KOPASKA

Kopaska or Komando Pasukan Katak is the premier frogman and underwater demolition unit of the Indonesian Navy. The Unit's motto is 'Tan Hana Wighna Tan Sirna', which means 'There is no obstacle that can not be defeated'. It was officially established on March 31, 1962 by President Sukarno to help his campaign in Western New Guinea. This special operations force already existed long before March 31, 1962. In 1954, the founder of Kopaska was Captain (Navy) Iskak from the Navy Frogman School at Naval Base Surabaya. The Unit's main duties are underwater demolition, (which consists of raiding enemy's ships and bases), destroying main underwater installations, reconnaissance, prisoner snatches, preparing beaches for larger naval amphibious operations, and counter-terrorism. In peace time the unit deploys a 7-man team to serve as security personnel for VIPs. Primary among these duties are the escort and personal security of the Indonesian president and vice president.

History

 KOPASKA was influenced by the early U.S. Navy Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) and modern Navy SEAL Teams. This foundation of Kopaska was established when early KOPASKA members (Captain-Navy Urip Santoso, Lieutenant-Navy Joko Suyatno, Sergeant EMP Joseph) were sent to the United States for training with the UDTs. Additionally, the Indonesian Navy also sent personnel to Russia to learn from Russian Navy Combat Divers. This tradition continues as each year a few men from the unit travel to Coronado, California and Norfolk, Virginia to participate in SEAL training. Returning to Indonesia, their duties are to recruit new personnel for Kopaska. Early recruitment was difficult as only few Navy members could pass the Kopaska qualifications process. This difficulty increased when President Sukarno announced the Trikora Campaign in Western New Guinea (the Netherlands New Guinea), as Kopaska were required to conduct beach reconnaissance, beach clearing, prisoner snatches, and human torpedo missions. These last two missions were the most daring planned by Kopaska; the intended prisoner target was Rear Admiral Reeser, Commander in Chief of the Dutch Armed Forces in the Territory, and for the human torpedo their target was the Aircraft Carrier Karel Doorman. Due to lack of personnel Kopaska had to borrow personnel from Army Special Force ( RPKAD - now Kopassus / Colonel Sarwo Edhie Wibowo and 21 of RPKAD) and 3 from Kodam Jaya/Army (three of them became Navy soldiers/Kopaska after the Trikora campaign and attended seaman school in Naval Training Command/Kodikal, they are Maksum, Alex Sunaryo, and Budi Suroyo). The plans were canceled as part of the implementation of the cease-fire between Indonesia and the Netherlands. After the Trikora campaign, 18 of 21 RPKAD still desired to become a Navy soldier. Their willingness was not realized as the Commander of RPKAD (Maj. Gen. Mung Pahardimulyo) didn't approve it. He did accommodate the ex-Kopaska members by making a new special unit in RPKAD called RPKAD Frogman (now Paska Gultor, in batalyon SAT 81-2 Gultor Kopassus Cijantung). Until now, Kopassus always send the best members to be trained for three months in Frogman Navy School/Sepaskal at Special Training Centre/Pusdiksus, Naval Training Command/Kodikal Moro Krembangan, Surabaya, East Java.

Recruitment

Recruitment process in Kopaska is almost similar to US Navy SEALs. The criteria consists of:

1. All personnel who wish to join the Kopaska unit are required to be members of the navy corps, as involvement of other corps is not allowed (this includes the marine corps)
2. All personnel must be younger than 30 years old
3. Recruitment process is held once a year at all naval bases, so all navy personnel from all over Indonesia have the opportunity to join Kopaska. After fulfilling these criteria, the candidate is brought to Kopaska Training Centre to participate in the selection process. From previous experience, out of 300-1500 candidates, only 15 to 20 actually succeeded in completing the initial selection process. Subsequently, those who passed received advanced training at Kopaska training centre, according to www.specialoperations.com. Finally, on passing training, a candidate then graduated to become a member of Kopaska Unit. Of the initial candidates, only 5-6 people will get to this stag

Training

  The training process lasts nine months. This training is divided into 4 continual training phases. First Phase is physical endurance or physical training. The second phase is Basic under water training. The third phase is commando training and the fourth phase is parachute training.

First phase

First phase training is physical training or endurance training. To cope with this phase each candidate receives a daily physical training program, e.g.: running, marching, push-ups, sit ups, pull-ups, swimming, etc. All of these training programs are unscheduled, meaning it could happen any time the instructor orders it. The last week of this training each candidate should be able to show their strength, such as cross strait swimming, rowing to Laki Island at night with little food and without enough sleep, etc. This training usually exploits the candidate's physical and psychology strength. The remaining training phases are somewhat similarly received by Indonesia special communities, including Combat swimming, Infiltration through submarine torpedo tube, Long range combat patrol, Close quarter battle (CQB or CQC), Infiltration by using CRRC or RIB, Intelligence course, Parachute training, (which consists of combat free-fall, static line, HAHO, and HALo), Pathfinder, Survival, etc.

Weaponry and equipment

Since most of Kopaska duties are in salt and moist environments, most of Kopaska weapons and equipment reflect these conditions. The type of equipment and weapons used by Kopaska are common in Indonesia and world special force societies, such as:

• Pistols: Beretta 92, Browning Hi-Power, FN Five-Seven, Pindad made P1/P2, Sig Sauer P226, Glock 17, Glock 19, H&K USP
• Submachineguns: FN P90, H&K MP5 variants, Micro Uzi, Daewoo K7
• Assault rifles: AK-47, AK-103 & AK-104, Norinco Type 56-2 & QBZ-95C, Colt M4A1 Carbines (with Aimpoint & Trijicon scopes), Colt M16A2 assault rifle (M16A2 is limited), Pindad SS1-V1,V2,V4, Pindad SS2-V1, SIG SG 552, SIG SG 551 SwAT, IMI Galil ARM 7.62mm, Micro Galil, CZ-58, SAR 21, HK416
• Sniper rifles: H&K G3SG sniper rifle, Sig 550 Sniper rifle, Steyr-Mannlicher SSG 69, Galatz Sniper Rifle, AW L96, NTW
• Machineguns: Daewoo K3, FN Minimi, FN MAG, Ultimax 100

For equipment, Kopaska basically uses commercial scuba diver equipment. All personnel are also equipped with lightweight PRO-TEC helmets. For aqualung equipment Kopaska uses close circuit and open circuit, for underwater mobility Kopaska use a scooter, or sometimes they use sub-skimmer craft. On the water they usually use Avon Sea Raider Rigid Inflatable Boat or Hull (But Sea Raider by deflating the hull also can be use as sub-skimmer craft).

Notable missions

 Trikora campaign

In this campaign, they were ordered to be human torpedoes just like the Japanese 'kamikaze.' Their Kamikaze strike craft was a boat installed with one MiG-17 "Fresco" ejection seat, powered by a pair of Johnson 100pk and armed with two torpedoes warheads. Known as Project Y within KOPASKA circles, this project was supervised by Major (Navy) Urip Santoso, one of the founders of KOPASKA.
Currently, unit strength is approximately 300 men, divided into two groups. One group is attached to the western fleet, based in Jakarta, and the other group is attached to the eastern fleet, based in Surabaya, East Java. When called for, they conduct support search and rescue duties, albeit to a limited extent. They have been deployed overseas as part of United Nations peace keeping missions.

 By Wikipedia.Org