People's Army of Vietnam Special Forces

People's Army of Vietnam Special Operation Arms
Symbol
Founded	March 19, 1967; 57 years ago (1967-03-19)
Country	Vietnam
Allegiance	Communist Party of Vietnam
Branch	Vietnam People's Ground Force
Type	Special operations force
Role	Covert operations Counter-terrorism Hostage rescue Direct action Deep reconnaissance Unconventional warfare Intelligence gathering High-value targets Counter narcotic operations Counter-proliferation Close protection
Size	10,000 people
Garrison/HQ	Thanh Trì, Hà Nội
Motto(s)	Đặc biệt tinh nhuệ, Anh dũng tuyệt vời, Mưu trí táo bạo, Đánh hiểm thắng lớn (Unique and elite; Heroic and superb; Ingenious and daring; Deadly attacks yield great victories)
Anniversaries	March 19, 1967
Decorations	Hero of the People's Armed Forces Gold Star Order (Vietnam) Ho Chi Minh Order Military Exploit Order x2
Commanders
Current commander	Major General Phan Thế Ba
Ceremonial chief	Major General Vũ Hồng Quang
Notable commanders	Major General Mai Năng Senior Colonel Nguyễn Chí Điềm Major General Nguyễn Anh Đệ

The People's Army of Vietnam Special Forces Arms (Vietnamese: Binh chủng Đặc công, Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam), officially the Special Operation Force Arms or Special Operation Arms,^[1] is the elite combat armed service of the People's Army of Vietnam, led by the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army. It is uniquely organized, equipped, and trained with special fighting skills, bravery and heroism, resourcefulness and boldness to attack and destroy key enemy's targets.

The SOF has the task of focusing on researching and advising the Ministry of Defence to build and develop Vietnamese special forces capabilities.^[2][3]

History[edit]

Pre-history[edit]

In the 13th century, during the Mongol invasions of Vietnam, the Trần army developed a way of ambushing with small, elite forces, good at fighting on land, on rivers, and at sea. Trần Quốc Tuấn has directed: "Being reckless on the boat is not as good as stabbing under the boat, destroying the enemy's army is not as good as destroying the enemy's boat". Implementing that direction, General Yết Kiêu organized and trained Trạo Nhi teams consisting of strong and good swimmers who specialized in destroying the enemy's naval base. In many battles, the Trạo Nhi team secretly entered the naval base, burned the boat with flammable substances and dived into the muddy water, destroyed many Mongol troops in Chương Dương, Phả Lại, and Chí Linh and once captured them live the enemy general.^[4][5]

In 1410, Trần Nguyên Hãn used the doctrine of "Quân cốt tinh, không cốt nhiều" ("The core of an army is its quality, not quantity") and organized a famous battle with nearly 200 insurgents, stripped naked and camouflaged, and secretly infiltrated the Xương Giang citadel, Việt Trì to attack the Ming army in the citadel.^[6][7]

First Indochina War[edit]

On the Southern battlefield, France strengthened the construction of a system of posts around towns and cities and on important roads to encircle, separate and hinder the Viet Minh armed forces. Through many successful trials, especially the battle to destroy Bà Kiên bridge post in the night of March 18 and early morning, March 19, 1948, opened a new possibility to defeat the enemy in a solid entrenched position.^[8]

In November 1949, Military Region 7 command held a symposium on fighting the watchtower with the participation of officers and soldiers who had participated in fighting the watchtower and proposed a new way of fighting the watchtower. With the FT wall-breaking weapon (Trái phá FT), on the night of March 21 to the morning of March 23, 1950, on the battlefield of Biên Hòa, 50 battle groups simultaneously used FT to attack 50 watchtowers, causing great confusion for the enemy. From this battle, the Biên Hòa Provincial Army and the General Staff of Military Region 7 held a conference to learn from experience and use commando tactics.^[9]

The South focused on research and development, constantly perfecting commando tactics. Stemming from the combat mission and the enemy's goals, units in the South had a new development with an increasingly large scale. A commando battle is organized with 3 components: ground commando, water commando, and mobile special forces with the common organizational scale of team, battalion, standing at the base across strategic locations.

During the last period of the First Indochina War and during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, the Viet Minh developed on the battlefields, had a knack for fighting in the enemy's rear, initially gained experience in synergistic warfare in the area. campaigns. The special forces fought the enemy on both front and rear. Some typical battles of the commando troops such as Phú Thọ bombing, Tân An bomb depot, Cát Bi airport, Gia Lam Airport.^[10][11]

Vietnam War[edit]

After the 1954 Geneva Conference was signed, the Communist Party of Vietnam and army selected and sent special forces from the North to the South to build up forces and fight. In June 1958, the Southeast Command was established and the Eastern armed forces had a special commando company with the code name 60th Company. This was the first commando company in the South. Company 60, along with special commando groups and groups in the localities, began to attack Republic of Vietnam government buildings and posts.

In September 1962, specialized commando teams began to enter the southern battlefields, supplementing combat units in military zones and provinces. In the two years 1961 – 1962, 10 specialized commando companies, 1 mobile battalion with 1,122 men were reinforced for zone 5 and the South. The birth and rapid development of mobile and specialized commando forces in the North marked a new development in the organization of special forces troops.^[12]

During the period of the implementation of the Staley–Taylor Plan, one of the most prominent features of special operations was that for the first time, participated in combat with the main army in special operations campaign quality and won many victories. Some typical battles during this period were the destruction of the Plây Cơ Rông commando base, the raid on Pleiku airport and the American barracks Holloway, the Brinks Hotel bombing, the Attack on USNS Card. The feats of North Vietnamese commandos in the period of counter-strategy Staley–Taylor Plan marked an important development of the art of combat behind hostile lines to destroy the enemy's forces the headquarters and center of war operations of the US-RVN.^{[13][14][15][16]}

During the 1968 Tet Offensive, North Vietnamese commandos led the attack on ARVN headquarters and vital installations in most South Vietnamese cities, contributing to a 1968 Mậu Thân victory, creating a turning point in the Vietnam War.^[17] The commandos were also used during the Battle of Lima Site 85, successfully overrunning a US post in Laos, and the Battle of FSB Mary Ann where they hurled satchels at command bunkers, knifed sleeping soldiers, and destroyed all communications equipment, killing 33 US soldiers in the process at a loss of 15 men.^[18]

On November 1, 1968, a successful raid involving swimmer sappers severely damaged the USS Westchester County (LST-1167), seeing the US Navy's greatest single-incident combat loss of life during the entire Vietnam War. While the ship was docked at My Tho, sappers carrying two 250 kg mines swam up and planted them on the lower hull, detonating them. Consequently, 25 sailors were killed and another 27 wounded. Such attacks were highly effective, with 88 successful attacks between 1962 and 1969 killing 210 personnel and wounding another 325 in return for only 20 sappers killed or captured.^[19]

The Pochentong raid[edit]

On the night of January 21–22, 1971, a hundred or so-strong PAVN "Sapper" Commando force (Đặc Công, equivalent of "spec op" in English) managed to pass undetected through the defensive perimeter of the Special Military Region (Région Militaire Speciale – RMS) set by the Cambodian Army around Phnom Penh and carried out a spectacular raid on Pochentong airbase. Broken into six smaller detachments armed mostly with AK-47 assault rifles and RPG-7 anti-tank rocket launchers, the PAVN raiders succeeded in scaling the barbed-wire fence and quickly overwhelmed the poorly armed airmen of the Security Battalion on duty that night. Once inside the facility, the raiders unleashed a furious barrage of small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades against any aircraft they found on the parking area adjacent to the runway and nearby buildings; one of the commando teams even scaled the adjoining commercial terminal of the civilian airport and after taking position at the international restaurant located on the roof, they fired a rocket into the napalm supply depot near the RVNAF apron.

When the smoke cleared the next morning, the Khmer Air Force had been virtually annihilated. A total of 69 aircraft stationed at Pochentong at the time were either completely destroyed or severely damaged on the ground, including many T-28D Trojans, nearly all the Shenyang, MiG, T-37B and Fouga Magister jets, all the L-19A Bird Dogs and An-2 transports, the UH-1 helicopter gunships, three VNAF O-1 Bird Dogs and even a VIP transport recently presented to President Lon Nol by the South Vietnamese government. Apart from the aircraft losses, 39 AVNK officers and enlisted men had lost their lives and another 170 were injured. The only airframes that escaped destruction were six T-28D Trojans temporarily deployed to Battambang, ten GY-80 Horizon light trainers (also stationed at Battambang), eight Alouette II and Alouette III helicopters, two Sikorsky H-34 helicopters, one T-37B jet trainer, and a single Fouga Magister jet that had been grounded for repairs. Pochentong airbase was closed for almost a week while the damage was assessed, wreckage removed, the runway repaired, and the stocks of fuel and ammunitions replenished.^{[20][21][22][23]}

Similar raids occurred the following year against U-Tapao Airfield which housed Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers, with three bombers being damaged and a Thai sentry killed.^[24]

Training of foreign commando units in Southeast Asia and Latin America

The effectiveness of the Dac Cong during the Vietnam War saw them instruct various other countries and Marxist rebel groups. From the 1970s to 1990s, they covertly provided training at the PAVN Special Forces School in Vietnam, by Vietnamese advisors assigned to the Cuban Army’s Sapper School in Cuba, and, during the 1980s, by a secret Vietnamese sapper training team stationed in Nicaragua.  In addition to training Cambodian, Laotian, Soviet, and Cuban military personnel, their publications revealed that among the foreign revolutionary forces that received training in sapper tactics, bomb-making, and the use of weapons and explosives, were members of the Marxist El Salvadoran FMLN (Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front), the Chilean MIR (Movement of the Revolutionary Left) fighting against the dictatorial regime of Augusto Pinochet, as well as the Colombian FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) movement, a Marxist guerilla group that was also heavily involved in narcotics trafficking.^[25]

2023 Đắk Lắk attacks[edit]

Through investigation, the police determined that this group of people had intended to break into the 198th Special Forces Brigade camp in Hoa Dong commune, Krong Pac district, with the goal of stealing weapons but failed. The subjects broke into the barracks but discovered someone had opened the door and turned on the lights, so they were afraid of being exposed and retreated.

Organization[edit]

The current special forces units under Special Forces Command included:

• 113th Commando Brigade (3 times being awarded the Hero of the People's Armed Forces in 1975, 1979, 2000) stationed in Vinh Phuc
  • 27th Commando Battalion
  • 9th Commando Battalion (Reserve)
  • 45th Commando Battalion (Recruits training)
  • 12th Counter-Terrorist Company
  • 53rd Reconnaissance Company
  • 54th Signals Company
  • 55th Fires Platoon
  • 57th Medical Company
  • Transportation Company
  • Guard Platoon
  • Quick-Reaction Company (only in combat situations)
• 198th Commando Brigade (established in 1974) stationed in Dak Lak
  • 20th Commando Battalion (Recruits training)
  • 37th Commando Battalion
  • 35th Commando Battalion
  • 33th Commando Battalion (independent battalion stationed in Quang Tri)
  • 10th Counter-Terrorist Company
  • 11th Reconnaissance Company
  • 14th Signals Company
  • Fires Platoon
  • Medical Company
  • Transportation Company
  • Guard Platoon
  • Quick-Reaction Company (only in combat situations)
• 429th Commando Brigade stationed in Binh Duong
  • 7th Commando Battalion (Recruits training)
  • 8th Commando Battalion
  • 9th Commando Battalion
  • 10th Counter-Terrorist Company
  • 20th Signals Company
  • 21st Reconnaissance Company
  • 23rd Fires Platoon
  • Medical Company
  • Transportation Company
  • Guard Platoon
  • Quick-Reaction Company (only in combat situations)
• The current maritime special forces unit include the 5th Maritime Commando Brigade stationed in Ninh Thuan
  • 1st Marinetime Commando Battalion
  • 2nd Marinetime Commando Battalion
  • 3rd Frogmen Battalion
  • 7th Marinetime Commando Battalion (Recruits training)
  • 12th Counter-Terrorist Company
  • 14th Signals Company
  • 15th Reconnaissance Company
  • 16th Fires Platoon
  • 18th Medical Company
  • Transportation Company
  • Guard Platoon
  • Boats Company
  • Quick-Reaction Company (only in combat situations)
• The special task force currently have the 1st Special Operations Brigade (M1 Brigade) stationed in Hanoi. Under the brigade direct command were company-level units:
  • 10th Special Operations Company
  • 54th Special Operations Company (Reserve)
  • 7th Counter-Terrorist Company
  • 74th Counter-Terrorist Company (Reserve)
  • 18th Signals Company
  • Medical Company
  • Transportation Platoon
  • Guard Platoon
  • Quick-Reaction Company (only in combat situations)
• Aside from the Special Forces Command, Each Military Region and Corps have their own Commando Battalion under their staff command. Vietnam People's Navy have 126th Naval Special Operations Brigade stationed in Hai Phong
  • 1st Naval Special Operations Battalion
  • 2nd Frogmen Battalion
  • 3rd Naval Special Operations Battalion
  • 4th Naval Special Operations Battalion (Recruits training)
  • th Counter-Terrorist Company
  • Reconnaissance Company
  • Signals Company
  • Fires Platoon
  • Medical Company
  • Transportation Company
  • Guard Platoon
  • Boats Company
  • Quick-Reaction Company (only in combat situations)

Equipments[edit]

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Notes
Accessories
ITL MARS		Red dot sight	Israel	Mounted on Micro Uzi, STV-216, IWI Galil ACE and IWI Tavor.
Meprolight M21		Red dot sight	Israel	Mounted on Micro Uzi, STV-216, IWI Galil ACE, and IWI Tavor
NL91		Night vision sight	Israel	Use head strap.[26]
NL92		Night vision sight	Israel	Use head strap.
MCĐ-17		Combat helmet	Vietnam	Manufactured locally. It has been introduced in International Army Games's exhibition.[27][failed verification]
Type A2 Helmet		Combat helmet	Vietnam	The PAVN's standard issue bump shell is an ABS plastic replica of the PASGT helmets. It is used for training exercises and combat drill.
Field cap		Field cap	Vietnam	Standard issue soft cover, consisting of a four-point front panel and an elastic backstrap. The cap's camouflage print is worn matching with field fatigues during patrols.
SSh-68		Combat helmet	Soviet Union	Limited use.
SSh-40		Combat helmet	Soviet Union	Limited use.
PASGT Helmet		Combat helmet	United States Israel South Korea Vietnam	Import from Israel and South Korea for Special Forces, Border Guards, and Navy Special Forces. They are gradually replacing older helmets in all branches of the Army. Most helmets are a Vietnamese-made version of the PASGT Helmet.[28][29]
M1 helmet		Combat helmet	United States	Limited use.
MICH TC-2000		Combat helmet	United States Israel	Import from Israel. Use by Naval Infantry and Naval Commando.[30]
FAST Helmet		Combat helmet	United States Israel	Import from Israel. Use by Special Forces of the General Department of Military Intelligence (2nd General Department)[31]
Body equipment
AG K53T Body Armour		Body armor	Vietnam	Manufactured locally.It has been introduced in International Army Games's exhibition.[27]
7,62 K56 Body Armour		Body armor	Vietnam	Manufactured locally.It has been introduced in International Army Games's exhibition.[27]
AG K51T Body Armour		Body armor	Vietnam	Manufactured locally.It has been introduced in International Army Games's exhibition.[27]
Body Armour		Body armor	Vietnam	Limited use. Manufactured locally. NIJ level III[32]
Body Armour		Body armor	Vietnam	Modern battle uniform for standard Vietnamese infantry. It will be standard issue in the future. Manufactured locally at the Z176 factory.[1] Archived May 18, 2021, at the Wayback Machine[2]
Marom Dolphin ASA-99		Body armor	Israel
Marom Dolphin Fusion System		Body armor	Israel	[33]
DK armor		Body armor	South Korea
Flak jacket		Body armor	United States	Limited use by Anti riots units.
Tatical Vest		Tatical vest	Vietnam	Manufactured locally.[34]
Combat Leather Pads		Knee pads Elbow pads	Vietnam	Standard Issued along with the new K20 Military Uniform.[35]
Camouflage patterns
K19 Pattern, K20 Field Uniform[36]		Camouflage pattern	Vietnam	Standard issue as of 2021, the PAVN's K20 Camouflage pattern was developed based on existing ERDL and K07 patterns, with more subdued coloration.[35]
K11 Modified Duck Hunter Pattern		Camouflage pattern	Vietnam	Used by Special Forces. Currently replaced by K20 uniform. Naval variant still in use with submarine forces.
Thermal imaging anti-reconnaissance clothing		Camouflage pattern	Vietnam	It has been introduced in International Army Games's exhibition.[27]
Ghillie suit		Ghillie suit	Vietnam	Manufactured locally.It has been introduced in International Army Games's exhibition.[27]

Weapons[edit]

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Notes
Small arms
IWI Jericho 941		Semi-automatic pistol	Israel	Use alongside CornerShot
K14-VN		Semi-automatic pistol	Vietnam
TT-33		Semi-automatic pistol	Soviet Union China Vietnam	Soviet TT-33, Chinese Type 54 and Vietnam K54 are all destinated K54
PM		Semi-automatic pistol	Soviet Union China  Czech	Soviet PM, Chinese Type 59, Czech CZ-82 and Vietnam K59 are all destinated K59
Glock		Semi-automatic pistol	Austria	Glock 19 and 34 variant are used
CZ P-017		Semi-automatic pistol	Czech
CornerShot		Weapon accessory	Israel
Sub machine gun
Uzi		Submachine gun	Israel	Use 2 versions Micro Uzi and Mini Uzi
FB PM-63		Submachine gun	Poland
Assault rifle
AKS-47		Assault rifle	Soviet Union China Vietnam East Germany Bulgaria	Variants of the AK-47
AKMS		Assault rifle	Soviet UnionChina Vietnam  Rumania	Variants of AKM
IWI Tavor		Bullpup	Israel
STV		Assault rifle	Vietnam	Vietnam assault rifle base on Galil ACE
IWI ACE		Assault rifle/Battle rifle	Israel
M-18		Carbine	United States Vietnam	A version of the assault rifles improved by Vietnam from the CAR-15 XM177 series of spoils obtained after the Vietnam War.
APS underwater rifle		Underwater assault rifle	Soviet Union
Shotgun
Armsel Striker		Combat shotgun	South Africa
Machine Gun
IWI Negev		Squad automatic weapon	Israel
FN Minimi		Squad automatic weapon	Belgium
PKM		General-purpose machine gun	Soviet Union Vietnam
RPK		Squad automatic weapon	Soviet Union China Vietnam
Sniper rifle
IWI Galatz		Semi-automatic sniper rifle	Israel	A derivative of the Galil ARM that is used in conjunction with high-quality 7.62×51mm NATO ammunition.
Orsis T-5000		Bolt action	Russia
WKW Wilk		Anti-materiel rifle	Poland
VSK-94		Designated marksman rifle	Russia
Dragunov SVD		Designated marksman rifle	Soviet Union
Grenade launcher
OPL40M/T-40		Grenade launcher	United States Vietnam	Manufactured locally by Z111[37]
Milkor MGL		Grenade launcher	South Africa Vietnam
RPG-7		Rocket-propelled grenade launcher	Soviet Union China Vietnam	Included RPG-7, RPD-7V, RPG-7D variants. Designated as B41, B41M in Vietnam.[38]
PF-69		Rocket-propelled grenade launcher	China	Designated as B69 in Vietnam, often confused with B41.
Mortars
50mm STA-50		Light mortars	Vietnam	Manufactured locally at the Z117 Factory.[39]
60mm Type 63		Light motars	China Vietnam
82mm BM-37		Infantry motars	Soviet Union Vietnam

Vehicles[edit]

Vehicle	Image	Type	Origin	Notes
UAZ-469		Light Utility Vehicle	Soviet Union
UAZ-452		Van	Soviet Union
Ford F350		Mobile Adjustable Ramp System	United States	Mobile Adjustable Ramp System[40]
Isuzu Forward		Medium transport truck	Japan
Isuzu NPR		Medium transport truck	Japan
Kamaz		Medium transport truck	Russia Vietnam	Mainly use 2 variant 4x4 Kamaz-43266 and 4x2 Kamaz-43253
RAM Mk.3		Armoured personnel carrier/Mobile Adjustable Ramp System	Israel

Aircraft[edit]

Aircraft	Image	Type	Origin	Notes
Mil Mi-8		Helicopter	Soviet Union	Mi-8 and Mi-17 variants. Co-operated with Vietnam People's Air Force for airborne operations.

Notes[edit]