Text and photo: Major Michael Christiansen, SPAO DATG

The training is done from the British ship HMS ALBION in Kattegat before the patrols under cover of darkness will be inserted on the coast to do reconnaissance against targets, which can threaten the warships in Danish Task Group from the ground. The patrols can also be tasked to monitor an area at sea and report possible threats from small boats and maybe also jet-skis.

ALBION has capacity for and great experience with landing special operations patrols. An important planning factor is a full dress rehersal that optimally should reflect the real operation as closely as possible.

Therefore the landing craft operations must be trained – how to leave the boat when the last leg to the beach must be completed as combat swimming. How to report back, when all soldiers are safe ashore, so that ALBION’s crewmembers can pull out of the landing area in order not to invoke attention from the enemy you want to monitor.

During DANEX 07, ALBION has several times landed SSR-units, and every time with great succes.

See more pictures from ALBION and training with SSR.