NCJ Number
51257
Journal
POPULAR MECHANICS Volume: 149 Dated: (MARCH 1978) Pages: 90-93,204-206
Date Published
1978
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THE PERSONNEL, TRAINING, AND WEAPONRY OF ANTITERRORIST COMMANDO UNITS IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES ARE DESCRIBED, AND THE ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS AND FAILURE IN PARTICULAR COUNTERTERRORIST CAMPAIGNS ARE MENTIONED.
Abstract
IN RESPONSE TO AN EXPANSION OF WELL-PLANNED, BOLDLY EXECUTED TERRORIST ACTS INVOLVING THE USE OF SOPHISTICATED WEAPONRY, IT IS NOTED THAT AT LEAST 13 NATIONS MAINTAIN SPECIALLY TRAINED ANTITERRORIST UNITS--THE UNITED STATES, GREAT BRITAIN, GERMANY, ISRAEL, FRANCE, BELGIUM, THE NETHERLANDS, ITALY, NORWAY, AUSTRIA, INDONESIA, SWITZERLAND, AND DENMARK. CONSIDERABLE COOPERATION IS INDICATED AMONG THESE SPECIALIST GROUPS, ALTHOUGH INDIVIDUAL TACTICS, WEAPONS, AND ORGANIZATION DIFFER CONSIDERABLY. THIS REPORT GIVES PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE WEAPONRY USED BY THESE COMMANDO UNITS, AS WELL AS BY THE TERRORISTS. FOUR RIFLES, THREE SUBMACHINE GUNS, AND A 'STUN' GRENADE ARE ILLUSTRATED AND THEIR FEATURES DESCRIBED. RIFLES WITH LIGHT-INTENSIFYING SCOPES ARE SUPPLIED TO SHARP-SHOOTERS WHEN THE STRATEGY INVOLVES ATTACKING TERRORISTS FROM A DISTANCE, AND THE SUBMACHINE GUNS ARE EMPLOYED FOR USE IN CLOSE QUARTERS WHEN NUMBERS OF TERRORISTS MUST BE INCAPACITATED QUICKLY BY CONTROLLED FIRING THAT WILL NOT ENDANGER HOSTAGES. THE WEAPONRY DESCRIBED INCLUDES: THE UZI, AN ISRAELI SUBMACHINE GUN USED BY COMMANDO UNITS OF MANY COUNTRIES; THE RUSSIAN AK-47, A STANDARD TERRORIST WEAPON; THE WALTHER MP-K SUBMACHINE GUN; USED IN WEST GERMANY; THE HECKLER AND KOCH HK33A3 RIFLE; THE M16A1, STANDARD RIFLE OF THE U.S. ARMY; THE HECKLER AND KOCH MP5K SUBMACHINE GUN; AND THE HECKLER AND KOCH G3A3 RIFLE. THE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL IN VARIOUS COMMANDO UNITS AND THE TRAINING THEY RECEIVE ARE BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. THE LOOSE CONFEDERATION OF TERRORIST GROUPS IS ALSO MENTIONED. (RCB)