Special Operations Battalion (Croatia) - Main Tasks

Main Tasks

The Battalion is focused on airborne assault as well as operations behind enemy lines with insertion from land, air or sea. However, unlike most special forces in the world, the Battalion is also trained in non-combat search and rescue of civilians and providing aid as well as dealing with natural disasters. The unit is equipped with the most sophisticated weapons and equipment available, and trained to undertake the full range of special ops missions and even the dangerous mid-air, aircraft-to-aircraft operations. Personnel are trained for:

• Combat operations on land, air and sea on all types of terrains and all weather conditions
• Deep battlefield infiltration by land, air and sea
• Unconventional warfare behind enemy lines
• Counter-terrorism and hand-to-hand combat
• CSAR missions (Combat Search and Rescue)
• ISTAR missions (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance)
• Humanitarian and peacekeeping operations

The Croatian General Staff exercises direct command over the battalion which thus elevated the unit to strategic level for quicker response time and overall better and faster deployment on both tactical and strategic levels. Also, this means that members of all three branches of the Croatian armed forces can apply for selection. In 2008, two women successfully completed selection and training, earning their green berets and making the BSD one of the few special forces units in the world that have women among their ranks as combat qualified operators and not just support staff.