TheLithuanian Special Operations Forces (LITHSOF) (Lithuanian:Lietuvos Specialiųjų Operacijų Pajėgos) is aspecial operation unit of theLithuanian Armed Forces, formed exclusively of carefully selected, motivated and specially trained professionals. The main tasks of the Special Operations Forces aredirect action,special reconnaissance, and military assistance.
The Lithuanian Special Operations Forces has been in operationde facto since 2002 and it was establishedde jure on April 3, 2008,[1] when amendments of the National Defence System organisation and military service law[2] came into force. SOF is formed from the Special Operations Unit.
The structure of the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces is flexible which makes it easy to formsquadrons intended for specific operations and missions from its elements. It consists of:
Special Operations Forces (SOP -Specialiųjų Operacijų Pajėgos) inVilnius
Special Mission Unit (YPT -Ypatingosios paskirties tarnyba) in Vilnius. Main tasks: counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, special operations on land, water and air.
Soon after Lithuaniare-established its independence from theSoviet Union on March 11, 1990, the need arose to form armed units. One of the first such units wasAukščiausiosios Tarybos Apsaugos Skyrius ("Supreme Council Security Section").[3] One of the main tasks of this unit was to protect theLithuanian Parliament. In the following years, theLithuanian army underwent various restructuring processes. After the reorganization of Kaunas Vytautas the Great motorized infantry battalion in 1995, the separate Vytautas the Great Jaeger Battalion (named afterLithuanian Grand DukeVytautas the Great) was established, which would become one of the core units of Lithuanian Special Operations Forces.[4]
Unofficial formation of the Special Purpose Service was started in 1995; after two more years the Service was officially established. After the9/11 terror attacks, the main tasks of the Special Mission Unit became counter-terrorism, terrorist liquidation and hostage rescue.[5] Members of the Special Mission Unit are calledŽaliukai, meaning green-men and were named after theForest Brothers.
After a 2007 reorganization, the Combat Divers Unit was established, whose main task became special underwater and surface operations.
Among the most secretive Lithuanian Special Operations Forces units are squadrons referred to by thecodenameAitvaras (named after a traditionalLithuanian mythological spirit). The first public acknowledgment of the existence ofSpecialiųjų Operacijų Junginys (SOJ)"Aitvaras" (Special Operations Unit "Cockatrice") was in 2000, when Lithuanian sailors were captured inGuinea.[3]Aitvaras carries out classified missions.
The Lithuanian Special Operations Forces units have participated in a number of missions. From 2002 to 2004 squadrons of theAitvaras were deployed to the "Enduring Freedom" operation inAfghanistan. Preparedness and execution of tasks by the SOF squadrons have been especially noted by the coalition partners.[6]
From 2005 to 2006, the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces was on the operational half-year stand-by period in theNATO Response Force. Since the autumn 2007, SOF have taken part in the NATO-ledInternational Security Assistance Force mission in southern Afghanistan.[7] In 2008 soldiers of the SOF continued their service in the NATO Response Force.
In 2017, Lithuanian government has made a decision to send 20 soldiers group to the mission in MedditeranianEU Navfor Med including soldiers from navy forces, land forces and special operations forces.
Lithuania
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Vytautas the Great Jaeger Battalion (VDJB -Vytauto Didžiojo jėgerių batalionas) inKaunas. Main tasks:special reconnaissance,direct action,unconventional warfare..png)
Special Mission Unit (YPT -Ypatingosios paskirties tarnyba) in Vilnius. Main tasks: counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, special operations on land, water and air..png)
Combat Divers Service (KNT -Kovinių narų tarnyba) inKlaipėda. Main tasks: special operations in water,special reconnaissance,direct action..png)
Training and Combat Support Center (MKPC -Mokymo ir kovinės paramos centras) inVilnius.
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Special Ops
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