2nd Commando Regiment (Australia)
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The 2nd Commando Regiment (2 Cdo Regt) is a
special forces Special forces or special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
unit of the
Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia. It is a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army ...
and is part of Special Operations Command. The regiment was established on 19 June 2009 when the 4th Battalion RAR (Commando) was renamed. It is based at
Holsworthy Holsworthy is a market town and civil parish in the Torridge district of Devon, England, west of Exeter. The River Deer, a tributary of the River Tamar, forms the western boundary of the parish, which includes the village of Brandis Corner. ...
,
New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
. The 2nd Commando Regiment trains and has served with coalition special forces units, and is highly regarded by these units. The regiment has been involved in operations in
East Timor Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the coastal exclave of Oecusse in the island's northwest, and ...
,
Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
and
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
, where it was used in a direct action warfighting role. It has also been involved in domestic security operations including the
2006 Commonwealth Games The 2006 Commonwealth Games, officially the XVIII Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Melbourne 2006, were an International sport, international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth held in Melbourne ...
and the 2014 G20 Leaders Summit. The regiment is the Command's capability lead for strike and recovery.


Role

The 2nd Commando Regiment is one of three combat-capable units within Special Operations Command and operates alongside other SOCOMD elements. The role of the regiment is to conduct strategic strike, domestic
counter-terrorism Counterterrorism (alternatively spelled: counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, relates to the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, businesses, and intelligence agencies use to co ...
and overseas special recovery operations. Army doctrine specifies that the role of commando units is to "span the gap between conventional infantry operations and unconventional operations", focusing on advanced force operations and
direct action Direct action is a term for economic and political behavior in which participants use agency—for example economic or physical power—to achieve their goals. The aim of direct action is to either obstruct a certain practice (such as a governm ...
missions. Originally formed to complement the
Special Air Service Regiment The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR though commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army. Formed in 1957 as a company, it was modelled on the British SAS with which it shares the motto, ...
(SASR), according to Blaxland, and is designed to be a "self-contained flexible and rapidly deployable force" and is structured for both
special operations Special operations or special ops are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment." Special operations ma ...
and domestic
counter-terrorism Counterterrorism (alternatively spelled: counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, relates to the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, businesses, and intelligence agencies use to co ...
. In its domestic counter-terrorism role it provides the Tactical Assault Group (East) to respond to high-risk incidents on the eastern coast of Australia beyond the capability of state and federal
police tactical group Police tactical group (PTG) is the generic term used to refer to highly trained Australian and New Zealand police tactical units that tactically manage and resolve high-risk incidents, including sieges, armed-offender situations and terrorist incid ...
s to respond to. The regiment maintains a high readiness element which encompasses the parachute company group role that the
3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment The 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR) is the armoured infantry battalion of the Australian Army, based in Kapyong Lines, Townsville as part of the 3rd Brigade (Armoured Amphibious). 3 RAR traces its lineage to 1945 and has seen ...
(3 RAR) had maintained before being re-roled as a light infantry battalion. In 2010, the then-Chief of Army stated that as part of the future amphibious ready group based on the Navy's new ''Canberra''-class it will be necessary to rotate a Commando Company to support the infantry battalion.


History


Formation

In 1995, as part of an expansion of the number of
Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia. It is a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army ...
infantry battalions, the 2nd/4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment—then operating as a standard light infantry battalion—was delinked into separate battalions which resumed their original identities as the
2nd A second is the base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI). Second, Seconds, The Second, or (The) 2nd may also refer to: Mathematics * 2 (number), as an ordinal (also written as ''2nd'' or ''2d'') * Minute and second of arc, ...
and 4th Battalions. The decision was then taken that the 4th Battalion would become a Regular Army
commando A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines. Originally, "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as oppo ...
unit and on 1 February 1997 the unit was renamed to 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando) (4 RAR Cdo). The unit would be structured for both conventional operations and domestic counter-terrorism, with an initial establishment of a battalion headquarters, Tactical Assault Group, two commando companies, logistic support company, operational support company and a signal squadron. Initially, both Regular and Reserve members were given the opportunity to undertake special forces training provided by the Commando Training Wing of the Reserve 1st Commando Regiment, or elect to be posted to a conventional forces unit. In 1998, General Reserve positions ceased to exist in the new structure, and reserve members discharged or posted to other reserve units. It was planned that 4 RAR (Cdo) would eventually take over the SASR counter terrorist role. The initial years were busy with the unit creating a structure and recruiting members suitable for commando training, while conducting sub-unit and unit training activities. B Company was raised in 1997, followed by C Company in 1999, both of which took 24 months to reach full maturity. A small team from 4 RAR (Cdo) deployed to
East Timor Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the coastal exclave of Oecusse in the island's northwest, and ...
as part of the
International Force for East Timor The International Force East Timor (INTERFET) was a multinational non-United Nations peacemaking task force, organised and led by Australia in accordance with United Nations resolutions to address the humanitarian and security crisis that took ...
(INTERFET) in September 1999 providing close personal protection for the media and also as interpreters in the initial months. In 2000, elements were involved in the evacuation of Australian nationals from the Solomon Islands in June. While later that year, 4 RAR (Cdo) assisted with counter-terrorism at the Sydney Olympic Games as part of Joint Task Force 114, with C Company on standby as a response force such as providing a cordon around an incident site in support of the SASR. In 2000, it was decided that the counter terrorist role should remain with the SASR. A period of rapid capability development, equipment acquisition and training subsequently followed. The unit that was developed as a result is highly regarded by coalition special operation forces abroad, and has conducted operations in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan. It has also been awarded citations for bravery and meritorious service. On 19 June 2009, the battalion was renamed the 2nd Commando Regiment. Regardless, the name 4 RAR remains on the Army's
order of battle Order of battle of an armed force participating in a military operation or campaign shows the hierarchical organization, command structure, strength, disposition of personnel, and equipment of units and formations of the armed force. Various abbr ...
and its history, colours and traditions have been preserved, ready to be re-raised as a regular infantry battalion in the future if required. All awards and battle honours received during the time as 4 RAR (Cdo) were passed onto the 2nd Commando Regiment, while those awarded before the transformation to a commando battalion were retained by 4 RAR.


East Timor

The 2nd Commando Regiment, then known as 4 RAR (Cdo), was deployed as a part of the
United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET, ), was a United Nations mission in East Timor that aimed to solve the decades-long East Timorese crisis in the area occupied by Indonesian military. UNTAET provided an int ...
(UNTAET) in 2001. When notified to replace 1 RAR in
East Timor Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the coastal exclave of Oecusse in the island's northwest, and ...
, 4 RAR had not long previously been raised as a commando battalion, developing special forces capabilities to supplement those of the SASR. With the commitment to East Timor continuing, 4 RAR was re-roled as a light infantry battalion for deployment to East Timor as AUSBATT IV. This involved reorganising from the existing two commando-companies structure to a light infantry battalion with four companies and a growth in the unit from 220 to 670 personnel. This saw B and C Company remain commando-qualified. A Company was formed in June 2000 followed by D Company in November both filled with Regular infantry soldiers posted in to the unit. The battalion took official control over
Area of Operations In U.S. armed forces parlance, an area of operations (AO) is an operational area defined by the force commander for land, air, and naval forces' conduct of combat and non-combat activities. Areas of operations do not typically encompass the entire ...
(AO) Matilda in the northern border region on 25 April under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Sengelman. During its time deployed as a part of UNTAET, the battalion established a security partnership with the East Timorese, focusing strongly on languages and maintaining the relationships previous Australian battalions had established, as well as transferring new technologies to the local security forces. This "intelligence-led" but "people-focused" approach saw the battalion group conduct the majority of its operations in close proximity to the Tactical Coordination Line (TCL) on the border with Indonesian
West Timor West Timor () is an area covering the western part of the island of Timor, except for the district of Oecussi-Ambeno (an East Timorese exclave). Administratively, West Timor is part of East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. The capital as well ...
. The battalion saw few contacts while in East Timor. These included a TCL violation on 5 May 2001 which was intercepted by a section from D Company, an outbreak of violence involving a grenade attack by militia members at the Maubasa markets on 29 May which resulted in several people killed and about 50 wounded, and shallow cross-border militia raids in June, including an attack on a section patrol from A Company. The battalion was withdrawn and replaced in October 2001.


Expansion and domestic security

Following the battalion's return from East Timor it was again restructured to resume its role as a two-company commando battalion. In 2001 the Australian Government directed the permanent establishment of a second TAG to be based on the east coast of Australia. The TAG is supplemented by clearance divers from the Navy Clearance Diving Branch who form the Water Troop. A Company was subsequently raised as a commando company in 2002. Following the creation of SOCOMD in 2002 and the Bali bombings in October that year, further resources became available. The battalion was subsequently involved in security operations for the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM; or) is a wiktionary:biennial, biennial summit meeting of the List of current heads of state and government, governmental leaders from all Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth nations. ...
(CHOGM) in Queensland in 2002. Elements of the battalion were also involved in the boarding of a North Korean freighter, the MV ''Pong Su''—which was suspected of drug smuggling—off
Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to: *Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area ...
on 20 April 2003. In 2005, a fourth commando company (D Company) was raised. Later, the battalion was tasked with supporting the security arrangements for the
2006 Commonwealth Games The 2006 Commonwealth Games, officially the XVIII Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Melbourne 2006, were an International sport, international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth held in Melbourne ...
in Melbourne. In 2014, elements of the regiment were deployed to Brisbane to protect the G20 Leaders Summit held in the city on 15 and 16 November.


Iraq

The battalion provided a commando force element as part of the Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, known as
Operation Falconer Falconer may refer to: * A person skilled in the art of falconry Falconry is the hunting of wild animals in their natural state and habitat by means of a trained bird of prey. Small animals are hunted; squirrels and rabbits often fall prey ...
. A reinforced commando platoon formed an element of the Australian Special Forces Task Group (SFTG), which also included 1 Squadron, SASR, a troop from the
Incident Response Regiment The Special Operations Engineer Regiment (SOER) is a specialised unit of the Australian Army. The regiment forms part of the Special Operations Command. The unit was formed in 2002 as the Incident Response Regiment (IRR), they are deployed to ...
, and three
CH-47 Chinook The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem-rotor helicopter originally developed by American rotorcraft company Piasecki Helicopter, Vertol and now manufactured by Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The Chinook is a Military transport helicopter, heav ...
helicopters from the 5th Aviation Regiment. The commandos formed the " quick reaction" element for the task group. The SFTG operated in western Iraq where it was successful in securing its area of operations, including the huge
Al Asad Air Base Al-Asad Airbase is an Iraqi airbase located in al-Anbar Governorate of western Iraq. It was originally known as Qadisiyah Airbase. It was the second largest US military airbase in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Until January 2010, it was ...
. After the invasion was complete, the 40-man commando element provided security to humanitarian assistance missions and other security operations, later providing close protection for Australian officials in
Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...
as part of
Operation Catalyst Catalysis () is the increase in rate of a chemical reaction due to an added substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed by the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recycles quick ...
. In 2004, claims appeared in the media that Australian special forces were involved in counter-insurgency operations inside Iraq, although this was denied by the government. The last commando element was withdrawn in 2006.


Timor Leste

Later, in May 2006 Alpha commando company was deployed to
Timor Leste Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the coastal exclave of Oecusse in the island's northwest, and ...
as part of
Operation Astute Operation Astute was an Australian Defence Force, Australian-led military deployment to East Timor to quell unrest and return stability in the 2006 East Timor crisis. It was headed by Brigadier Bill Sowry, and commenced on 25 May 2006 under the ...
, after relations between the East Timorese government and military forces broke down. The commandos operated alongside the SASR as part of the Special Forces Component and were tasked with advanced force operations in preparation for the arrival of follow-on forces, focusing on
Dili Airport Dili Airport , officially Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport (, ), and formerly Comoro Airport (), is an international airport serving Dili, the capital city of Timor-Leste. Since 2002, the airport has been named after Nicolau dos ...
. In March 2007, the commandos, along with elements of the SASR, took part in the
Battle of Same A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force c ...
during which five rebels were killed during an unsuccessful attempt to apprehend the rebel leader,
Alfredo Reinado Alfredo Alves Reinado (11 November 1968 – 11 February 2008), sometimes spelled Reinhado, was a major in the military of Timor-Leste, the Timor Leste Defence Force (F-FDTL). He deserted on 4 May 2006 to join approximately 600 former soldie ...
. After the battle, the commandos and SASR elements were withdrawn at the request of the East Timorese government in order to start negotiations with the rebels.


Afghanistan

Meanwhile, in August 2005 an Australian Special Forces Task Group (SFTG) was deployed to
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
as part of
Operation Slipper The Australian contribution to the War in Afghanistan (2001-present), war in Afghanistan has been known as Operation Slipper (2001–2014) and Operation Highroad (2015–2021). Australian Defence Force (ADF) operations and the size of the force ...
, operating in the southern province of
Uruzgan Uruzgan (Pashto: ; Dari: ), also spelled as Urozgan or Oruzgan, is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. Uruzgan is located in the center of the country. The population is 436,079, and the province is mostly a tribal society. Tarinkot ...
. The SFTG, based on similar structure deployed during Operation Falconer, was made up of elements from the SASR, a commando company and a troop from the Incident Response Regiment. Two CH-47 Chinook helicopters from the 5th Aviation Regiment were deployed to Afghanistan in March 2006 to support the SFTG. A forward operating base was subsequently established at
Tarin Kowt Tarinkot (), also spelled as Tarin Kowt, is a city in south-central Afghanistan, serving as the capital of Uruzgan Province. It sits at above sea level, and is connected by a road network with Kandahar to the south, Nili in Daykundi Province to ...
. During this deployment the Commandos were involved in
Operation Perth Operation Perth was an Australian military operation in Orūzgān Province undertaken in July 2006 during the War in Afghanistan. The nine-day search and destroy operation occurred as part of a wider multi-national coalition operation to clear t ...
which resulted in the death of over 150 Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters in nine days of fierce fighting in the Chora district of Uruzgan Province. The SFTG was withdrawn from Afghanistan in September 2006 and replaced by a Reconstruction Taskforce made up of engineers and conventional infantry. During this period the task group was on patrol for 306 days and involved in 139 contacts and sustained 11 soldiers wounded. A 300-strong Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) was subsequently deployed to support the Reconstruction Taskforce in April 2007, including a commando company group, elements of the SASR, and an integral combat service support team. In the latter part of 2008 the commando company conducted a disruption operation in Helmand province as part of Operation Eagle's Summit, which was a major coalition operation conducted in support of the transport and installation of an additional turbine for the Kajaki Dam hydroelectric facility. In March and April 2009, SOTG killed 80 Taliban fighters in a major four-week operation in
Helmand Province Helmand (Pashto language, Pashto/Dari language, Dari: ; ), also known as Hillmand, in ancient times, as Hermand and Hethumand, is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, in the south of the country. It is the largest province by area, covering ...
, without suffering any casualties. Further operations undertaken include the Battle of Gizab in April 2010, and the
Shah Wali Kot Offensive The Shah Wali Kot Offensive was a five-day joint operation during the War in Afghanistan, conducted by Australian special forces and the Afghan National Army with US air support, between 10 and 14 June 2010. The operation took place in the Sha ...
in June 2010, which resulted in heavy insurgent casualties. The bulk of SOTG was withdrawn from Afghanistan in late 2013 as part of a drawdown of Australian forces, although some special forces remained after this date as part of the small Australian force maintained in the country. The regiment lost 12 personnel killed while deployed to Afghanistan, along with one killed during a pre-deployment exercise. The regiment served in 20 SOTG rotations in Afghanistan, the deployments ranging from about four to six, seven, and eight months. For its actions, the regiment was collectively awarded the
Unit Citation for Gallantry The Unit Citation for Gallantry is a collective group decoration awarded to members of Australian military units. It recognises extraordinary gallantry in action. The Unit Citation for Gallantry was created in 1991, along with the Meritorious Uni ...
and the
Meritorious Unit Citation The Meritorious Unit Citation is a collective group decoration awarded to members of Australian military units. It recognises sustained outstanding service in warlike operations. The Meritorious Unit Citation was created in 1991, along with the ...
. On 26 March 2013, it was announced that Special Operations Command would receive the first
battle honour A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or Military operation, operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In ...
awarded to an Australian Army unit for actions since the end of the Vietnam War for its performance during the Shah Wali Kot Offensive in Afghanistan from May to June 2010. The battle honour, titled "Eastern Shah Wali Kot", was awarded in recognition of the operational actions of the SASR and 2nd Commando Regiment from Australian Special Operations Task Group Rotation XII. Some of the regiment's personnel have also received individual decorations for their actions in Afghanistan. A posthumous
Victoria Cross for Australia The Victoria Cross for Australia is the highest award in the Australian honours system, superseding the British Victoria Cross for issue to Australians. The Victoria Cross for Australia is the "decoration for according recognition to persons w ...
was awarded to
Cameron Baird Cameron Stewart Baird, (7 June 1981 – 22 June 2013) was a soldier in the Australian Army who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia, the highest award in the Australian honours system. Baird was the fourth person to receive ...
for actions in Uruzgan Province in June 2013. As of October 2010, six Distinguished Service Crosses, eleven Distinguished Service Medals, seven Medals for Gallantry and three Stars of Gallantry had been awarded to 2nd Commando Regiment personnel for service in Afghanistan. In September 2019,
The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...
reported that a commando from the regiment's November platoon had confessed to the Brereton inquiry of unlawfully killing a prisoner in Afghanistan in October 2012. In October 2020,
ABC News ABC News most commonly refers to: * ABC News (Australia), a national news service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation * ABC News (United States), a news-gathering and broadcasting division of the American Broadcasting Company ABC News may a ...
reported that commandos in mid-2012 allegedly killed a prisoner in Afghanistan after a
US Marine The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the Marines, maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expedi ...
helicopter crew member told the commandos that there was no room for him on board the helicopter.


Military intervention against ISIL

In September 2014, as part of
Operation Okra Operation Okra was the Australian Defence Force (ADF) contribution to the military intervention against the Islamic State. The deployed forces formed part of Joint Task Force 633 in the Middle East. The operation commenced on 31 August 2014, ...
the Australian Army deployed a Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) of approximately 200 personnel to the United Arab Emirates in preparation for operations to assist and advise Iraqi Security Forces following an offensive by
Islamic State The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS ...
forces. The soldiers were expected to be deployed to Iraq when a legal framework covering their presence in the country was agreed between the Australian and Iraqi Governments. The majority of the SOTG was reported to be made up of C Company, 2nd Commando Regiment, under the command of Ian Langford. It began moving into Iraq in early November. The regiment was tasked with training the Iraq government's Counter Terrorism Service. Personnel from SOTG have also been involved in co-ordinating airstrikes remotely to assist Iraqi forces engaged in clearance operations. From September 2015, the strength of SOTG rotations were reduced to approximately 80 personnel.


Organisation

The regiment consists of a headquarters, four commando companies, a logistics support company, an operational support company and a signals squadron. It is believed to currently be organised as follows: * Regimental Headquarters ** A Company ** B Company ** C Company ** D Company ** 126 Signal Squadron ** Operations Support Company ** Logistics Support Company ''Incorporates the role of Tactical Assault Group (East) (on rotation).''


Uniform and equipment

Following the renaming of the unit, a new badge was chosen to reflect the history and traditions of the
Independent Companies An independent company was originally a unit raised by the English Army, subsequently the British Army, during the 17th and 18th centuries for garrison duties in Britain and the overseas colonies. The units were not part of larger battalions or ...
that served during the Second World War, by including the distinctive "double diamond"
unit colour patch Unit colour patches (or simply known as colour patches) are a method of identification used by the Australian Army, used to indicate which unit a soldier belongs to. It is believed that the Australian system of colour patches is based upon th ...
shape in the regimental badge, along with the traditional commando knife. The unit's motto is ''Foras Admonitio'', which is Latin for "Without Warning". Qualified commandos are awarded the Sherwood green commando
beret A beret ( , ; ; ; ) is a soft, round, flat-crowned cap made of hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, wool felt, or acrylic fibre. Mass production of berets began in the 19th century in Southern France and the north of History of Spain (1808 ...
. Distinctive commando parachute wings are worn, depicting a parachute backed by a pair of black drooping wings on a green background. The Australian Army
stiletto A stiletto (plural stilettos) is a specialized dagger with a long slender blade and needle-like point, primarily intended as a thrusting and stabbing weapon.Limburg, Peter R., ''What's In The Names Of Antique Weapons'', Coward, McCann & Geoghega ...
dagger is also worn on ceremonial occasions. A garter blue
lanyard A lanyard is a length of cord, webbing, or strap that may serve any of various functions, which include a means of attachment, restraint, retrieval, activation, and deactivation. A lanyard is also a piece of rigging used to secure or lowe ...
is worn. Several weapons systems are used, including the M4A5,
HK417 The Heckler & Koch HK417 is a battle rifle designed and manufactured by Heckler & Koch. Being the larger caliber version of the Heckler & Koch HK416, and chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO rifle cartridge, it is intended for use where the penetra ...
and KAC SR-25. Sidearms include the
Browning Hi-Power The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, semi-automatic pistol available in the 9×19mm Parabellum and .40 S&W calibers. It was based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at FN Herstal. ...
and HK USP Tactical. The
HK MP5 The Heckler & Koch MP5 (, ) is a submachine gun developed in the 1960s by German firearms manufacturer Heckler & Koch. It uses a similar modular design to the Heckler & Koch G3, and has over 100 variants and clones, including selective fire, s ...
submachine gun has been replaced by the SIG MCX Rattler short-barreled rifle chambered in .300 Blackout. Sniper rifles include the Blaser Tactical 2, Accuracy International AW50F and
Barrett M82 The Barrett M82 (standardized by the U.S. military as the M107) is a Recoil operation, recoil-operated, semi-automatic rifle, semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle developed by Barrett Firearms Manufacturing and produced in the United States. Als ...
A1. Support weapons include both the FN Minimi Para and FN Maximi, as well as the
FN MAG58 The FN MAG (, , ) is a Belgian 7.62 mm calibre, 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale de Herstal, Fabrique Nationale (FN) by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries and it h ...
. Direct and indirect fire support weapons used include 66 mm
M72 LAW The M72 LAW (light anti-tank weapon, also referred to as the light anti-armor weapon or LAW as well as LAWS: light anti-armor weapons system) is a portable one-shot unguided anti-tank weapon. In early 1963, the M72 LAW was adopted by the U.S. ...
s, 84 mm M3 MAAWS,
FGM-148 Javelin The FGM-148 Javelin, or Advanced Anti-Tank Weapon System-Medium (AAWS-M), is an American-made man-portable anti-tank system in service since 1996 and continuously upgraded. It replaced the M47 Dragon anti-tank missile in US service. Its fire-and-f ...
s, M2-QCB Browning .50 BMG machine guns,
Mk 47 Striker The Mk 47 or Striker 40 is a 40mm automatic grenade launcher with an integrated fire control system, capable of launching smart programmable 40mm air burst grenades in addition to various unguided rounds. In addition to being able to fire all N ...
grenade launchers, and 81 mm
mortars Mortar may refer to: * Mortar (weapon), an indirect-fire infantry weapon * Mortar (masonry), a material used to fill the gaps between blocks and bind them together * Mortar and pestle, a tool pair used to crush or grind * Mortar, Bihar, a village i ...
. Vehicles include the Supacat designed High Mobility Transporter – Extenda (HMT-E) previously named the Special Operations Vehicle – Commando (SOV-Cdo). The HMT-E based on the MK2 Extenda can be re-configured in four configurations. The Australian produced Bale Defence Rough Terrain Vehicle (RTV 2) based on a Can-Am Commander. An undisclosed number of Polaris DAGOR vehicles worth A$22 million were ordered in September 2024. Watercraft operated include the Zodiac F470
inflatable boat An inflatable boat is a lightweight boat constructed with its sides and Bow (watercraft), bow made of Inflatable, flexible tubes containing pressurised gas. For smaller boats, the floor and Hull (watercraft), hull are often flexible, while for ...
and United States Marine, Inc. 11m Air Drop
Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat A rigid inflatable boat (RIB), also rigid-hull inflatable boat or rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB), is a lightweight but high-performance and high-capacity boat constructed with a rigid hull bottom joined to side-forming air tubes that are i ...
(ADRHIB).


Selection and training

Any member of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) may apply for entry into the 2nd Commando Regiment. Candidates may also be accepted via the Special Forces Direct Recruitment Scheme (SFDRS), where selected and screened civilians after completing Army Recruit Training and Infantry Initial Employment Training, are able to apply. Certain serving ADF candidates and all SFDRS candidates undertake an eight-week Special Forces Selection Preparation Course, and then all candidates are required to complete the Commando Physical Training Package. A Review of Special Operations Command in June 2020 by David Irvine recommended that SOCOMD introduce a joint selection course conducted by the Defence Special Operations Training and Education Centre for the regiment and the SASR rather than the units conduct their own individual selection courses. SOCOMD conducted the first common selection course in May 2023. Previously candidates had to successfully complete the Special Forces Entry Test (SFET) followed by a three-week Commando Selection Course. Now candidates after completing the SFET have to successfully complete two common selection modules over ten and eleven days respectively. Successful candidates then commence the 12-month Commando Initial Employment Training, also known as the "Reinforcement Cycle". Upon successful completion of all courses commandos are posted into one of the commando companies where further specialist training occurs. If a candidate fails any part of the selection course they will be returned to their unit, or transferred to one of the infantry battalions of the
Royal Australian Regiment The Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) is the parent administrative regiment for regular infantry battalions of the Australian Army and is the senior infantry regiment of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. It was originally formed in 1948 as a t ...
if they are a SFDRS candidate. Counter terrorist training is conducted at the Special Forces Training Facility (SFTF) based at Holsworthy Barracks with an indoor range complex, aircraft mock-up, method of entry facility, urban training facility and sniper range. In 2013, a four-hour documentary ''Commando'' was produced on the selection course and reinforcement training. The regiment has an annual exchange of personnel with the
New Zealand Special Air Service The 1st New Zealand Special Air Service Regiment, abbreviated as 1 NZSAS Regt, is the special forces unit of the New Zealand Army, closely modelled on the British Special Air Service (SAS). It was formed on 7 July 1955. It traces its origins to ...
(NZSAS) that may involve a commando team visiting
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
for several weeks for an exercise. The regiment and individual commandos have conducted operations with the British
Special Air Service The Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. It was founded as a regiment in 1941 by David Stirling, and in 1950 it was reconstituted as a corps. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-terr ...
and the
Special Boat Service The Special Boat Service (SBS) is the special forces unit of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. The SBS can trace its origins back to the Second World War when the Army Special Boat Section was formed in 1940. After the Second World War, the Roy ...
, Canada's
Joint Task Force 2 Joint Task Force 2 (JTF2) is a Canadian special operations unit mandated with protecting Canadian national interests, combating terrorism threats both domestic and abroad, and hostage rescue. JTF2 serves under Canadian Special Operations Forc ...
and the
Canadian Special Operations Regiment The Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) is a special operations forces unit of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM). The CSOR is a high-readiness expeditionary unit tasked with performing special warfare, special recon ...
, the NZSAS and the US
Navy SEALs The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the United States Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the United States Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main funct ...
including
SEAL Team Six The Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG), abbreviated as DEVGRU ("Development Group") and unofficially known as SEAL Team Six, is the United States Navy component of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). The unit is often r ...
and the US Army
Special Forces Special forces or special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
and
Delta Force The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta (1st SFOD-D), also known as Delta Force, Combat Applications Group (CAG), or within Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) as Task Force Green, is a Special operation forces, special operat ...
.


Notes


Footnotes


Citations


References

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Further reading

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External links

* {{Aust SF Airborne units and formations of Australia Military special forces regiments Special forces of Australia Infantry units and formations of Australia Military units and formations established in 2009