Special Forces Command
Crest
It is a combination of a shark which implies the ability of forceful underwater operations, a British Admiralty anchor symbol of the Hellenic Navy and parachutist wings which also implies the ability to contact operations from the air in Aegean and Navy blue background. On top there is the acronym Δ.Υ.Κ. (Underwater Demolitions Command)
History
As soon as the Greece entered NATO, Hellenic Navy send a group of officers and petty officers to the United States, in order to get the needed training in underwater demolitions so that they become capable of contacting the pre landing amphibious operations. Upon their return to Greece Basic Underwater Demolitions School was established in 1957 at Kanellopoulos Naval Education and Training Center, with mission the training of sailors in underwater demolitions making them capable to support Hellenic Fleet’s Landing Crafts. In 1958 was reorganized and renamed to Underwater Demolition Teams Command, moving its base at Skaramangas Naval Fort, where still is, whilst the next year (1959) named Underwater Demolitions Unit (ΜΥΚ), named kept until 2002 when upgraded in one of Hellenic Fleet’s operational Commands. HELNAVSFCOM due to the unique nature of its mission, was from the first Navy commands who was manned exclusively by professionals, who are staffing the operational teams and boats.
Mission
HELNAVSFCOM mission is to organize, train, maintain, provides security and keep its operational teams and supporting means ready, in order to ensure the ability of undertaking tasks in peace and war, which derive from Hellenic Fleet’s mission and according to current Operational Planning.
Principal Tasks
The principal tasks HLNAVSFCOM is called to undertake are:
- Special Reconnaissance (SR)
- Direct Action (DA)
- Military Assistance (MA)
- Additional Activities of HELNAVSFCOM
- Counter Mine Operations – Very Shallow Water Minehunting (VSW).
- Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Ops in maritime enviroment.
- Submarine Search and Rescue (Submarine Parachute Assistance Group – SPAG).
Organization
HELNAVSFCOM is a typical Hellenic Fleet’s Command, thus:
a. Commanding Officer
b. Chief of Staff
c. Personell Directory
d. Operations Directory
e. Operations Support Directory
f. Technical Support Directory
g. Financial and Logistics Directory
h. Indipentant Offices:
(1) CO’s Office
(2) Health, Safety and Enviroment Office
(3) Leagal Advisor’s Office
(4) Staff Secretariat
Boats and Vessels
HELNAVSFCOM maintains a flotilla of Fast Reaction Unconventional Warfare Boats and Crafts, a flotilla of Fast Transport Unconventional Warfare Boats and Crafts with the ability of deploying rapidly all over Hellenic territorial waters or outside them, as well as the supporting vessels HS HRAKLEIA and BB-39.
Subordinates Commands
HELNAVSFCOM Supporting Base
Basic Underwater Demolitions School
Our Fleet
