commander (Captain 2nd Rank) Ahmad Ramli Cardi.

In April 1980, Malaysia announced that its exclusive economic zone would extend up to 200 nautical miles from the coast. Accordingly, before Navy Malaysia was tasked with ensuring the inviolability of the country's territorial waters. Accordingly, from October 1, 1982, PASKAL began to be used within the exclusive economic zone of Malaysia. Before the special forces were tasked with the defense of more than thirty oil rigs in the territorial waters of Malaysia. Their security is the exclusive responsibility of PASKAL and the regiment regularly conducts exercises to practice actions in the event of an attack on oil rigs or attempts to steal oil.

A candidate for service in the PASKAL unit must meet the requirements for a naval special forces fighter. He must not be older than 30 years. For three months, recruits undergo a standard training course and tests. After passing them, the recruits who successfully passed the first stage of training are sent to a special military training center in Sungai Udang, where they undergo airborne training, as well as special courses in medicine, explosives, communications, and electrical engineering. Every three months, special forces soldiers undergo a medical examination. PASKAL admission tests include the following standards: running 7.8 km in 24 minutes, swimming 1.5 km for no more than 25 minutes, swimming 6.4 km in the open sea with full equipment - 120 minutes, freestyle swimming 1.5 km in 31 minutes, holding on the water with hands and feet tied, diving 7 m deep without a special apparatus. Soldiers of the naval special forces are regularly sent for training and advanced training to the bases of the SAS of Great Britain, the special forces of the US Navy, and Australian divers. Soldiers receive climbing training in France, sniper training in Australia.

The training of special forces fighters of the Malaysian Navy includes the study of the specifics of warfare in the jungle, including sabotage and guerrilla methods, and the search for insurgents. It also explores survival in the jungle after airdrops, and the establishment of bridgeheads in wooded areas. Emphasis is placed on training in actions to defend oil platforms. Methods of warfare in urban conditions, mining and demining, work with explosives, a course of military medical training are being studied. Much attention is paid physical training including the study of martial arts. Training program hand-to-hand combat in the special forces is based on traditional Malay martial art"silat" and Korean martial arts, first of all - "taekwondo". Each special forces soldier must also be trained in foreign language- to collect information and communicate with soldiers of units of friendly states.

The overall command of the special forces is carried out by the headquarters of the Royal Malaysian Navy. The direct commander of the unit is Vice Admiral Dato Saifuddin bin Kamaruddin. The head of the unit is Admiral Professor Dr. Haji Mohd Sutarji bin Qasmin. Currently, PASKAL is a naval special forces regiment, the exact number and structure of which are classified. However, experts estimate the size of the unit at about 1,000 troops, which are divided into two units - the first block based at the Lumut base in Perak state, and the second block at the Sri Seporna base in Sabah state. The PASKAL detachment is also based at Teluk Sepanggar, a naval base in Sabah.

The regiment consists of several squadrons, each of which includes at least four companies. The smallest unit - "military boat" - includes seven fighters. Each PASKAL company is made up of four platoons, organized along the lines of the American Green Berets. Platoon "Alpha" is a universal group of special operations used to combat terrorism, rescue operations. Bravo Platoon includes a diving team and special group air operations, whose tasks include penetration into enemy territory to collect intelligence data. Platoon "Charlie" is an auxiliary team. Delta Platoon - Amphibious sniper team.

In each subdivision of the regiment are specialists of various profiles, selected to perform tasks in a particular region. As for the PASKAL weapons, they even surpass the army and aviation special forces in terms of cost and modernity. This is explained by the fact that Malaysian oil companies play a significant role in financing the naval special forces. The bigwigs of the Malaysian oil business do not spare money to buy weapons and pay for the training of special forces protecting oil rigs. Another source of cash receipts is sponsorship from shipping companies. Thanks to private funding, the Malaysian Navy Special Forces is the most well-equipped of any other special forces in the country - and in terms of small arms, and in relation to communications and surveillance, diving, Vehicle.

Currently, PASKAL units play one of the most important roles in ensuring the safety of navigation in the Indian Ocean. Malaysian naval special forces regularly take part in operations against Somali pirates. Thus, on December 18, 2008, PASKAL fighters took part in the liberation of a Chinese ship in the Gulf of Aden. On January 1, 2009, PASKAL took part in the confrontation with Somali pirates who attacked an Indian oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden. In January 2011, PASKAL foiled an attempted hijacking by Somali pirates of a tanker loaded with chemical products. In addition to security operations in the Indian Ocean, members of the Malaysian Navy Special Forces took part in the peacekeeping operation in Afghanistan. In 2013, the fighters of the unit participated in the fighting against the South Philippine rebels.

On guard of law and order

Finally, Malaysian law enforcement agencies also have their own special forces. First of all, this is Pasukan Gerakan Khas (PGK) - the Special Operations Command of the Malaysian Federal Police. The history of the police special forces also goes back to the era of confrontation between the communist partisans and the government. In 1969, with the help of the British 22nd SAS, the VAT 69 special unit was created - a small detachment that was supposed to fight against the partisans of the Communist Party of Malaya. For service in the regiment of 1600 police officers and sergeants, 60 people were selected, who began training at the British SAS commando course. Only thirty police officers out of 60 initially selected candidates managed to pass all the tests and training and form the nucleus of VAT 69.

The unit began its first operations in 1970, after the combat training of its fighters was completed. For a long time, the detachment acted against the People's Liberation Army of Malaya, the paramilitary wing of the Communist Party. Also, police special forces acted against communist-sympathizing detachments " forest dwellers”- representatives of the Senoi people who lived in the jungles of Malacca. In 1977, three new police special forces squadrons were created, trained by New Zealand SAS instructors. By 1980, VAT 69 was fully staffed with both fighters and its own support department.

On January 1, 1975, Unit Tindakan Khas (UTK) was established. It took part in the operation against the Japanese Red Army, whose militants on August 5, 1975 took about 50 hostages - employees of the American consulate and the Swedish charge d'affaires. This unit has also been trained in British SAS methods. Only twenty out of more than a hundred candidates are selected to serve in the UTK. On October 20, 1997, the Royal Malaysian Police Force was reorganized. VAT 69 and UTK were merged into Pasukan Gerakan Khas (PGK), reporting directly to the Prime Minister of the country and the Inspector General of Police. The police special forces are tasked with conducting anti-terrorist operations together with the special forces of the armed forces, combating crime, maintaining law and order (in Malaysia and on the territory of foreign states - as part of special missions), search and rescue operations, ensuring the safety of representatives of the Malaysian leadership and other high-ranking persons.

The distinctive signs of the Malaysian police special forces are sand and burgundy berets and the emblem - curved daggers on a black background. The black color on the emblem of the police special forces symbolizes the secrecy of operations, red - courage, yellow - loyalty to the king of Malaysia and the country.

Police Special Forces is stationed at the headquarters of the Royal Malaysian Police Force at Bukit Aman in Kuala Lumpur. The direct command of the unit is carried out by the director of the Department of Internal and Public Security, to whom the unit commander with the rank of senior assistant commissioner and the rank of deputy director of the department reports. After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, the Malaysian police special forces began to focus on anti-terrorist operations. Small patrol groups of police special forces were created, each of which has 6-10 operational officers. The patrol team is led by a police inspector and includes snipers, sappers, communications specialists and field medics.

In addition to this special unit, the Royal Malaysian Police includes Unit Gempur Marin (UNGERIN) - Marine Assault Group. It was created in 2007 to carry out anti-terrorist operations at sea and combat piracy. The unit is being trained in the United States, and in Malaysia it is based in Kampung Aceh in the state of Perak and is used most often to maintain law and order on the northern coast of Kalimantan - in Sabah and Sarawak.

In addition to the Royal Malaysian Police, a number of Malaysian special services and law enforcement. The Malaysian Department of Prisons has its own special forces. This is Trup Tindakan Cepat (TTC) - a small special unit whose tasks include the release of hostages taken by prisoners in prisons and the elimination of prison riots. The best and most trained employees under the age of 35 who are able to cope with physical and psychological stress are selected for service in this unit. In 2014, its own division, Grup Taktikal Khas (GTK), was established under the Malaysian Department of Immigration. Its tasks include the fight against illegal migration. The Malaysian Maritime Law Enforcement Agency has its own special unit - Pasukan Tindakan Khas dan Penyelamat Maritim - Special Forces and Rescue Team. This unit specializes in search and rescue operations, the fight against piracy and terrorism at sea. The task of the detachment also includes the delivery of valuable cargo and documents from the wrecked Malaysian ships. The profile of this special unit implies close cooperation with the special forces of the Malaysian Navy - both in solving combat missions and in the process of training personnel.