Throughout the history of its existence, mankind has evolved in many areas of its direct activity. It is regrettable, but not all of them are positive. One of these is war. Through violence, people have been pursuing their goals for centuries in a row, whether it is the capture of new territories or the extraction of resources. Almost any conflict subsequently became military.
Today, the trends in international politics have changed significantly. However, practically none of the existing states has yet abandoned their military power, that is, the armed forces. On the contrary, in many countries there are special military units, the art of which is composed of real legends. As a rule, formations of this kind carry out rather specific tasks, which, in turn, are practically unrealistic for fulfillment under the conditions of using standard forces and means. These units include Fur Seals (USA). In the article we will consider the features of this unit, as well as the process of its formation and the history of its appearance.
What are the seals?
As already mentioned by the author earlier, in every country there are elite units that are involved in specific tasks. The US Army Seals are one such military unit. But if we speak a purely scientific language, these units are part of the structure of special operations forces. These formations, in turn, are endowed with a number of unique functions. Their implementation requires special training of fighters and the use of special tools.
Functions of Special Military Units
Their main functions include the following tasks, namely:
- implementation of special as well as sabotage measures;
- search and rescue operations;
- performance of tasks of a different nature, which are assigned to the forces of special operations.
Thus, “Navy SEALs” (USA) carry out reconnaissance and sabotage activities. In the context of hostilities, the role of such units is simply irreplaceable. Because they work secretly and quietly. In this case, it should be noted that in addition to sabotage and physical elimination of enemy personnel, Navy SEALs are often used, for example, to accurately direct artillery fire, as well as to cover the retreat of the main forces.
The difference between "Fur Seals" and "Delta"
Very often, the functional tasks and the essence of the units mentioned in the article are confused with a similar formation, namely, Delta. The last name has nothing to do with "Seals". The fact is that Delta is a special forces unit that, for the most part, implements tasks aimed at combating terrorism and performing special operations, such as rescuing hostages and invading other countries. However, like Seals, the unit is also part of the special operations forces.
Unit appearance history
Special forces "Seals" (USA) did not always exist. The formation of this unit was preceded by a rather long history. The initial prototype of the "Fur Seals" were special units of combat swimmers, which were created in the structure of the Naval Forces of the United States of America. They were actively used during the Second World War. Fighting swimmers were faced with tasks that today are mostly carried out by Fur Seals.
It should be noted that over the entire period of its existence, swimmers participated in such well-known military operations as “Torch” and “Overlord”. It was during this period of the history of the development of the US Armed Forces as a whole that the great potential and effectiveness of the sabotage units was revealed, which later became the "Seals". However, the experience of conducting military operations in the rear of the enemy also showed that not every soldier is able to carry out the tasks that are realized by the said combat swimmers and other similar formations. This fact largely determined the tough selection of candidates for the service, which will be discussed later in the article.
Unit Creation
The Navy SEALs (USA) was created in 1962, after a meeting of the US Army Chief of Staff. The main problem at that time was aggravated relations with the Soviet Union. In fact, it was the Cold War that for the most part led to the creation of sabotage units. At the meeting already indicated earlier, the top officials of the US Army put forward the idea of forming special units that could conduct military operations behind enemy lines. From that moment, the reception of candidates for the Navy SEAL squad begins. As for the selection criteria, we mainly paid attention primarily to good endurance in water, the ability to handle cold steel and firearms. A positive factor was also the knowledge of a foreign language.
During its existence, Navy SEALs (USA) have been reorganized more than once in connection with a change in the geopolitical situation. That is, initially there were units that were supposed to land in Cuba, later European units appeared, and later Middle Asian ones. Quite a significant role was played by the fighters of the Navy SEALs during the Vietnam War. It should be noted the fact that initially the existence of a military formation was rejected. But since the 80s of the last century, the presence of "Fur Seals" in the Armed Forces of America is not a secret for anyone, which cannot be said about the operations carried out by them.
Known operations involving the unit
There are many theories and assumptions about the operations in which the Navy SEALs participated (US Navy). As mentioned earlier, many operations of these units are strictly classified, which in some cases does not fully appreciate the essence of their work. However, today the most prominent moments of the participation of "Fur Seals" in some military conflicts and specific operations are known, for example:
- The war in Vietnam showed the unit’s excellent effectiveness in the implementation of sabotage missions, as well as hydrographic reconnaissance. The problem is that the terrain of the state’s territory did not allow to fully conduct military operations against enemy forces, which in most cases used partisan methods of warfare. Thanks to the "Navy SEALs" many military operations were crowned with success.
- A well-known case of attracting "Fur Seals" was the invasion of Grenada, as well as the military operation "Main Chance". In the first case, the unit distinguished itself by conducting hostilities and holding positions under fire of superior enemy forces. In the process of implementing the “Main Chance” operation, the unit seized ships in the Persian Gulf.
- Also, the unit mentioned in the article participated in the Iraq war from the very beginning to the end. One of the most successful operations in this conflict involving the participation of Navy SEALs was the seizure of the oil platforms Havr El-Amaya and Al-Basrah.
It is also necessary to mention that it is a separate regiment of the special division of the Fur Seals that is involved in the physical elimination of one of the most important terrorists in the world, namely Osama bin Laden.
Unit Structure
Seals ( US Special Forces ) - a separate battalion in the special operations forces. In this case, the headquarters consists of the following structural elements:
- commander;
- chief of staff;
- the head of the reconnaissance squad and operational officer;
- Deputies on the rear and combat training of "Fur Seals";
- the head of the medical service.
It should also be noted that the headquarters also includes special sabotage groups. As a rule, each of them includes about 4-5 fighters.
Candidate Selection Criteria
If we do not talk about the process of direct preparation, which not all candidates withstand, then the selection for admission to the initial period is rather meticulous. The main factors are US health and citizenship. Foreigners, as we understand it, are not recruited to serve in an elite special unit at all. All candidates, who, in turn, are exclusively male, must be between 18 and 28 years old. Moreover, they should have absolutely no negative health indicators. Any physical flaws or chronic diseases are unacceptable, because Fur Seals (US Navy special forces) perform complex tasks that involve prolonged exposure to water, as well as in cold or heat. Therefore, a sick person simply can not cope with such loads. In addition, all candidates undergo special checks and tests, as a result of which the lucky ones get to the marine training centers.
Preparing Fur Seals (USA)
The training process of "Fur Seals" is known throughout the world. They are distinguished by their cruelty and infernal exhaustion, however, it is this approach that allows you to grow the most professional fighters. In the first weeks of preparation, the general physical training of candidates is implemented. An important part of this phase is water exercises. Candidates are taught to swim in any setting, right down to situations with tied arms and legs. The purpose of the stage is to instill the fact that water is the closest friend of the fighter of the Fur Seals division. In addition, special combat and tactical training is also carried out . All cadets are tested for ability to act in critical situations.
Hell Week
Fur seals (USA), whose training is particularly cruel, pass through such a stage as hell week in the preparation process. It lasts five days, during which cadets are only allowed to sleep for 4 hours. Passing the entire stage is accompanied by tests of cold and ice water, as well as grueling march-throws. At this stage, more than 50% of all candidates are eliminated.
US Fur Seal Equipment
The unit uses the latest achievements in the field of military equipment and weapons. Seals have the right to use absolutely all the resources of the United States Army. For example, for hidden movements on and under water, special breathing isolation devices are used. In addition, the small Mark 8 Mod 1 SDV submarines are actively used. For surface landing of fighters, such surface vehicles as the Cyclone and Mk-5 Pegasus boats are used. They can be directly navigated by water to their destination or transported by CH-47 helicopters. As for personal safety, the special forces use LaRue assault rifles, MTS C4ISTAR multi-function computers, as well as a device that everyone rightfully calls the "Navy Seal" knife (USA), the Marc Lee Glory combat knife.
Conclusion
So, in the article we examined the structure and features of the functional tasks of such a unit as "Fur Seals", the United States Army. It should be noted that today these formations are actively used by America in various military conflicts, and quite effectively, which indicates a high level of training. But even with the fact that in the media today you can find many photos of "Fur Seals" (USA), their real activities are still shrouded in state secrets.