Flygbasjägare

Air Force Rangers
Flygbasjägarna (FBJ)
Active 1983 - present
Country  Sweden
Branch Swedish Air Force
Type Air force infantry
Role Personnel recovery
Reconnaissance
Force protection
Forward air control
Size One company
Part of Blekinge Air Force Wing
Garrison/HQ Kallinge, Ronneby Municipality
Engagements KFOR
2011 military intervention in Libya
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
Northern Mali conflict


The Flygbasjägare, Air Force Rangers, is an elite specialist ground unit of the Swedish Air Force. The name "Flygbasjägare" originates in the unit's old role during the cold war of conducting security operations around airfields and other air force installations. The current primary tasks of the unit are personnel recovery, reconnaissance and force protection.

The Air Force Rangers were created in the early 1980s with the adoption by the Swedish Air Force of the Bas 90 system of force dispersal of aircraft to wartime air bases (including usage of highway strips) in the event of war. Such dispersed air base operations, both within and between bases, will be most vulnerable to ground attack, especially by enemy special operations forces, and the Air Force Rangers were therefore raised to patrol outside their air bases and to be able to locate and engage enemy special forces. Service in the Flygbasjägare is both mentally and physically demanding. Training was conducted by the Flygbasjägarskola (Air force Ranger School) which was until 2004 part of F 7 Såtenäs. The school then moved to F 17 Kallinge in Ronneby. After the Swedish transition from a fully conscripted to a professional military, the Air Force Ranger company still belongs to F 17 Kallinge and is made up of two platoons and a staff group. The unit consists of both full-time enlisted men and officers as well as part-time personnel. As of recently an ability to conduct Forward Air Control is being developed at the company, further enhancing the Air Force's ability to resupply and deploy troops deep behind enemy lines.

Tasks

The Air Force Rangers are trained to operate in all climatic conditions and terrain found in Sweden as well as abroad. Their primary missions includes patrolling over long distances around air force installations as well as conducting reconnaissance in support of air force security operations, infiltrating enemy-controlled territory via helicopter, airplane, land based vehicles, boats or by feet to recover isolated personnel, and to provide close protection for deployed air assets.[1]

  • Reconnaissance: The Air Force Ranger conduct surface surveillance over large areas in order to detect, classify and eliminate security threats to different Air Force installations such as airbases. They can also be tasked with surveying and establishing temporary airbases or landing zones.
  • Personnel recovery is conducted to recover downed and isolated personnel, military or civilian, as well as sensitive material. The task is performed over the entire conflict scale, but doesn't include hostage rescue.
  • Force protection is conducted as an attachment to deployed air assets, be it fighter aircraft, transport aircraft or helicopters. The task is primarily conducted to ensure an acceptable level of close-in security for aircraft transiting airfields where security is unknown or additional security is needed to counter local threats. The task is identical to the RAVEN program employed by the US Air Force.

Air Force Rangers have deployed during all major Swedish combat deployments since the late 90's. Notably in Afghanistan, where patrols were manning Military Observations Teams (MOT's) or providing close protection for air assets of the Swedish Air Element. Lately, patrols have deployed to Mali, providing close protection for the Swedish C130 deployed in country to support MINUSMA The unit had elements on standby to conduct personnel recovery during the Swedish contribution to the intervention in Libya as well.

Organization

The Air Force Rangers can deploy in platoon sized units all the way down to individual rangers depending on the mission. They are organized in one company, consisting of a company staff group and two Ranger platoons, each platoon consisting of a command group and six Ranger patrols. The standard Air Force Ranger patrol is made up of six men:[1]

  • Team leader
  • Deputy team leader/communications specialist
  • K9 Handler
  • Combat medic
  • Sniper/weapons specialist

Military working dogs are fully integrated into Air Force Ranger operations, being of utility in the detection and tracking of enemy infiltrators, and for the location and recovery of isolated personnel. Due to the units large focus on personnel recovery the patrols normally include two medics which gives them the ability to provide advanced medical treatment to the isolated personnel they are recovering. Like all Ranger units its medics are trained as Ranger Medics. They undergo a 6 month long course after which the graduates are specialists in trauma medicine and qualified to administer medicine.

The Air Force Rangers have an active old comrades association which is open to all qualified personnel.[2]

Heraldry

Air Force Rangers wear a green beret, their cap badge is a gold-colored representation of a Lynx head. The beret and the unit insignia, a Lynx head in profile upon a field consisting of two crossed swords surmounting a laurel wreath, is presented on the completion of a graduation patrol.

Similar units

References

  1. 1 2 "Flygbasjägarkompaniet". Försvarsmakten (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  2. ↑ "Välkommen!". Kamratföreningen Flygbasjägaren (in Swedish). Retrieved 10 March 2017.
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