Underwater Offence (Turkish Armed Forces)

The first S.A.T. course was conducted in 1962 in the city of Iskenderun, the first trainees graduated in 1963 and they began to serve. The original name of the S.A.T. unit was Su Altı Komando (S.A.K.) ("Underwater Commando") and was bound to the Kurtarma ve Sualtı Komutanlığı (K.S.K.), or Rescue and Underwater Command.In 1974 S.A.T. group command became bound to the Turkish Navy's General Command, and participated in the Turkish military landing in Cyprus later that year. They have conducted the beach reconnaissance mission prior to the amphibious landing of the Turkish Armed Forces at Pentamili beach near Kyrnia (20 July 1974). Other publicised operations of S.A.T. commandos are as follows[3] S.A.T commandos, which came to the public agenda for the first time after a Turkish cargo ship named Figen Akat landed on the Kardak cliffs on December 25, 1995, successfully infiltrated the Kardak Rocks among Greek OYK Commandos on January 31, 1996.[4] In 2012, they participated in Operation Ocean Shield, organized by NATO against sea rogue and rescued 7 Yemeni seafarers.[5]

Their main tasks are:[6]

• Surveillance on enemy structures, facilities, defense systems or strategically relevant buildings.
• Covert sabotage against naval units and/or enemy structures.
• Covert landing and infiltration.
• Reconnaissance on behind-the-beaches being considered for amphibious landing operations.
• Determining secure landing paths.
• Direct action during first wave of landing missions.
• Counter-terrorism missions.
• Close quarters combat.

In order to have a SAT Specialization, it is necessary to successfully complete the 50-week SAT (Marine Commando) Specialized Course. The first phase starts with 8 weeks of physical and fitness development. After these trainings, the trainee who passes the physical and physical exams at sea and land passes to the underwater phase and is taken to the frog-man training for 8 weeks.[7]After these phases are passed, the land phase begins. In the land phase, it is called hell week after training on gaining a high level of land condition, swimming long distances in the water and getting on the boat, VBSS , performing the task under pressure, getting rid of captivity, sea threats and long distance in the land, finding targets. After intensive training, the land phase is completed. With these trainings, they have the skills to sneak, sabatoge and raid the enemy's coastal and floating targets.[8][9]Then, trainings using mostly tactical floating platforms and aircraft are taken. They train about 15 hours a day.[10]

Underwater Offence Command's equipment includes:[11]

Handguns

• SIG P226
• Glock

Submachine Guns

• H&K MP5A3

Assault Rifles

• M4 carbine
• MPT-55

Machine Guns

• FN Minimi 5.56 x 45 (Mk46)
• FN Minimi 7.62 x 51 (Mk48)
• M60 machine gun
• M134

Sniper Rifles

• Barrett M82A1
• Barrett M95
• MKEK JNG-90
• Remington XM2010
• CheyTac Intervention
• McMillan TAC-50

Rockets & Explosives

• RPG7
• M72 LAW
• M79
• M203 grenade launcher

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  A rigid-hull inflatable boat operated by the SAT unit transfers members of a visit, board, search and seizure team to the Military Sealift Command maritime prepositioning and force container roll-on roll-off and tanker USNS LCPL Roy H. Wheat (T-AK 3016) during the at sea portion of exercise Phoenix Express (PE 10).
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  Turkish marines on F470 zodiac boats and Spanish landing platform dock Castilla (L-52) during Destined Glory 2005 (Loyal Midas) military exercise, October 7, 2005.
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  Djibouti (Feb. 2, 2017) - Turkish Navy SAT members demonstrate tactical movements to Mozambique Marines during exercise Cutlass Express 2017. Exercise Cutlass Express 2017, sponsored by U.S. Africa Command and conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Africa, is designed to assess and improve combined maritime law enforcement capacity and promote national and regional security in East Africa.
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  ABIJAN, Cote d'Ivoire An Ivorian Sailor gives directions to Turkish Navy SAT assigned to the Maritime Security Centre of Excellence Mobile Training Team at the initial training meeting at the Ivorian Naval Base March 20, 2017.

• Promotional/Training video of unit