Special Service Group (Navy)
The Special Warfare Badge of Pakistan Navy
Active	Since 1966; 59 years ago (1966)
Country	Pakistan
Allegiance	Pakistan Armed Forces
Branch	Pakistan Navy
Type	SOF
Role	Spec ops
Part of	COMCOAST
Garrison/HQ	PNS Iqbal PNS Nathiagali
Nickname	SSGN
Motto	Let it not be said that we did not prove equal to the task.
Engagements	See list Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War Operation Barisal Operation Jackpot Munity of PNS Magro in Toulon in 1971 Siachen conflict Conflict in Arab world Pakistan Military Command–Saudi Arabia War in Afghanistan Soviet war in Afghanistan Bosnian War UN Protection Force–Pakistan Forces Sri Lankan Civil War Military assistance to Sri Lanka War on Terror War in Afghanistan (2001–present) War in North-West Pakistan Operation Black Thunderstorm Operation Rah-e-Nijat Operation Umeed-e-Nuh Operation Mehran Operation Zarb-e-Azb Mutiny on the PNS Zulfiquar Balochistan insurgency
Website	SSG(N)
Commanders
Current commander	Rear Admiral Faisal Amin

The Pakistan NavySpecial Service Group (reporting name:Navy SSG or simplyPakistan Navy SEALs,^[1][2]) is thespecial operationsforce tasked with the conducting the small-unit basedmilitary operations in all environmental formats of thesea, air, and land by adopting to the tactics of theunconventional warfare.^[3][4]

The command and control of the Special Service Group (Navy) falls under the responsibility of theNaval Strategic Forces Command and its personnel are sometimes directly recruited intoISI'sCovert Action Division (CAD) upon their retirements from their military service.^[4]

There is no official report on the actual strength or their military missions since their operational works are subjected to thesecrecy by thefederal government ofPakistan; knowledge of their works and tactics known in public through the only authorized media works and nonfiction works by the navy veteran.^[5]

After thesecond war with India in 1965, the Pakistan Navy recognized the need for establishing the armed forces diving unit to conduct thecovertreconnaissance oflanding beaches andcoastal defenses from the attacks by the approaching enemy.^[6] Despite its vision and efforts, the Navy had little experience incombat diving and had little educational understanding about the nature of the seaborne special operations.^{: contents [7]} In 1966,Vice-AdmiralS. M. Ahsan took personal initiatives establishing the special operations force within the Navy by organizing theunderwater demolition teams (UDTs) tasked with gathering intelligence while operating themidget submarines.^[8]

The establishment of the Special Service Group (Navy) lies from the contribution by the Pakistan Army'sSpecial Service Group whose frogmen team— theMusa Company— first initially trained the Navy personnel on the military combat diving in 1966.^{: contents [7]} Initially training of the personnel volunteered for the Special Service Group (Navy) took place inCherat inKhyber Pakhtunkhwa, first initially getting trained for thecoastal defenses.^{: contents [9]}

Crucial training on getting trained on thesea, air, and land environmental formats came from theUnited States Navy when the first unit of theU.S. Navy SEALs was detached to the Pakistan Navy in Karachi, also in 1966.^: 71 The teams in the Navy Special Service Group were given training on thearmed forces diving,high-altitude parachuting,demolitions, foreign languages, and the intelligence management for the intelligence services.^[10]

In 1970, the joint training of the Navy SSG and theU.S. Navy SEALs took place inNaval Base Iqbal in Karachi coast, receiving training and getting the expertise in thesea, air, and land environmental formats.^: 71

Since the 1970s, the Navy SSG teams are occasionally sent to theUnited States for specialized courses and training conducted with the United States Navy SEALs.^[11]

In March 1971, the Navy SSG were deployed in theEast-Pakistan to support theArmy Special Service Group (SSG) instead of the Army's frogmen team— theMusa Company that remained in Pakistan to conduct theinland waterways operations.^{: contents [9]} Their firstdirect action basedmilitary mission took place in a counterinsurgency operation in Barisal inEast-Pakistan, which turned out be a successful in maintaining the control of the city.^[12]

In April 1971, the Navy SSG teams were involved in taking another direct actions inToulon inFrance when the thirteen East-Pakistani enlists decided totakeover the submarine to try defecting toIndia but their plans were foiled due to advance knowledge that theNaval Intelligence had gathered on their plans.^{: 43–44 [13]} The Navy SSG teams engagement with theBengali insurgents, takingmilitary counter actions at the ports ofChittagong and theCox's Bazar.^[14] The Navy SSG teams operated fromDacca under the command of theCaptainAhmad Zamir but the teams returned toPakistan in September 1971 to be trained in operating theX-Craft midget submarines.^{: 108 [15]}

After thethird war with India in 1971, the Army–Navy interaction continues with the Navy's taking forefront responsibility of setting the important role in the overall architecture of the special operations forces.^{: 100 [1]} In the 1980s, the Navy Special Service Group was deployed inproviding military assistance toSri Lankan military during thecivil war inSri Lanka, playing crucial role to curb the insurgency in the country.^{: 70–73 [16]}

The Navy SSG's focused moves towards the special military operations to combating terrorism from the seaborne platform after theterrorist attacks in theUnited States in 2011.^[6] The Navy Special Service Group became involved in theAfghan war and the extendedmilitary operations in Western Pakistan in a joint coordination with theArmy Special Service Group in a conflict with theforeign fighters,Talibans, and theal-Qaeda.^{: 76 [17]}

The Navy SSG's SEAL Team was involved in taking a crucial direct action againstTaliban fighters in dislodgingtheir attack on theMehran Naval Air Station in May 2011.^{: 76 [17]}

In 2014, the Navy SEAL Teams successfully engaged theal-Qaeda fighters after they attempted to maneuver theguided missile frigate, thePNSZulfiquar (251), and successfully neutralize the attack without the damage done to the guided missile frigate as well as apprehending the attackers alive.^[18]

Due to their selective competitiveness, the demandingmilitary physicals, and the commitment required by the Navy's special operations, the Navy Special Service Group is much more tighter contingent compared to theArmy Special Service Group, though the selection for the Navy's Special Service Group is open to all naval personnel serving in the different combat branches of the Navy.^[4] The Navy SSG is much more discreet than the Army SSG since their operations and works are subjected to thesecrecy marked by theNavy though it is known that it is an all-male special operation force.^[4]

The control and command structure of the Navy Special Service Group is based in thePNS Iqbal— the naval base inKarachi,Sindh inPakistan— and their operations are controlled through the Naval Special Operations Training Center (NSOTC).^[19] Their armed forces diving training establishment and structure was initially based in thePNS Himalaya but later consolidated their entire structure with the commissioning of theIqbal Naval Base on 19 March 1967.^[20]

The organizational structure of the Navy Special Service Group follows theirArmy Special Service Group counterparts, and its organizational structure is based on thecommand formation reporting directly the Commander of theCoastal Areas (COMCOAST).^[20] The Navy Special Service Group has three sub command formations that specialized in their own set of war course of actions–each command is specialized in their criterion of war and are considered specialists in their fields.^[20]

The Navy Special Service Group's operational responsibility of conducing the special operations, nonetheless, falls under the command of theNaval Strategic Forces Command (ASFC) operating from theNavy NHQ in Islamabad.^{: 44 [21]}

According to the Navy's official website, the Navy Special Service Group is organized with theIqbal Naval Base that is having responsible to control the each command.^[20]

In 1968, the Navy Special Service Group was operating at least sixItalian-builtSX-404 classmidget submarine to function as aSEAL delivery vehicle and had priority over theHangor program at some time in 1970.^{: 154–155 [22]} As of 2019^[update], the Navy Special Service Group currently operates at least threeCosmos-classmidget submarines that are designed to be inducted for the SEAL Group, and locally known as the "X-Craft."^{: 73 [23]} TheCosmos-class are currently known to be stationed inPNS Iqbal with theSX-404 class.^{: 154–155 [22]}

The military administration at thePNS Iqbal also facilitates the advance training of the selected personnel of the Navy special Service Group to be trained with theU.S. Navy SEALs inCalifornia andVirginia.^[11]

The Navy Special Service Group is composed of the three sub-commands: CO PNS Iqbal, CO SEAL Group, and CO VBSS Group— all are trained in their specialized tasks and considered specialists in the specific type of war operations.^[11]

The maritime authors and historians of the Pakistan Navy have provided the rough and the guessed estimation of personnel which was neared around 1,000 SSGN operatives but the department of navy has never issued an actual strength number of its personnel serving in the Navy Special Service Group.^{: 73 [17][4]}

The official strength and the identities of its personnel serving in each sub-commands are subjected to thesecrecy by the department of navy and theDefense ministry has never commented or the Navy itself has never issued the official number of strength of its personnel, including the officers commanding, citing security.^[4] In the Navy, the commands of the teams varies by the officer ranking fromOF-2 rank (lieutenant) toOF-5 rank (commander), depending on the availability and the difficulty posed by the missions.^[4]

Sources: Pakistan Navyofficial website andGlobalSecurity.org by John Pike.^[24]

According to the Pakistan Navy'sMedical Corps reports and the media documentaries, the selection is extremely competitive and demands the strongphysical conditioning from their prospective candidates prior admitting into the Navy Special Service Group.^[5]

The Navy Special Service Group's qualification and military physical standards are akin and reflects the selection criteria of theUnited States Navy SEALsselection and training, according toCommander Kashif—the senior trainer in the Navy SEAL Team's interview given toTakrar (lit. Confrontation) host Imran R. Khan.^[25]

Those prospective candidates who have very high regards of theirself respect and their selfless commitment to serve the country only, anytime their services are needed by the Navy for the area deployment, are the only intakes in the Navy Special Service Group, commented byV-Adm. (retd.)S. Tauquir Naqvi—the retired SEAL Team member and the former commander of the Navy SSG.^[6]

Drop out attrition rates from the physical standards of the Navy is average between the 80-to-90%, matching theArmy Special Service Group's drop rate in Cherat^[5] Those who have failed the mental and physical requirements are then sent to their regular jobs in the Navy.^[5] The military physical standards, examinations, and criteria are same for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines' special forces selections and training, often training in close coordination.^[26] There are three special operations schools in the Pakistan, the Navy's sniper and frogmen school criteria follows the military physical requirement:

• Naval Special Operations Training Center (Naval SOTC)
  • Must meetarmy qualifications with swimming standards.^[27]
• Sniper School
  • Must have 20/20 or corrected to 20/20 in both near and distant vision in both eyes.^[28]
  • Medical Category "A".^[26]
• Frogman School
  • Medical Category "A".^[26]
  • Must have qualification in Chamber test up to 180 feetsea water.^[26]
• Swimming Standards
  • Should be able to swim 200 meters in 7 minutes (breast stroke).^[26]
  • Should be able to swim 25 meters Underwater.^[26]

The military physicals for the getting accepted in the Navy is maintained to be very high standard and requires the prospective individual has to spend nearly five years in the Navy that validates their commitment to their profession and the Navy— this is the same requirement for theArmy Special Service Group.^[26] Training for the Navy Special Service Group is extremely rigorous that included being able to earn the swimming badge after completing the 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) in 10 hours in an open sea,^[25] theHALO/HAHO airborne qualification badge,^[25] andspecial weapons qualification badge.^[25]

The Navy Special Service Group's training courses :

• • 18-week Clearance Diving Course.^[20]
  • 10-week Advance Frogman Course .^[20]
  • 4-week Re-Compression Chamber Course.^[20]

Training of the Navy Special Service Group also included the training on theJudo/Karateka,Frogman maneuver, and thedrownproofing (ability to stay afloat while tide up in the water).^[5] The Navy maintains its own Parachute Training School in Oramar based on the Army'sParachute Training School in Cherat, where the prospective individual excelled on itsHALO/HAHO andstatic line skills after performing the combat jump from 15,000 feet (4,600 m)– this course usually held for 4-weeks.^[25]

The training courses on the Navy Special Service Group emphasis on the strongmental andphysical conditioning that includes the 36-36 miles (58 km) march, a requirement that was first institutionalized by theArmy Special Service Group in 1956.^[25]

Once the 8-month course is complete, the navy sailors who are volunteering to join the SSGN are then given specialized training in maritime and amphibious warfare at the specialized training school located inKarachi.^[25]

The Combat Diver badge is awarded for the course held by the Navy Special Service Group— there are three classes of combat swimmers are recognized: 1st class to complete an 18-mile or more swim in the designated time period; 2nd class to those finishing a 12-mile swim; and 3rd class for a 6-mile swim.^[25] Navy's sniper training and air assault courses are held at the Naval Special Operations Training Center (Naval SOTC) inNathiagali inKhyber-Pakhtunkhwa.^[27]

The Navy has its own airborne school in Oramara, frogmen school in Karachi, and the special operations school in Nathiagali.^[27][29] The advance training on the special warfare environments jointly takes place with theArmy Special Service Group where the SEAL Teams are trained in long distance marksmanship sniper warfare at the Army Sniper School, arctic warfare at the Army School of High Altitude, mountain warfare at the Army School of Mountain Warfare inCherat, desert warfare inChor, and often popular in the country for taking participation with the army's snipers in various competition.^[30]

Since its establishment in 1966, the Navy Special Service Group provided military training to the Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Iran and Sri Lanka, also conducts training exercise with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Bahrain.^[20]

The Special Forces in Pakistani military adopted theirBattle Dress Uniform in favor of theU.S. woodland (or M81) with amaroon berets in 1990.^{: 100 [1]} The Special Forces in Pakistan follows the combat gear of thePakistan Army as the Army Special Service Group authorized theU.S. woodland (M81) as their battle dress uniform with amaroon berets, a common color for the airborne forces, with a silver metal tab on a light bluefelt square with adagger andlightning bolts, and a wing on the right side of the chest.^{: 100 [1]}

The Navy Special Service Group closely follows theArmy Special Service Group, adopting to wear theU.S. woodland (or M81) with amaroon berets, a common color for the airborne forces.^{: 71 [16]}

The Navy Special Service Group is only distinguished by their officially issued berets— a dark blue beret with three versions of the"fouled anchor" badge for all of its personnel.^{: 71 [16]} A metal SSGN qualification badge featuring a vertical dagger superimposed over a midget submarine is worn over the left pocket on dress uniforms. Parachute wings are worn over the right pocket.^{: 71 [16]}

Pistols

• AustriaGlock pistol
• ItalyBeretta 92FS

Sub-machine guns

• GermanyHeckler & Koch MP5
• BelgiumFN P90

Assault rifles

• USAM4A1 Carbine
• AustriaSteyr AUG
•  SwitzerlandSIG SG 550

Sniper rifles

• PakistanPOF PSR-90M
• USABarrett M82
• UKAccuracy International AW
• UKSC-76/86 Thunderbolt
• South AfricaTruvelo CMS .308/.338

Light Machine guns

• BelgiumFN Minimi
• USAM249

Air Defence & Rocket Launchers

• Soviet UnionRPG7
• USASMAW
• PakistanAnza MANPADS

Helmets

• PakistanPOF Standard Helmet
• USA Light Weight Helmet

Bullet Proof Jacket/Armor

• PakistanPOF Standard Body Armor

• 1st Marines Battalion (Pakistan)
• Special Service Group (Pakistan Army)
• Special Service Wing (Pakistan Air Force)
• List of military special forces units

• Ryan, Mike; Mann, Chris; Stilwell, Alexander (2014).The Encyclopedia of the World's Special Forces: Tactics, History, Strategy, Weapons. Amber Books Ltd.ISBN 9781907446894. Retrieved14 February 2019.
• Shah, Rear-Admiral Mian Zahir (2001).Bubbles of water, or, Anecdotes of the Pakistan Navy (1st ed.). Karachi: PN Book Club Publication. p. 487.ISBN 9698318038. Retrieved14 February 2019.

• Khan, Wajahat Saeed (12 April 2011)."VBSS Team Training by W.S. Khan— Dawn News Documentary"(watch.tv).www.youtube.com. Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan: Navy ISPR. Retrieved10 February 2019.
• Khan, Imran R. (6 September 2016)."Navy SEAL Team training by I.R. Khan— Express News Documentary"(.watch.tv).www.youtube.com (in Urdu). Karach/Gwadar coast: Express News. Retrieved13 February 2019.

• Pakistan Navy
• Armed forces diving
• Military special forces of Pakistan
• Naval special forces units and formations
• Military units and formations established in 1966

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