The Kuwait 25th Commando Brigade of the Kuwait Army, commonly known as the 25th Commando, is one of Kuwait's various principal Commando brigades. The 25th Commando operates at the disposition of the respective commander who reports to the respective leadership of the Military of Kuwait;[1] executing, participating, supporting, and carrying all conflicts in which the Military of Kuwait engaged since inception in 1960. The 25th Commando executes general operations in support of the Military of Kuwait.
The 1st specialized platoon of the 25th Commando was established in 1960. Following the initial establishment, came the forming of 1st company of specialized forces in 1961. In 1962, the 1st specialized force unit was formed and operated from the Kuwait 15th Mubarak Armored Brigade. During that time, the 1st specialized force unit operated extensively and trained continuously in the deserts of Kuwait. As the enlistments of initial specialists increased; their administrative requirements complemented the need. As a result, an administrative bureau was in need and due to the unavailability and incapacity of building infrastructures in the remote desert areas of operations; the bureau initially temporarily operated out of a designated training ground.
Shortly after, the commandos of the 1st specialized force unit were called to operate out of the Kuwait Army's 6th Mechanized Brigade in 1965; known later as the Kuwait 6th Liberation Mechanized Brigade following the liberation of Kuwait during the Gulf War. The 1st specialized force unit was moved and the specialized force battalion was officially formed. Following in 1966, the forming of 2nd specialized force battalion followed.
In 1970, both Commando battalions were united and were stationed in the Kuwait 6th Liberation Mechanized Brigade. During the same year, an executive military organization order on January 31 1971, was issued and changed the designation of the 1st specialized force battalion to a designated Commando Battalion; similarly, the 2nd specialized force battalion to another designated Commando Battalion.
In 1972, another executive military organization order was issued; requesting the transformation of the two Commando Battalions to infantry battalions.
In 1973, the Commando unit was formed and stationed to a location where they were designated as Commando Forces. In 1975, Commando Forces established an official commando qualified training ground. In 1987, the Commando Forces were redesignated and renamed to Commando Battalion. Following in 1994, the Commando battalion was officially known as Commando specialized force.
In the starting hours of the battle of Aden[disambiguation needed] the unit used paratroopers to penetrate through enemy territory, the paratroopers landed on a school full of ammunition and supplies that were already put by Kuwaiti infiltrators. The commandos were estimated at 30 to 60 men against hundreds of militants, after hours of fierce clashes The commandos managed to inflect heavy casualties on the militants. By the end of the day coalition air support arrived, after 2 days of fighting coalition forces finally linked up with the commandos to capture the city, 6 men were injured.
In 2015 after the Kuwait mosque bombing the perpetrators fled to Basra, Kuwaiti authorities managed to track them down and send the commandos after them, the commandos entered iraq without the Iraqi government permission which caused a political stir, the commandos successfully eliminated all the perpetrators in less than 14 hours.
The commandos are responsible for raiding Iraqi dredgers to prevent them from digging in Kuwaiti territorial waters. The unit raided a big number of ships carrying supplies and ammunition for the Houthi movement coming from iran.
The unit showed great performance in Yemen and iraq, American special forces were impressed by the quality and physical capabilities of the brigade. The brigade allegedly gets trained by Devgru, seals, pathfinders, royal marines, British paras, Dutch KCT, SAS and SBS
The 25th commandos took a part in training Yemeni special forces and Iraqi special forces. The training of the Iraqi special forces stopped in 2017 due to diplomatic reasons.
Approximately 60% of commandos are recruited from Tier 2 SF units and commando marines who already have a lot of military experience in fighting in all conditions and warfare.
CFT test - 16.3 km carrying 24 kg within 1 hour and 44 minutes
advanced CFT 1 - 24.6 km carrying 30 Kg within 2 hours and 5 minutes
advanced CFT 2 - 30 km carrying 40 Kg
Other tests are classified.
In 2018 10 people out of 600+ managed to pass the tests.
Kuwait is a sovereign state in Western Asia located at the head of the Persian Gulf. The geographical region of Kuwait has been occupied by humans since antiquity, particularly due to its strategic location at the head of the Persian Gulf. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Kuwait was a prosperous maritime port city and the most important trade port in the northern Gulf region. In the modern era, Kuwait is best known for the Persian Gulf War (1990–1991).
The Kuwait Military Forces are the military forces of the State of Kuwait. They consist of the Kuwait Air Force, the Kuwait Army, the Kuwait Navy & the Kuwait National Guard. The governing bodies are the Kuwait Ministry of Defense, the Kuwait Ministry of Interior, and the Kuwait Fire Service Directorate. The Emir of Kuwait is the commander-in-chief of all defense forces while the Crown Prince is the deputy commander.
The House of Sabah is the ruling family of Kuwait.
Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad Al-Sabah was Emir of Kuwait from 31 December 1977 until his death in 2006.
Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Salem Al-Sabah is the most senior serving member and Sheikh of the House of Sabah and the only commander in the half-century history of the Kuwait National Guard.
Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is the emir of Kuwait. On 29 September 2020, he succeeded to the throne following the death of his half-brother Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
Nasser Al-Mohammed Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is a Kuwaiti politician who served as Prime Minister of Kuwait from 7 February 2006 until resigning on 28 November 2011.
The Kuwait Air Force is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Kuwait. The Air Force headquarters is located at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, with the remaining forces stationed at Air Defense Brigades, Ali Al Salem Air Base and Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base. The Kuwait Air Force numbers approximately 2,500 officers and enlisted personnel.
Sheikh Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was a member of the House of Sabah and a Kuwaiti military officer who was also the founder of the Asian Handball Federation and Kuwait Olympic Committee. Fahad was killed fighting alongside the Kuwait Emiri Guard in defending Dasman Palace on the first day of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.
Operation Beit-ol-Moqaddas or Operation Toward Beit-ol-Moqaddas was an Iranian operation conducted during the Iran–Iraq War. The operation was a success, as it achieved its standing aim of liberating Khorramshahr and pushed Iraqi troops back to the border. This operation, coupled with Operation Tariq-ol-Qods, and Operation Fath-ol-Mobin, succeeded in evicting Iraqi troops from southern Iran and gave Iran the momentum.
The Kuwait Army, established in 1949, is the oldest armed branch among the military of Kuwait. Its cavalry and infantry predecessors operated in desert and metropolitan areas in 1919, 1920 and 1928 to 1938, tracing their roots directly to the cavalrymen and infantrymen that defended Al-Kout Fortress since the 19th century along with various mounted defensive forces. The "Kuwait Army" was later established as the Kuwait Land Force, which became the principal land force of the Kuwait Armed Forces.
Operation Vantage was a British military operation in 1961 to support the newly independent state of Kuwait against territorial claims by its neighbour, Iraq. The UK reacted to a call for protection from Sheikh Abdullah III Al-Salim Al-Sabah of Kuwait, and air, sea and land forces were in place within days. Iraq did not attack and the British forces were replaced by the Arab League. Iraq recognised Kuwaiti independence in 1963.
The Al Jahra Force was a Kuwait task force, of roughly brigade strength, requested by then, Kuwait Minister of Defense, Sheikh Saad Al-Salim Al-Sabah and formed by Major General Mubarak Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and his deputy Brigadier General Saleh Mohammed Al-Sabah; subsequently being tasked to the respective combat commanders on October 15, 1973, after the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War. The force, consisting of more than 3,000 men, was organized into a Tank Battalion, an infantry battalion, two companies of artillery, an anti-aircraft company and a combat company of the Kuwait 25th Commando Brigade. In addition, the task force also included medical, engineering and signal units. The brigade remained active until the end of September 1974, and then returned to Kuwait after a farewell ceremony in Damascus.
Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was the tenth ruler of the Sheikhdom of Kuwait from 29 March 1921 until his death on 29 January 1950. He was the longest ruler of Kuwait having reigned for 28 years 305 days
Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah was the Emir of Kuwait from January 15 until his abdication on January 24 2006, succeeding Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
Sheikh Mubarak Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was a member of the House of Sabah and one of the first Kuwaitis to attain the military rank of lieutenant general. He was one of the first Kuwaitis to be commissioned as an officer by the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK, and the first Kuwaiti to receive an Amiri Decree for appointment as Chief of the General Staff. Mubarak initiated joint training of Kuwait Armed Forces and United States Armed Forces in 1977 and, the following year, was the first military officer to establish conscription.
The General Staff H.Q. of the Kuwait Army redesignated in 1953 following formation in 1949, is a management department of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces, the national military of the State of Kuwait. The Chief of the General Staff is the senior combat military officer governing doctrines of the Kuwait Army, the Kuwait Air Force and the Kuwait Naval Force, but excludes the Kuwait National Guard, the Kuwait Police and Kuwait Fire Service Directorate. He is appointed by the Kuwait Defense Minister, a deputy prime minister, who is appointed by the Prime Minister of Kuwait; the latter appointed by the Emir of Kuwait, the Commander-in-chief of the Military of Kuwait.
Lieutenant General Mohammed Khaled Al-Khadher, الفريق ركن محمد خالد الخضر He is the former chief of general staff of Kuwait Armed forces. He is a commando officer in Kuwait Army who progressed in the chain of command since 1977, when he got commissioned from Kuwait military college, currently Ali Al-Sabah Military College, until reaching the highest post in the Army as a chief of general staff.
Following the deterring effect of Operation Vantage (1961), Kuwait gained its recognition by Iraq in 1963. Both countries had ongoing border disputes throughout most of the 1960s, although often resolved and restrained within the history of Arab solidarity.
1 2 , Honoring Kuwait 2014, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah...A Humanitarian Leader; Section on " His Highness the Amir...His Biography & His Journey", Page 41–43; Retrieved December 17th,2014
Bibliography
Neville, Leigh (2019). The Elite: The A–Z of Modern Special Operations Forces. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN978-1472824295.
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