Frogman Corps (Denmark)

The Frogman Corps[1] (Danish: Frømandskorpset) is the maritime special operations force of the Danish Defence part of Special Operations Command. On 1 July 2015, the Frogman Corps transferred from the Royal Danish Navy to the newly established Special Operations Command.[4]

This article is about the Danish Frogman Corps. For similar units from other countries, see List of military diving units.
Frogman Corps[1]
Frømandskorpset
Emblem of the Frogman Corps
Active17 June 1957 – present[2]
Country Denmark
Branch Royal Danish Navy
TypeFrogman
RoleSpecial operations
Combat diving
Special reconnaissance
Size150[3]
Part ofSpecial Operations Command
Garrison/HQKongsøre[1]
Nickname(s)FKP, Et hold af frøer
Decorations
Presidential Unit Citation (United States)
WebsiteOfficial Facebook page

History

The Frogman Corps was established on 17 June 1957 based on the model of the United Kingdom's Special Boat Service, US Underwater Demolition Team, and Marinejegerkommandoen in Norway. Initially it was under the Danish Navy's Diving School at Flådestation Holmen (Naval Station Holmen, Copenhagen), but in 1972 it was made an independent unit, operationally under the submarine squadron.

Role

The Frogman Corps' primary role is reconnaissance, but it is also tasked with assaulting enemy ships, sabotage of fixed installations, advanced force and maritime anti-terrorism tasks.

It also performs special operations work on land, including anti-terrorism and anti-criminal work. The Corps supports the police with matters that demand highly specialised diving. Local authorities, etc. can also benefit from the frogmen's skills, for example when underwater installations must be inspected.

Training

The Frogman Corps trains at the Torpedo Station at Kongsøre[5] and works through a long series of courses, e.g.:

  • Combat swimmer course for three weeks
  • Advanced scuba diving course
  • Rescue swimmer course
  • Survival course

The basic Frogman Course is nine months. Each year 500–600 applicants start the course and less than a dozen complete all nine months. Since its creation in 1957, 311 have completed the training and become frogmen as of 2015.[6]

Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark passed selection and completed continuation training to become a badged Frogman, in the course of which he earned the nickname "Pingo," when his wetsuit filled with water and he was forced to waddle like a penguin.[7][8]

In 2015, a DR-produced documentary detailing the life of Frogman cadets was released.[9]

Operations

The Frogman Corps were involved in operations in Afghanistan, such as Task Force K-Bar, and in Iraq.[10]

From 2008 until the end of 2014, the Frogman Corps was involved in counter-piracy operations as part of Operation Ocean Shield.[10] On 5 February 2010, ten Frogman Corps members aboard HDMS Absalon (L16) conducted a counter-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden approaching the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged merchant vessel Ariella by rigid hull inflatable boat which had been hijacked by six armed Somali pirates.[11][12] They scaled the side of the ship and freed the 25 crew, who had locked themselves in a secure room, and continued to search the vessel for the pirates who had fled.[12]

In November 2021, a unit from the Frogman Corps was involved in counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Guinea deployed aboard the Royal Danish Navy frigate HDMS Esbern Snare (F342). On 25 November 2021 soldiers from the unit were involved in a firefight with eight suspected pirates aboard a fast-moving craft where four suspects were killed and one wounded and the surviving three were captured. The soldiers suffered no casualties.[13]

Equipment

See also

References
  1. "Facts and Figures - The Danish Armed Forces" (PDF). Danish Defence. February 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  2. "Fotos fra frøernes Kongsøre - Frømandskorpset fejrede sig selv med action i Isefjorden". Danish Defence (in Danish). 16 June 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  3. Havskov, Jens Anton (24 June 2013). "The Danish Version of the Navy SEALs". bt.dk (in Danish). Berlingske Media. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  4. "Jægerkorpset og Frømandskorpset overdrages til Specialoperationskommandoen [Jaegercorps and Frogman Corps transferred to Special operations command]". Danish Defence (Press release) (in Danish). 25 June 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  5. Frømandskorpset. "About" (in Danish). Facebook. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  6. "Frømandskorpset (1:5)" (Video). DR.dk/TV (in Danish). Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  7. Bremer, Sophie (21 November 2011). "Pingo Playing With Australian Special Forces". Ekstra Bladet (in Danish). JP/Politikens Hus A/S. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  8. "Alt det du ikke ved om kronprins Frederik". DR (in Danish). Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  9. Rasmussen, Sofie Amalie. "DR1 giver et unikt indblik i Frømandskorpset". DR.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  10. "Frømandskorpset - About". Facebook (in Danish). This is the official Facebook site of the Danish Naval Special Warfare Group (Frogman Corps). Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  11. "NATO warship Absalon saves ship from pirate attack". United States European Command (Press release). Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  12. "Danish Forces Storm Somali Pirate Ship, Free 25 People On Board". Fox News. 5 February 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  13. "Fire dræbt efter ildkamp med Frømandskorpset". DR (in Danish). 2021-11-25. Retrieved 2021-11-27.
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