K-Commando

Last updated
K-Commando
K-Komando
Insigne K-komando (Estonie).svg
K-Commando insignia
Active1991–present
CountryFlag of Estonia.svg  Estonia
Agency Estonian Police and Border Guard Board coat of arms.svg Police and Border Guard Board
Type Police tactical unit
Operations jurisdiction
  • National
Headquarters Tallinn
Structure
OperatorsClassified
Commanders
Current
commander
Marek Aas
Notable
commanders
Lembit Kolk
Notables
Significant operation(s)

K-Commando (K-Komando) is a special unit of the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board, created in 1991 to perform tasks requiring special training. It is similar in function to the SWAT teams in the U.S., and is responsible for such issues as managing:

Contents

K-Commando's areas of activity include the apprehension of armed and dangerous criminals, hostage crisis management, counter-terrorism and other tasks requiring special training.

The number of members of the unit has never been made public by the police and the identity of the members is classified.

K-Commando is part of ATLAS, the European Union's network of special intervention units. [1]

K-Commando is known for its fearsome reputation and high level of professionalism. Recruitment involves rigorous testing and requires the approval of all current team members. Only when a consensus has been reached will the candidate be accepted into the unit. As in other special police units, applicants must have a long service record. The number of members is undisclosed, and there are no known casualties thus far. The unit operates under the command of the Central Criminal Police of Estonia (Estonian : Keskkriminaalpolitsei).

History

Formation

The unit was founded in 1991 under the name Police Reserve Special Unit by Henn Kask. The unit got its current name in 1993 after the group's commanding officer at that time, Lembit Kolk (retired).

K-Commando was originally trained by the FBI in the United States, the German GSG 9 and the French police special unit RAID, among others.

Operations


Equipment

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FAMAS</span> French bullpup assault rifle

The FAMAS is a bullpup assault rifle designed and manufactured in France by MAS in 1978. It is known by French troops as Le Clairon due to its distinctive shape.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nebraska State Patrol</span> Law enforcement agency in Nebraska, USA

The Nebraska State Patrol is Nebraska's only statewide full-service law enforcement agency. Serving Nebraska since 1937, State Patrol troopers perform a wide variety of duties. Those include working with communities to improve public safety, enforcing traffic laws and drug laws, investigating crimes, and enforcing the laws and regulations pertaining to motor carriers.

The SG 550 is an assault rifle manufactured by SIG Sauer AG in Switzerland. "SG" is an abbreviation for Sturmgewehr. The rifle is based on the earlier 5.56×45mm NATO SIG SG 540.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estonian Air Force</span> Air warfare branch of Estonias military

The Estonian Air Force is the aviation branch of the Estonian Defence Forces. The air force traces its history to 1918, and was re-established in its current form in 1991.

The Underwater Offence, or SAT, is the special operations forces unit of the Turkish Navy, and the first and only navy commando unit of the navy, consisting of highly skilled soldiers selected from among the officers and petty officers of the Turkish Navy. They are affiliated with the Naval Operation Directorate. During wartime, these units are responsible for carrying out stealthy attacks, sabotage, and raids on enemy strategic facilities including those located under water, over water, on land, or in the air. They also target floating platforms. The SAT participates in coastal reconnaissance tasked with obtaining information on coastal areas before deploying forces and maintaining control over foreign ports and underwater areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beretta AR70/90</span> Assault rifle

The Beretta AR70/90 is a gas operated assault rifle chambered for the 5.56×45 mm NATO cartridge, and is the standard issue service rifle of the Italian Armed Forces. The weapon is also designed to be fitted with a rifle grenade, and has grenade sights. The AR series comes in many variants such as the AR90, with a wire folding stock, for use by paratroopers.

The SG 540 is a 5.56×45mm NATO assault rifle developed in the early 1970s by Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft of Neuhausen, Switzerland as a private venture primarily destined for export markets and as a potential replacement for the 7.5×55mm Swiss SG 510 automatic rifle known as the Stgw 57 in Swiss service.

Aftermath of the Bronze Night refers to the reactions and consequences of the Bronze Night, the controversy and riots in Estonia surrounding the 2007 relocation of the Bronze Soldier of Tallinn, the Soviet World War II memorial in Tallinn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estonian Defence Forces</span> Armed forces of Estonia

The Estonian Defence Forces is the unified military force of the Republic of Estonia. The Estonian Defence Forces consists of the Estonian Land Forces, the Estonian Navy, the Estonian Air Force, and the paramilitary Estonian Defence League. The national defence policy aims to guarantee the preservation of the independence and sovereignty of the state, the integrity of its land area, territorial waters, airspace and its constitutional order. Its main goals remain the development and maintenance of a credible capability to defend the nation's vital interests and development of the defence forces in a way that ensures their interoperability with the armed forces of NATO and European Union member states to participate in the full range of missions for these military alliances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estonian Special Operations Force</span> Estonian military unit

The Estonian Special Operations Force is the command charged with overseeing the special operations units of the Estonian Defence Forces. Its primary objective is the development of capabilities for unconventional warfare. It is tasked with planning, preparing and executing special operations. These include special reconnaissance and surveillance, military support and direct action. ESTSOF is under direct command of the Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lewis Machine & Tool Company</span> American firearms manufacturer

Lewis Machine & Tool Company (LMT) is an American armaments company founded by Karl Lewis, in 1980. It manufactures weapon systems, including a variant of the M4 carbine and the M203 grenade launcher. Its products are used by the military forces of the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Estonia and the United States. It formerly produced forged FN FAL receivers for Illinois-based DS Arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Estonian Ministry of Defence attack</span> 2011 terrorism incident in Tallinn

2011 Estonian Ministry of Defence attack was an attack on the Estonian Ministry of Defence building in Tallinn on 11 August 2011 by Karen Drambjan. He was shot dead in a firefight with the police, after he set off several explosives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SIG Sauer SIG516</span> Assault rifle (SIG516)

The SIG Sauer SIG516 is a rifle manufactured by SIG Sauer. It is an AR-15 style rifle chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO. Introduced in 2010, the SIG516 was discontinued as of 2019 after the introduction of the SIG MCX. A variant chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, the SIG716i, remains in production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independence Day (Estonia)</span> National holiday in Estonia

Independence Day, formally the Anniversary of the Republic of Estonia, is a national holiday in Estonia commemorating the Estonian Declaration of Independence which was published in the capital city Tallinn on 24 February 1918, establishing the Republic of Estonia. Since then, it has been the national day of Estonia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SIG MCX</span> 2010s multi-configuration firearm family by SIG

The SIG MCX is a family of firearms designed and manufactured by SIG Sauer, produced in both selective fire and semi-automatic only models, and features a short-stroke gas piston system, which is inherited from the earlier SIG MPX submachine gun. The MCX is available in rifle, carbine, short-barreled rifle, and pistol configurations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kersti Kaljulaid</span> President of Estonia from 2016 to 2021

Kersti Kaljulaid is an Estonian politician who served as the fifth president of Estonia between 2016 and 2021, and was its first and only female head of state since the country declared independence in 1918. She was also the youngest president, aged 46 at the time of her election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riho Ühtegi</span> Estonian major general (born 1964)

Riho Ühtegi is an Estonian major general. He has been the Commander of the Estonian Special Operations Force. Since 2019, he is the commander of the Estonian Defence League.

References

  1. "FOTOD: K-Komando harjutas koostööd välisriikide eriüksustega".
  2. https://kuku.postimees.ee/podcast/k-komando-30 (32:30-36:50)
  3. https://kuku.postimees.ee/podcast/k-komando-30 (14:30-18:00)
  4. https://kuku.postimees.ee/podcast/k-komando-30 (19:20-25:35)
  5. https://kuku.postimees.ee/podcast/k-komando-30 (26:00-28:50)
  6. http://img.bemil.chosun.com/nbrd/files/BEMIL068/upload/2007/02/Estonian%20K-Komando%20during%20the%20demonstration%20in%202006_4.JPG [ bare URL image file ]
  7. http://img.bemil.chosun.com/nbrd/files/BEMIL068/upload/2007/02/Estonian%20K-Komando%20during%20the%20demonstration%20in%202006_1.JPG [ bare URL image file ]
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-03-02. Retrieved 2017-03-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. http://img.bemil.chosun.com/nbrd/files/BEMIL068/upload/2007/02/Estonian%20K-Komando%20during%20the%20demonstration%20in%202006_5.JPG [ bare URL image file ]