The Naval Special Forces Command, in German the Kommando Spezialkräfte der Marine or KSM and widely known as the Kampfschwimmer or combat swimmers, is the special operations unit of the German Navy, trained for commando and amphibious warfare. It grew out of the Kampfschwimmer set up as West Germany joined NATO in 1955, which makes it the oldest German special operations force, and Group 3402 was formed on 1 August 1958 to help secure the Baltic exits through the Danish Straits, staffed by men without a Nazi past. It appeared as an independent body in 1964 and has been stationed at Eckernförde since 1974. Its three-role concept of water, shore and airborne work was taken from the French nageurs de combat. German frogmen carried out operations in the Gulf War that remain classified, and from 1994 to 1996 they boarded suspicious freighters during the NATO embargo on former Yugoslavia.
Facts
Force Type
Force Type (category) Founded Year Connections
Fought In
Gulf War, Wars Source Kommando Spezialkräfte der Marine (Wikipedia)
Source Kommando Spezialkräfte der Marine (Wikipedia)
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Source Kommando Spezialkräfte der Marine (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
special operations unit of the
Sources
1. Kommando Spezialkräfte der Marine (Wikipedia)
Lead
special operations unit of the
History
On 1 August 1958 Group 3402, as these commando frogmen were called by the navy, was set up.
Fought In: Gulf War, Roles
In the Gulf War, German frogmen completed various operations
Fought In: Yugoslav Wars, Roles [fought-in]
The naval commandos were also active from 1994 to 1996, during the NATO arms embargo against
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