Special Forces Regiment (Philippine Army)


The Special Forces Regiment is a special forces unit of the Philippine Army. The unit is based on and continually trains with its American counterpart, the U.S. Army Special Forces.

Description

The regiment was established in the 1960s by then Captain Fidel V. Ramos PA , primarily trained in both unconventional warfare operations and psychological warfare operations. The regiment has close ties and trains with the US Army Special Forces.
Like the Scout Rangers, members of the Special Forces Regiment of the Philippine Army are also highly trained in counter-insurgency operations. Upon assignment to the Special Forces, soldiers are made to undergo the Basic Airborne Course. They, later-on, undergo the Special Forces Operations Course - an eight-month course that equips each SF soldier in the basics of Special Forces and unconventional warfare operations. Each member of the SF Regiment may opt to undergo specialty courses as well after finishing the Special Forces basic course. These include, but is not limited to, training in demolitions and bomb disposal, psychological warfare operations, riverine operations including combat diving, intelligence operations, weapons, medics, as well as VIP security training in preparation for reassignment with the Presidential Security Group.
The basic combat organization of the Special Forces is the 12-man Special Forces Team. An SF Team will have at least one of each SF MOS present in the team.

History

A British businessman, Allan Hyrons, 70, and his wife, Wilma, were rescued by elite troops of the 2nd Special Forces Battalion with support from the 11th Infantry “Alakdan” Division who found them abandoned at the forested areas of Mt. Piahan, the boundary of Barangays Silangkan and Kaha in Parang, Sulu in the morning of 25 November 2019.

Units

The following are subordinate battalions of the Special Forces Regiment :

Headquarters