Grootfontein
A fourth regiment of the Namibia Defence Force (NDF) graduated at the Namibia Special Forces School on Friday, after undergoing an advanced training course at the military bastion town of Grootfontein.
Namibian special forces include paratroopers and commandos from the army, navy and air force who are assigned to special operations command. Around 70 trainees are selected out of a squad of 200 to 300 volunteers after a rigorous training programme. Training took 18 months.
During the ceremony the Minister of Defence, Penda ya Ndakolo, praised the service members for their participation but reminded them to remember the importance of freedom.
“I am very proud of what I saw. As we in the ministry and in the Namibian Defence Force constantly advocate for mobility and agility of the defence force, we should recognise that the role of our special forces will be crucial in nearly all operations of the NDF,” he said after witnessing some tactical ground demonstrations and a display of highly specialised weaponry.
The special forces execute airborne and ground operations to counter both external and internal threats.
Among their key strengths and competencies are multilingualism, counter-terrorism, and performing urban, desert, mountain and bush combat. They can also operate heavy artillery and light infantry weaponry.
Earlier on Friday morning the minister and members of the general public were treated to a display of the latest instruments, weaponry and equipment used in modern day military campaigns.
The minister said special forces have played an important role throughout the history of warfare whenever the aim was to achieve disruption by “hit and run” and sabotage of enemy targets, rather than more traditional conventional combat. The Namibian Special Forces serve with commandos including parachute regiments, special air services and special boat services. They operate in small teams and act independently or can be assigned alongside other military units to collect intelligence, destroy enemy aircraft and attack enemy supplies.
Ya Ndakolo said given Namibian topography, the NDF cannot afford to ignore the important operational role special forces can play. “In a vast and semi-desert country like this, the NDF’s special forces’ role needs be given the necessary prominence and be considered central in the defence force’s design and deployment,” he said.