Frogman
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Egyptian Special Forces Selection SEAL
Introduction:
The Egyptian Special Forces and Reconnaissance Course commonly referred to within the Armed Forces as SEAL is the brain child of Navy Lieutenant Commander Ahmed Aslan. Although the Egyptian Armed Forces had a rich cadre of SOF units capable of operating from sea, air, and land during the Arab Israeli conflicts the traditions of those units were not passed on to future generations of the Egyptian SOF community. Units like Group 39 Combat which was lead by one of Egypt's most decorated soldiers had become a thing of the past.
Instead the Armed Force relied upon SOF like units from different branches and arms. Many of these units however were only competent in their specific specialization, for instance the Paratroopers were weak in the water and the Frogmen were weak in the air. Clearly something had to be changed.
Navy Lieutenant Commander Ahmed Aslan had like many Egyptian Special Forces operators undergone training in the United States. Specifically he had passed the US Navy's Basic Underwater Demolition/ SEAL course. By the turn of the millennium he had passed up his chain of command a request to recreate something similar in Egypt in order to feed SOF units recruits who were capable in every environment possible.
His request was accepted in the year 2000 and by 2001 the first recruits had completed the Egyptian Special Forces and Reconnaissance Course or as it was known then and now SEAL 1.
The Details:
- Nine month course with two month preparatory course (11 month total)
- 64 different progressive evaluations testing:
- Combat Diving
- Casualty Evacuation
- Marksmanship
- Swimming
- Physical fitness
- Mental Strength
- Operational skills
- Advanced Jumps (Paratrooping)
- Operational Jumps (Paratrooping)
- Demolition and Destruction
- Counter-Terror drills
- More than 4 failures in 64 evaluations leads to recruit being RTUd
- 1450 soldiers applied to the course's sixth (SEAL 6) iteration
- Only 34 were badged at the end of SEAL 6
Stages:
- 4 week acclimatization period introducing recruits to SOF practices and intense physical training
- 2 week period training recruits in military swimming, casualty evacuation (while in water), and advanced first aid. Intense physical and mental pressure throughout.
- 7 week period training on CASEVAC drills in different environments. Recruits are eventually expected to complete CASEVACs over 30kms in distance in a short space of time.
- 2 week period with two phases:
- First phase includes training on offensive and defensive combat diving
- Second phase includes range training on different weaponry in various situations
- Advanced jump phase. Recruits expected to complete static and freefall jumps day and night on land and in sea. Recruits expected to swim 5km to shoreline after sea jumps.
- 2 week and the most physically and mentally intensive stage of the course yet. Recruits are put through their paces to weed out those not suitable. Assault courses and obstacles are introduced.
- Hell Week (self explanatory)
- Continuation:
- Introduction to counter terror drills
- Operational exercises
- Underwater demolition
- Rappelling, abseiling, and fast roping
- Navigation exercises
- Advanced asymmetric range packages
- VBSS training
- Graduation
I'm going to use this thread as a dump pouch for anything Egyptian SEAL related until the documentary about SEAL 6 comes out. I will be happy to answer any questions you have. Expect a lot of photos.
