Country Denmark Size ≈200 Commandos | Branch Royal Danish Army | |
Active 1 November 1961 – present Type Special Operations Force Role Primary tasks:
Unconventional Warfare
Covert Ops
Combat Search And Rescue
Direct Action
Counter-terrorism
Other roles:
Information operations
Hostage Rescue
Humanitarian missions | ||
The Hunter Corps (Danish: Jægerkorpset) is an elite, special forces unit of the Royal Danish Army based at Aalborg Air Base.
Contents
History
The first incarnation of the corps was formed in 1785 as Jægercorpset i Sielland (The Hunter Corps of Zealand) and existed in various forms until it was remade in its current form in 1962 where Major P.B.Larsen and First lieutenant Jørgen Lyng were the first two to complete the training. Their hunting origin is recalled in the hunting horn on their insignia. In the year 1995, the Corps was deployed for the first time. A six-man team was sent to Sarajevo, Bosnia as a counter-sniper reconnaissance team.
Throughout the Cold War, the Jaegers' primary tasking was that of a long-range reconnaissance unit, with wide renown for their skills in parachute operations. However, with the advent of the post-9/11 Global War on Terror, the Jaegers were modernized to better meet the developing threat of global terrorism. As such, the Jaegers increased their proficiency in counter-terrorism skills, while still maintaining their excellence at reconnaissance operations.
In 2002, the Jaegers were deployed to Afghanistan as part of the Danish contribution to Task Force K-Bar, along with the Frogman Corps. During these operations, the Jaegers took part in de-mining operations, reconnaissance in support of conventional forces, the capturing of high-value targets, and direct-action raids on Taliban and al-Qaeda positions. As part of Task Force K-Bar, the Jaegers were awarded "The Presidential Unit citation" on December 7, 2004 for its effort as part of the joint-forces special forces group in Afghanistan.
Selection and training
The selection course to become a Jægersoldat (a member of Jægerkorpset) is very demanding, both mentally and physically. For a candidate to be accepted into the corps, he/she must complete the following:
Insignia and status
Jægerkorpset wears the maroon beret with a brass emblem depicting a hunter's bugle on a black felt liner. After one year of satisfactory service and training in corps the wearer is issued the shoulder patch "JÆGER" (English: Hunter) and may call himself by this name.
Jægerkorpset is composed of around 150 highly trained soldiers with special expertise in counter-terrorism, demolitions, parachuting, and combat swimming, HAHO and HALO parachuting, infiltration, sabotage, reconnaissance and more. The corps regularly trains with similar units from different countries, such as the US Navy SEALs, US Army DELTA , British SAS and the Danish naval special forces group, the Frogman Corps. The corps is based on the structure and modus operandi of the British SAS.
Their slogan, which is Latin, Plus esse, quam simultatur translates to Mere at være, end at synes ("More to be, than to seem") in Danish, meaning that the soldier's capabilities do not have to be widely recognized or boasted—they are only more effective if unknown.
International Joint Training
Like most western Special Operations Forces, the Jaegers regularly take part in joint training operations with other NATO and Coalition SOFs. These exercises include reconnaissance patrols throughout Europe, arctic survival training, helicopter insertion techniques, parachute insertion techniques, hostage rescue training, Close Air Support training, medical training, and other SOF-specific skills.
Allied units that the Jaegers regularly train with include: