Pakistan's Special Operations Forces: SSG | SSGN | SSW | SOW | SOG

[BATMAN]

The SSG HQ was given an ultimatum to send the teams into India on the first day of the declared war

Which war 1965? What happend to the captured soldiers?

 

[blain2]

Which war 1965? What happend to the captured soldiers?

Yes. 1965 war. I should rephrase my statement. It was not an ultimatum, rather in the form of
"The survival of Pakistan depends on this mission" (this is what I have been told first hand by an officer involved in these operations).

The captured soldiers and Officers were repatriated after 5 or so months.

 

[Always Neutral]

Any SF operator worth his salt will tell you this that the proportion of failures is higher than the successes in Special Operations. This is due to the fact that most special operations by their nature are difficult and very risky.

Thank you for the very nice and informative post. Good Luck to all SF people including SSG all over the world. Not an average Joe's work do these motivated and brave guys do and still manage to remain anon.

 

[irfan1173]

For a good SF ops what is also required is a good intelligence and a good leadership that knows when to use these men and when to use ordinary infantry. Problem is both are difficult to come by specially in case of SSG which depends on outsiders for both. Specially in case of faulty intelligence they cannot call in airstrikes unlike the americans do. SF are greatly misused also.

 

[Always Neutral]

For a good SF ops what is also required is a good intelligence and a good leadership that knows when to use these men and when to use ordinary infantry. Problem is both are difficult to come by specially in case of SSG which depends on outsiders for both. Specially in case of faulty intelligence they cannot call in airstrikes unlike the americans do. SF are greatly misused also.

Do you mean to say by the above that they are also used in normal infantry role ? That would be a waste of their training ! I read somewhere that they are also used for VIP Protection for the likes of the President, PM etc ! Is that true ?

If true ? It would be again a waste of SF talent !

Does SSG have a strategic and defined laid down deployment plan or is it based on the whims of fancies of the Top Brass ?

Lastly who controls the SSG ? The Army ? I ask this because the SSG has a water wing for Chariots and Combat Diving which the Army may not know how to employ them or is the SSG under a seperate Special Forces Command like in the USA ?

Hope someone with sound SSG knowledge could clear the clouds.

Regards

 

[blain2]

Do you mean to say by the above that they are also used in normal infantry role ? That would be a waste of their training ! I read somewhere that they are also used for VIP Protection for the likes of the President, PM etc ! Is that true ?

If true ? It would be again a waste of SF talent !

Does SSG have a strategic and defined laid down deployment plan or is it based on the whims of fancies of the Top Brass ?

Lastly who controls the SSG ? The Army ? I ask this because the SSG has a water wing for Chariots and Combat Diving which the Army may not know how to employ them or is the SSG under a seperate Special Forces Command like in the USA ?

Hope someone with sound SSG knowledge could clear the clouds.

Regards

SF forces have been employed in the roles of normal infantry by many Armies including the Pakistani (1971, 1984), Indian (1999), US (Vietnam etc.), UK (Falklands) and many others that I am not listing. Sometimes this is due to circumstances and some times incorrect understanding or over estimation of SF capabilities.

In Pakistan, the SSG have a specific team that has been imparted training for VVIP/CP security detail. This team is professionally trained in this role and is actually tasked with it. So its not a matter of pulling any Tom, Dick and Harry from the SSG to carry out this task. They have put funding, manpower and training into this requirement.

Does SSG have a strategic and defined laid down deployment plan or is it based on the whims of fancies of the Top Brass ?

The taskings given to SSG are very very specifically laid out by the general staff of the Pakistan Army. The SSG base their entire training program around the requirements of the Army as laid out by this general staff (of course these requirements take into consideration feedback given by the SSG staff). Army conducts comprehensive planning for war and just like other Corps/Divs are considered for specific deployment/tasks/roles, so is the SSG.

Lastly who controls the SSG ? The Army ? I ask this because the SSG has a water wing for Chariots and Combat Diving which the Army may not know how to employ them or is the SSG under a seperate Special Forces Command like in the USA ?

The SSG is commanded by the GOC SSG (A Major General). The GOC SSG reports back to the Chief of General Staff (CGS), Pakistan Army who is a Lt. Gen and in most cases the one primed for leadership of the Army (CGS post is the most important of the PSO posts within the PA). This ensures that no specific Corps Commander holds sway over a central capability such as the SSG. In the past this has been an irritant for some Corps Commanders who happen to have the SSG assets in their areas of responsibility...but the chain of command for the SSG precludes the Corps Commanders. The CGS obviously reports back to the COAS and as such it is ensured that all SSG activities and missions remain under the purview of the Army's higher command.

SSG has its own Frogman (Combat Diver) training program at Tarbela. Initially SSG used to train with the Navy so this frogman company was based in Karachi but it has since moved. Currently the SSG is not under a joint SF command, but in the future we may see SSG (Army, Navy, PAF) under one command similar to the JSOC in the US. Its fairly expensive to do so, thus we have not seen this happen, however it would help in streamlining this capability.

 

[Always Neutral]

SF forces have been employed in the roles of normal infantry by many Armies including the Pakistani (1971, 1984), Indian (1999), US (Vietnam etc.), UK (Falklands) and many others that I am not listing. Sometimes this is due to circumstances and some times incorrect understanding or over estimation of SF capabilities.

VERY NICE INFORMATIVE POST. CLEARS A LOT OF DOUBTS. THANKS.

 

[irfan1173]

AoA
blain2 excellent post. SF till today are being misused. Just few days back saw a program on how Green Berets are doing what infantry should be doing in afghanistan. I consider Kargil ,sending SSG in FATA with no intelligence as also misuse of them.

 

[thorosius]

I have heard that SSG people are posted in Saudi Arabia for Royle Family's protection is that true?

 

[blain2]

I have heard that SSG people are posted in Saudi Arabia for Royle Family's protection is that true?

As far as I know, this is not true. Saudis have their own manpower to protect the Royal Family. They do not need SSG for that. Also the SSG is not tasked with protecting *anybody* aside from the Pakistani VVIPs. On the other hand, the SSG has been involved in the training of the Saudi and Gulf SF troops in this role though. SSG on a regular basis conducts FID training sessions for Gulf Forces.

 

[JK!]

Not to nit pick but apparantly the entire 4th Brigade is in Saudi Arabia for the Protection of the Saudi Royal family according to:

http://www.********************/PakArmy/ssg.html

Is this hearsay just to be absolutely clear

 

[sehranasheens]

SSG are not only for the protection of royal family but also for the protection of holy sites of muslim world

 

[sehranasheens]

SSG also evacuated the personels of deltaforce and Rangers in 1992 somalia operation when they weere butchering.

America is also requesting pakistan to send SSG in iraq.

 

[Keysersoze]

SSG also evacuated the personels of deltaforce and Rangers in 1992 somalia operation when they weere butchering.

America is also requesting pakistan to send SSG in iraq.

Here we go again.......

No they weren't.......Pakistani Tanks and Malaysian APC's (with additional rangers on board)were used to rescue the members of that operation.

So unless SSG were there to drive tanks they were not there....

Provide some links instead of making stuff up please.

 

[Keysersoze]

SSG are not only for the protection of royal family but also for the protection of holy sites of muslim world

As far as I know, this is not true. Saudis have their own manpower to protect the Royal Family. They do not need SSG for that. Also the SSG is not tasked with protecting *anybody* aside from the Pakistani VVIPs. On the other hand, the SSG has been involved in the training of the Saudi and Gulf SF troops in this role though. SSG on a regular basis conducts FID training sessions for Gulf Forces.

Here you go an instant answer to Sehrana's crap.....