Special Forces Group

Land component of the Belgian army , the SFG is the light special unit par excellence. Located in the Flemish region, in the garrison of Heverlee, this regiment was officially created in 2000.

Whether your goal is to join this elite unit, or just to learn more about the Belgian SFG , then our article is for you.

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The missions of the Special Force Group

SFG's know-how covers a broad spectrum of actions, including:

• reconnaissance and surveillance;
• the arrest of war criminals or the release of hostages;
• military assistance and training of foreign troops;
• the training of security officers employed in Belgian embassies.

To carry out the wide range of these missions, the soldiers of the SFG are divided into 12 teams of 6 operational.

SFG Weapons and Equipment

To carry out all of their missions, the Special Forces Group has a wide range of vehicles, armaments and tactical equipment.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of the equipment they have at their disposal:

Weapons & equipment

• Five-seveN, pistol caliber 5.7 x 28 mm type SS190
• FN P90, submachine gun caliber 5.7 x 28 mm type SS190
• FN SCAR H in 7.62 x 51 mm NATO and L in 5.56 x 45 mm NATO
• FN Minimi, light machine gun caliber 5.56 x 45 mm NATO
• FN FNC, assault rifle caliber 5.56 x 45 mm NATO
• FN MAG, machine gun caliber 7.62 x 51 mm NATO
• Bonnie or Litton twins
• Browning M2, heavy machine gun caliber 12.7 x 99 mm NATO
• FFM "Riot Gun", 12 gauge shotgun
• Barrett M82, Anti-Material Rifle, Caliber 12.7 x 99mm NATO
• MP9, submachine gun, caliber, 9 x 19 mm NATO

GFS Vehicles

• Leopard-1A5(BE), tank
• AIFV-B: being replaced by the Mowag Piranha
• M-113A1-B: being replaced by the Piranha III and the ATF Goofy
• pandur
• Mowag Piranha III: 242+4 RNBC
• ATF Dingo: MPPV 220
• Iveco VLMV Lince: 440
• Volkswagen Iltis: VLMV from Iveco)
• Mercedes-Benz Unimog
• Fox rapid reaction vehicle

SFG Recruitment

The selection of the SFG is divided into 3 parts: the pre-internship, internship, and additional training; for a total of more or less 19 months of recruitment. As for the regiment of the 1st RPIMA - any soldier can join the SFG.

After the main SF course , the recruit can choose between 3 specialties.

• free fall from high altitude Haho/Halo,
• Aquatic Specialty,
• Specializing in mountainous terrain.

Within these groups, each operator can specialize:

• Communications,
• Explosions and armament,
• Medic,
• Sniper and Long Range (TELD).

For candidates from the civilian sector, they must first follow the Para-commando training then Special Forces (SF) operator training. This training consists of twenty weeks, during which the candidates test their physical and psychological endurance.

Many specialized skills are to be mastered - it is for this reason that the training/selection is long (19 months) : survival techniques, map reading, operational tactics, radio transmissions, recognition of materials, hand-to-hand combat ...

For candidates already members of the Belgian army, a minimum of 3 years of service is required before applying.

"Far Ahead"

Despite a still limited number of operational personnel, the SFG is a unit whose expertise and techniques are refined a little more each year.

Operating methods, equipment with more or less advanced technologies, innovations in terms of armaments, the Belgian army is constantly innovating. Despite everything, the Special Forces Group can above all count on the resistance and determination of its hand-picked members to carry out the missions entrusted to it.