Misplaced Pages

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (December 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Frogman Corps
Frømandskorpset
Emblem of the Frogman Corps
Active	17 June 1957 – present
Country	Denmark
Branch	Royal Danish Navy
Type	Frogman
Role	Special operations Combat diving Special reconnaissance
Size	150
Part of	Special Operations Command
Garrison/HQ	Kongsøre
Nickname(s)	FKP, Et hold af frøer
Engagements	Operation Ocean Shield
Decorations	Presidential Unit Citation (United States)
Website	Official Facebook page

The Frogman Corps (Danish: Frømandskorpset) is the maritime special operations force of the Danish Armed Forces part of Special Operations Command. On 1 July 2015, the Frogman Corps transferred from the Royal Danish Navy to the newly established Special Operations Command.

History

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

The Frogman Corps was established on 17 June 1957 based on the model of the United Kingdom's Special Boat Service, US Underwater Demolition Team, and Marinejegerkommandoen in Norway. Initially it was under the Danish Navy's Diving School at Flådestation Holmen (Naval Station Holmen, Copenhagen), but in 1972 it was made an independent unit, operationally under the submarine squadron.

Role

The Frogman Corps' primary role is reconnaissance, but it is also tasked with assaulting enemy ships, sabotage of fixed installations, advanced force and maritime anti-terrorism tasks.

It also performs special operations work on land, including anti-terrorism and anti-criminal work. The Corps supports the police with matters that demand highly specialised diving. Local authorities, etc. can also benefit from the frogmen's skills, for example when underwater installations must be inspected.

Training

The Frogman Corps trains at the Torpedo Station at Kongsøre and works through a long series of courses, e.g.:

• Combat swimmer course for three weeks
• Advanced scuba diving course
• Rescue swimmer course
• Survival course

The basic Frogman Course is nine months. Each year 500–600 applicants start the course and less than a dozen complete all nine months. Since its creation in 1957, 311 have completed the training and become frogmen as of 2015.

King Frederik X of Denmark passed selection and completed continuation training to become a badged Frogman, in the course of which he earned the nickname "Pingo," when his wetsuit filled with water and he was forced to waddle like a penguin.

In 2015, a DR-produced documentary detailing the life of Frogman cadets was released.

Operations

The Frogman Corps were involved in operations in Afghanistan, such as Task Force K-Bar, and in Iraq.

From 2008 until the end of 2014, the Frogman Corps was involved in counter-piracy operations as part of Operation Ocean Shield. On 5 February 2010, ten Frogman Corps members aboard HDMS Absalon (L16) conducted a counter-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden approaching the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged merchant vessel Ariella by rigid hull inflatable boat which had been hijacked by six armed Somali pirates. They scaled the side of the ship and freed the 25 crew, who had locked themselves in a secure room, and continued to search the vessel for the pirates who had fled.

In November 2021, a unit from the Frogman Corps was involved in counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Guinea deployed aboard the Royal Danish Navy frigate HDMS Esbern Snare (F342). On 25 November 2021 soldiers from the unit were involved in a firefight with eight suspected pirates aboard a fast-moving craft where four suspects were killed and one wounded and the surviving three were captured. The soldiers suffered no casualties.

Equipment

• SIG Sauer P320 X-Carry (replaced Glock Model 17 in service, when the military adopted the P320)
• Heckler & Koch MP5
• SIG MCX
• Gevær M/10 (Colt Canada C8 IUR rifle)
• Finskyttegevær M/04 (Sako TRG-42)
• GRK M/03 40 mm (Colt Canada M203A1)
• Dysekanon M/85 (Carl Gustav M3)
• Panserværnsvåben M/97 (AT-4 CS)

Gallery

See also

• List of military diving units (including special forces)
• List of military special forces units

References

1. ^ "Facts and Figures - The Danish Armed Forces" (PDF). Danish Defence. February 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 April 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
2. "Fotos fra frøernes Kongsøre - Frømandskorpset fejrede sig selv med action i Isefjorden". Danish Defence (in Danish). 16 June 2017. Archived from the original on 15 September 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
3. Havskov, Jens Anton (24 June 2013). "The Danish Version of the Navy SEALs". bt.dk (in Danish). Berlingske Media. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
4. "Jægerkorpset og Frømandskorpset overdrages til Specialoperationskommandoen [Jaegercorps and Frogman Corps transferred to Special operations command]". Danish Defence (Press release) (in Danish). 25 June 2015. Archived from the original on 26 May 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
5. Frømandskorpset. "About" (in Danish). Facebook. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
6. "Frømandskorpset (1:5)" (Video). DR.dk/TV (in Danish). Retrieved 9 November 2015.
7. Bremer, Sophie (21 November 2011). "Pingo Playing With Australian Special Forces". Ekstra Bladet (in Danish). JP/Politikens Hus A/S. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
8. "Alt det du ikke ved om kronprins Frederik". DR (in Danish). Retrieved 10 July 2023.
9. Rasmussen, Sofie Amalie. "DR1 giver et unikt indblik i Frømandskorpset". DR.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 3 November 2015.
10. ^ "Frømandskorpset - About". Facebook (in Danish). This is the official Facebook site of the Danish Naval Special Warfare Group (Frogman Corps). Retrieved 17 June 2017.
11. "NATO warship Absalon saves ship from pirate attack". United States European Command (Press release). Retrieved 16 June 2017.
12. ^ "Danish Forces Storm Somali Pirate Ship, Free 25 People On Board". Fox News. 5 February 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
13. "Fire dræbt efter ildkamp med Frømandskorpset". DR (in Danish). 2021-11-25. Retrieved 2021-11-27.

External links

• Danish Defence Frømandskorpset Archived 2018-08-29 at the Wayback Machine (in Danish)
• Official Facebook Frømandskorpset page (in Danish)

v t e Danish Defence
Royal Danish Army    Royal Danish Navy    Royal Danish Air Force    Danish Home Guard
Command organisations	Defence Command Defence Staff Army Command Naval Command Air Command Joint Arctic Command Home Guard Command Special Operations Command
Leadership	Chief of Defence Chief of the Defense Staff Army Chief of the Army Sergeant Major of the Army Navy Chief of the Navy Master chief petty officer Air Force Chief of the Air Force Chief Master Sergeant of the RDAF Home Guard Chief of the Home Guard Command Sergeant Major of the Home Guard
Joint Service	Acquisition and Logistics Organization Administration of Conscientious Objector The Ark Project Emergency Management Agency Estates and Infrastructure Organisation Financial Management Agency Health Services Intelligence Service Internal Auditor Judge Advocate Corps Maintenance Service Personnel Service
Higher education facilities	Royal Danish Defence College Royal Danish Military Academy Royal Danish Naval Academy Royal Danish Air Force Academy
Units	Army Danish Artillery Regiment Engineer Regiment Guard Hussar Regiment Intelligence Regiment Jutland Dragoon Regiment Royal Life Guards Schleswig Foot Regiment Signal Regiment Logistic Regiment Navy 1st Squadron 2nd Squadron Sirius Dog Sled Patrol Danish Task Group Air Force Air Squadron 515 Air Squadron 660 Air Squadron 690 Air Squadron 721 Air Squadron 722 Air Squadron 723 Air Squadron 724 Air Squadron 727 Air Squadron 730 Mobile Air Control Centre Control and Reporting Centre Karup Combat Support Wing Special Forces Jaeger Corps Frogman Corps Sirius Dog Sled Patrol SSR (Home Guard)
Ranks and insignia	Ranks and insignia of Royal Danish Army Ranks and insignia of Royal Danish Navy Ranks and insignia of Royal Danish Air Force Ranks and insignia of Home Guard Badges of the Danish Military

• Naval special forces units and formations
• Special forces of Denmark
• Armed forces diving
• Military units and formations established in 1957