Spanish Special Operations Force PSI exercise

[He219]

I compiled the images that have been trickling in over the last two weeks.

Here they are:

http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/webphoto/web_040111-N-4614W-003.jpg
Hi-Res (http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/photos/040111-N-4614W-003.jpg)

Arabian Gulf (Jan. 11, 2004) -- Officer in Charge Capt. Jose de la Pisa, left, and Executive Officer Lt. Carlos Cortes, center, from Spain’s 19th Special Forces unit, greet Lt. Col. Li Lit Siew, Commanding Officer of the Republic of Singapore tank landing ship RSS Endurance (L 207), prior to the beginning of the 15-nation coalition exercise Sea Saber 2004. Pisa and his team will conduct boarding team training of ships with emphasis on locating weapons of mass destruction. Endurance will participate as both a compliant and non-compliant vessel during the exercise. Sea Saber will provide a multi-tiered training scenario in locating weapons of mass destruction aboard suspect ships operating in waters currently patrolled by coalition forces in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 1st Class Jeremy L. Wood. (RELEASED)


http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/webphoto/web_040112-N-4614W-009.jpg
Hi-Res (http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/photos/040112-N-4614W-009.jpg)

Arabian Gulf (Jan. 12, 2004) -- Members of the Spanish 19th Special Forces team approach the Spanish Navy Santa Maria-class frigate Victoria (F 82), in a Landing Craft Utility (LCU). Spanish Navy units are part of a 15-nation US-led coalition force participating in the multi-nation exercise Sea Saber 2004. Sea Saber will provide a multi-tiered training scenario in locating weapons of mass destruction aboard suspect ships operating in waters currently patrolled by coalition forces in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 1st Class Jeremy L. Wood. (RELEASED)

http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/webphoto/web_040112-N-4614W-012.jpg
Hi-Res (http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/photos/040112-N-4614W-012.jpg)

Arabian Gulf (Jan. 12, 2004) -- The view from the rear of a Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) Landing Craft Utility (LCU) embarked aboard RSS Endurance (L 207) as it departs the Spanish Navy Santa Maria-class frigate Victoria (F 82). The tank landing ship Endurance was transferring members of the Spanish19th Special Forces Unit. Spanish and Singapore Navy units are participating in the multi-nation Exercise Sea Saber 2004. Sea Saber will provide a multi-tiered training scenario in locating weapons of mass destruction aboard suspect ships operating in waters currently patrolled by coalition forces in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 1st Class Jeremy L. Wood. (RELEASED)




http://a1112.g.akamai.net/7/1112/492/03312000/news.lycos.com/news/ot_getImage.asp?op=img&id=520514

Spanish Commandos storm a US supply ship, the USNS Saturn, during a military exercise in the Arabian Sea, Saturday Jan. 17, 2004. The exercise is part of the Sea Saber Exercise, a global initiative announced by US President George Bush in May 2003, to help stop the flow of weapons of mass destruction. Sixteen nations participated in the Sea Saber maritime exercise, some operational and some as observers. (AP Photo/Ali Fraidoon)

http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/webphoto/web_040117-N-0401E-006.jpg
Hi-Res (http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/photos/040117-N-0401E-006.jpg)

Arabian Sea (Jan. 17, 2003) – Spanish special operations forces soldiers conduct a visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operation aboard the Military Sealift Command (MSC) combat stores ship USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) during Exercise Sea Saber 2004. Sponsored by Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/ Commander, 5th Fleet, Sea Saber was the fifth in a series of multi-national exercises based on the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) announced by President George Bush in May of 2003 in Krakow, Poland. Sea Saber was the first PSI exercise led by the United States, and the first to be conducted in the Arabian Sea, a key region of proliferation concern. It involved the largest number of nations to participate in any PSI exercise to date. The exercise focused on one contingency, the interdiction of a maritime shipment on the high seas. Participants practiced intercepting, boarding and searching vessels thought to be illegally trafficking weapons of mass destruction or related materials. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 2nd Class Wes Eplen. (RELEASED)

http://a1112.g.akamai.net/7/1112/492/03312000/news.lycos.com/news/ot_getImage.asp?op=img&id=520516

In a military exercise Spanish Commandos arrest crewmen aboard a US supply ship, the USNS Saturn, in the Arabian Sea, Saturday Jan. 17, 2004, as part of the Sea Saber Exercise, a global initiative announced by US President George Bush in May 2003 to help stop the flow of weapon of mass destruction. Sixteen nations participated in the Sea Saber maritime exercise, some operational and some as observers. (AP Photo/Ali Fraidoon)

http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/webphoto/web_040117-N-0331L-015.jpg
Hi-Res (http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/photos/040117-N-0331L-015.jpg)

Arabian Sea (Jan. 17, 2004) -- Spanish Special Operations Forces (SOF) soldiers search a role player aboard the Military Sealift Command (MSC) combat stores ship USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10), during a mock non-compliant boarding as part of the 15-Nation coalition exercise Sea Saber 2004. The 5th Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) exercise of its kind, focused on the interdiction of a maritime shipment of weapons of mass destruction related equipment and materials on the high seas. Saturn and Spanish SOF are currently forward deployed to the Arabian Sea in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Jeffrey Lehrberg. (RELEASED)

http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/webphoto/web_040117-N-0331L-013.jpg
Hi-Res (http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/photos/040117-N-0331L-013.jpg)

Arabian Sea (Jan. 17, 2004) -- Spanish Special Operations Forces (SOF) soldiers stand guard over role players aboard the Military Sealift Command (MSC) combat stores ship USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) during a mock non-compliant boarding as part of exercise Sea Saber 2004. The 5th Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) exercise of its kind, Sea Saber focuses on the interdiction of a maritime shipment of weapons of mass destruction and related equipment and materials on the high seas. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Jeffrey Lehrberg. (RELEASED)

http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/webphoto/web_040117-N-0331L-017.jpg
Hi-Res (http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/photos/040117-N-0331L-017.jpg)

Arabian Sea (Jan. 17, 2004) -- A Spanish Special Operations Forces (SOF) soldier searches a role player aboard the Military Sealift Command (MSC) combat stores ship USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10), during a mock non-compliant boarding as part of the 15 Nation coalition exercise Sea Saber 2004. The 5th Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) exercise of its kind, focused on the interdiction of a maritime shipment of weapons of mass destruction related equipment and materials on the high seas. Saturn and Spanish SOF are currently forward deployed to the Arabian Sea in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Jeffrey Lehrberg. (RELEASED)

http://www.usmc.mil/13thmeu/images/PSIL.jpg

USNS SATURN -- A Spanish Marine restrains a "smuggler" during the Proliferation Security Initiative exercise held in the North Arabian Sea Jan. 16-17. The Spanish Special Operations Force hosted the event, a coalition effort in which 13th MEU(SOC) Maritime Special Purpose Force Marines from USS PELELIU joined the Spanish SOF in interdicting the USNS SATURN, a Navy resupply ship playing the role of a vessel suspected of carrying WMD. Nuclear, Biological and Chemical specialists were also called to the SATURN to investigate suspected radioactive materials that could be used to produce weapons. Twelve of the 16 nations involved in PSI participated in this exercise, which is the fifth of six planned.

http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/webphoto/web_040117-N-0331L-021.jpg
Hi-Res (http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/photos/040117-N-0331L-021.jpg)

Arabian Sea (Jan. 17, 2004) -- Spanish Special Operations Forces (SOF) soldiers partner with a U.S. Marine assigned to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (13th MEU) after searching the Military Sealift Command (MSC) combat stores ship USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) during a mock non-compliant boarding as part of exercise Sea Saber 2004. The 5th Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) exercise of its kind, Sea Saber focuses on the interdiction of a maritime shipment of weapons of mass destruction and related equipment and materials on the high seas. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Jeffrey Lehrberg. (RELEASED)


Edit: Added second 'storming' photo

[MARINO]

Hey good work, this guys are from UOE Unidad de Operaciones Especiales formm TEAR Tercio de Armada, Spanish Marines the oldest Marine corps in the world, I hope that PSI will arrest more ships with WOMD as Spanish navy did woth So-San

[Loco]

Thanks for your job! It´s curious that in spanish media is hard getting "face-photo" of Sforces, even I´ve read about the first picture you posted a complain in a spanish forum, someone said they are "loosing the good habits of being afraid of photographs and they aren´t actors" or something like this, but I think their safe isn´t in danger and is good that people can see what they do daily for earning their salary. Different public relations policy between USA army and the Spain Army, in that case, I prefer USA policy.

[lefador1]

Thanks for your job! It´s curious that in spanish media is hard getting "face-photo" of Sforces, even I´ve read about the first picture you posted a complain in a spanish forum, someone said they are "loosing the good habits of being afraid of photographs and they aren´t actors" or something like this, but I think their safe isn´t in danger and is good that people can see what they do daily for earning their salary. Different public relations policy between USA army and the Spain Army, in that case, I prefer USA policy.

The problem is that those people come from Spain, and they still have a bit of a "security" problem over there. Meaning that some people may be indentified by ETA and Co. and they can get in serious trouble. It is very hard for a Northerner for example to joy esp ops and if they are identified they could become a target.

[eastar]

the helmet style is unique among all other countries...?

[Loco]

the helmet style is unique among all other countries...?
Hi Easter, I saw before you´re interested in helmets. Spanish helmets I think they haven´t a very different look of other helmets since kevlar and other synthetics material have replaced metal made helmets. USA probably was the first country who switched towards new materials, and in Europe, I think it must be Spain the first country adopted synthetic helmets once officials saw the good results of USA models, and since the moment spanish military about 15 years ago began being involved in UN or NATO missions and having in that time still some old stuff like the metal helmets models we used here then needed badly being replaced.
Spanish helmets are made by INDUYCO, a spanish textil industry owned by a shopping center company at the Harrod´s style, called El Corte Inglés, and it makes helmets for Germany and Austria armies and some other countries that I don´t know, nor I don´t know if those exported helmets have the same shape than spanish ones. I think some germans of this forum could explain it better than me.
http://www.cascoscoleccion.com/espana/espanb/alekev1e.jpg
http://www.mde.es/mde/armas/armada/0012.htm
http://www.induyco.es/
And if you are interested in helmets collection, you´ve this site:
http://www.cascoscoleccion.com/portada.htm

[Loco]

The problem is that those people come from Spain, and they still have a bit of a "security" problem over there. Meaning that some people may be indentified by ETA and Co. and they can get in serious trouble. It is very hard for a Northerner for example to joy esp ops and if they are identified they could become a target.
I understand there are concerns about SForce men showing their faces in some places, being me one of those "northerners", but hey! this are Infanteria de Marina boys, nor more nor less, in Spain we don´t need exagerating problems we have, and this aren´t the guys who fight terrorists at home, our "problem" isn´t so big, but abroad. I simply think MoD, or spanish Press Agencies, really I don´t know who is the guilty, could be more lean to taking pictures of our soldiers abroad, it would be a good policy for spanish defense and for appealing young boys to this new job, that´s what I mean.
After all, we see photos taken by american journalists of the USA army published in a magazine of the American army, next to hundreds of American soldiers´s photos doing the same thing that his Spanish fellows. I´m just bored of always seeing the same photos of the assault of a Korean ship one year ago, or photos of trainings of our special forces taken at least 5 ó 10 years ago, judging by the equipment they use, and they are always the same photos published in the same places. I want to see my soldiers as I see those of another countries!

[He219]

http://www.news.navy.mil/management/videodb/thumbnail/nmcn_040131_02-0.jpg

Alas, a US NAVY Video (http://www.news.navy.mil/management/videodb/player/video.aspx?id=1933):
woot

[He219]

Some more just released:

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200441272615/$file/onshiplow.jpg
Hi-Res (http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/ae82f18a8e1b160b852568ba007e7e5e/86092afb0b68e60985256e74003ed42f/$FILE/onship.jpg)

Spanish Special Operations Forces soldiers and Marines from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit search USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) during a mock non-compliant boarding as part of exercise Sea Saber 2004.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200441272755/$file/onship1low.jpg
Hi-Res (http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/ae82f18a8e1b160b852568ba007e7e5e/67ea1e4e1ece15b485256e74003efb6f/$FILE/onship1.jpg)

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200441271959/$file/aimlow.jpg
Hi-Res (http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/ae82f18a8e1b160b852568ba007e7e5e/e32ba0ad2896e61585256e74003e4148/$FILE/aim.jpg)

Spanish Special Operations Force soldiers and Marines from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit storm and seize control of USNS SATURN (T-AFS 10) during exercise Sea Saber 2004, Jan. 17.

[Bulkowski]

http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/webphoto/web_040117-N-0331L-021.jpgVery nice pic

[scoone]

Great Video! woot

"They Don't Have EOD Teams Organic To Them, Which Is Something Our MSPF Operators Do"

EOD means Explosive Ordenance Disposal,right?

But I don't know the meaning of MSPF

[seventy6er]

I think some germans of this forum could explain it better than me.
http://www.cascoscoleccion.com/espana/espanb/alekev1e.jpg


Ok, the number is a NATO-article-code (in German: Versorgungsnummer), the "12" standing for the country of origin. In this case, this helmet was manufactured in Germany (12).

München = Munich

I could imagine hat 94/09 means that this helmet was produced in september 1994.

Größe = size 58 - 60cm

[Loco]

Thanks for your explanation, Seventy6er.