Fernspähkompanie

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol Company 200
"Fernspählehrkompanie 200"


caption= Badge of Fernspählehrkompanie 200
dates= 1962-Present
country= Germany
allegiance=
branch= German Army
type= Special operations
role= Special Surveillance and Reconnaissance (SR)
Asymmetric Warfare
Forward Air Control
size= About 210
current_commander=Major Franco Meyer
garrison= Pfullendorf
motto= The Eye of the Army
"Oculus Exercitus"
battles=Aftermath of the Balkan Wars 1995-1999 (Incl. operations to search and arrest war criminals)
Kosovo War
Operation Enduring Freedom Fernspäher are members of Germany's elite reconnaissance units.

Nomenclature

The term "Fernspähkompanie" is used for a Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol unit of company size of the German Army.

Details

Until the foundation of the Special Forces Command or "Kommando Spezialkräfte" in 1996/1997, the German Army disposed of three Fernspäher companies, one assigned to each of the three Corps of the army. Subsequently to the creation of a new special forces unit, 100st and 300th companies were disbanded and the major part of their personnel was attached to a Long Range Reconaissance Company.The remaining 200th company was converted into a training company ("Fernspählehrkompanie" 200, often abbreviated as FSLK 200) based at the Special Operations Training Center (former International LRRP School) in Pfullendorf (with some of the training taking place in Munster). The company still has an active role though and gained importance again after the terrorism attacks on September 11, 2001 and the following operations against international terrorism.

tructure of the current "Fernspähkompanie"

The FSLK 200 consists of four LRRP-platoons, an additional special applications LRRP-platoon, a maintenance squad, a support squad, two specialized medical squads and a specialized military intelligence platoon.The overall-strength is likely to match a number of over 200 soldiers. The FSLK 200 is directly subordinate to Division Special Operations or "Division Spezielle Operationen" of the German Army and also a part of the recently created Army Reconaissance Troops Branch or "Heeresaufklärungstruppe" (See German Army).

Missions

Like all other units of the Bundeswehr as well the FSLK200 needs an approval of the German Bundestag to deploy troops to overseas. This permission can however be requested subsequently if the situation requires immediate action. Details about operations of the FSLK 200 are kept secret. Nonetheless, it is known that Fernspäher soldiers have carried out missions during operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, during Kosovo War and later during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Additionally, Fernspäher soldiers deployed to Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2006 as a part of the European Union mission EUFOR RD Congo.

Weaponry

The arsenal of the "Fernspäher" is mainly based on stock issued weapons of the Bundeswehr, but with special additions not available to regular troops. The main weapon system is the Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifle, followed by the HK MP5 SMG in several variants. The mainly used heavy weapons are the Bundeswehr's GPMG Rheinmetall MG3, the HK G8 Machine gun, and sniper rifles G22/G24 produced by Accuracy International. The basic sidearm is the HK P12-pistol, a .45 ACP Heckler & Koch USP Tactical variant.

Trivia

The motto of the Fernspählehrkompanie 200 is "Oculus exercitus" (lat."The eye of the Army"), the motto of Fernspäher soldiers within the KSK is "Als erste rein, als letzte raus" ( _de. First in - last out).