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Order and mission SFC

The primary missions of the Special Forces Command 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.

Range of SFC missions

Capabilities in the SFC

With the creation of the SFC, the Armed Forces Command decided to centralise or ‘bundle’ specific capabilities within an organisation. This affects education within the armed forces, with civilian forces and organisational units or military cooperation partners.

As a centre of competence in support of the entire armed forces, the SFC ensures preservation, training and development of precision shooting, parachute jump service, survival / living and enduring in the field, helicopter techniques, explosive breaching techniques, amphibious infiltration techniques, close protection and intervention.

Since some of these capabilities are also taught and used in other parts of the armed forces, a detailed definition or delineation is necessary.

Precision shooting

The SFC is responsible for training all members of the SFC, militia personnel as well as professional elements in procedures, techniques and tactics with the 8,6 mm sniper rifle and the 12,7 mm precision rifle. They also teach all military professionals how to use the same weapons. The land forces are responsible for teaching all of its members the procedures, techniques and tactics for using the 8,6 mm sniper rifle.

Survival / living and enduring in the field

The survival capabilities of the SFC relate to all procedures, techniques and tactics used by military personnel and the SFC. These procedures allow, with rudimentary means, an undetected survival over a longer period without the support of a third party. As an alternative, the air force trains its pilots in survival too. This training involves amongst other things emergency ejections and jumps into water. If necessary, the SFC assists in the air force’s survival training on the ground or after a jump.

Helicopter techniques

The term `helicopter technique`, relates to all techniques for (transport) helicopter disembarking and boarding procedures by rope. The SFC is in charge of training, examination and certification of all military and civilian units in rope use with military helicopters. The air force is the authority for all safety regulations pertaining to the use of these techniques, and the correct assembly of these rope systems in means of air transport.

Explosive breaching technique

All basic regulations for the use of explosives in the armed forces are defined by the engineer and rescue training unit. The specific responsibilities for the use of explosives are distributed to the land forces training centre, NBC KAMIR Centre of Competence, the Military Mountaineering Centre of Competence and the SFC. The SFC is in charge of training and certification of users, trainers/exercise directing staff and instructors in the following explosive techniques:

Installation and ignition of explosive agents, pyrotechnic and shock tube detonators
Explosive agents for demolition and explosive breaching, every type of detonator.

Amphibische Infiltrationstechnik

The engineer and rescue training unit is the authority for regulations, training and certification of all functions on, in and under water. This also includes the technical training of coxswains and scuba divers. The SFC is authorised to train and certify all amphibious infiltration techniques in tactical settings (swimming, dingy, kayak or other boats), as well as combat technical diving with closed circuit rebreather equipment (CCR).

Personal security

Concerning close protection techniques, the SFC trains and provides positions for professionals and militia from all organisations with the exception of the Federal Council Guard Detachment (SDBR).

Within the context of training cooperation and coordination, the SFC military police elements cooperate both closely and regularly with the special detachment of the Federal Council and the various operational procedures and experiences are adapted and mutually augmented.

In personal security, the following requirements and interfaces result:

SDBR with civilian police/Federal Security Service
close protection within Switzerland and interface
with SFC via MP spec det;
SFC for close protection in foreign countries and
crisis regions, interface with SDBR via MP spec det.

Intervention

The SFC is a training and directive interface for professionals and militia of all units (e.g. military police) for intervention and special mission techniques such as AMOK- immediate action techniques, access techniques and other techniques when the danger is increased.