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Special military units

After Armed Forces Command had decided on merging all special units of the armed forces, the SFC was commissioned by the head of the DDPS in April 2010. The SFC includes the units and staffs of the former Reconnaissance and Grenadier Formations of the Armed Forces (AGRF), the Military Police Special Detachment, the Military Police Tactical Medical Task Force as well as staff sections from special Military Security services.

Purpose

The purpose of all special unit of the Special Forces Command (SFC) is:

to lead all special military units through a single command;
to harmonise the capacity of all professional operational elements;
to systematically make use of synergies;
to eliminate redundancies and to reduce costs.

Organisational units

The SFC contains command, operation, support and training elements. The operational elements differ according to their range of operations, readiness as well as their professional and reserve aspects.

Further information

Order and mission

The primary missions of the SFC comprise the following services:

Protection and intervention in support of civilian authorities in Switzerland;
Special reconnaissance and direct operations for civilian authorities in Switzerland or for Armed Forces Command (at increased level of threat in Switzerland);
Gathering of intelligence, consulting and protection on behalf of civilian authorities abroad;
Rescue and repatriation of Swiss citizens;
Military assistance.

These services are provided by professional elements in all situations, quickly and without delay. In the scenario of a continuous persisting threat, the reserve elements increase both sustainability and performance in special reconnaissance and direct operations.

Further information

Requirements, selection and training

What does Special Forces Command stand for?

In order to lead and work together, on the basis of a common fundament, which is human and performance oriented, the members of all organisational units, within Special Forces Command are selected, trained and further educated according to the following principles: HONOR, MODESTIA and UNITAS.

Further information

History and pictures

The SFC, as it presents itself today, is based essentially on four units of the armed forces: the grenadiers, the parascouts, the armed forces reconnaissance detachments and the military police special detachment. The two traditional reserve units, the grenadiers and the parascouts have common roots. All four units have in common that they are or have been, in charge of special or commando operations.