Special Unit of NEDSA
یگان ویژه ندسا
Country Iran
AllegianceSupreme Leader of Iran
Branch Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
TypeSpecial forces
RoleSpecial operations
Part ofNavy
Garrison/HQGreater Farur Island[1]
EngagementsGulf of Aden anti-piracy operations
Commanders
Current
commander		 Commodore Sadegh Amoie[2]

The Special Unit of NEDSA (Persian: یگان ویژه ندسا),[2] also known as Sepah Navy Special Force (S.N.S.F.) (Persian: نیروی ویژه دریایی سپاه),[1] is a Takavar unit in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy stationed in the Greater Farur Island of Persian Gulf.[1]

Mission set

The unit has marines, frogmen and snipers specializing in heliborne, amphibious warfare and naval boarding.[2]

SNSF personnel train in combat diving, direct action, counterterrorism, special reconnaissance, underwater demolitions, amphibious assault, hostage rescue, and maritime visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) operations. Among the unit’s missions is to protect Iranian commercial vessels, and SNSF personnel have deployed to the Gulf of Aden to assist with Iranian counterpiracy operations.[3]

Operations in Gulf of Aden

In 2012, the unit performed a 117-days operation in Gulf of Aden to fight piracy off the coast of Somalia. The unit has collaborated with the American forces in the operation, for instance an American Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk did reconnaissance for the unit's boat.[2]

MSC Aries ship seizure

On April 13 2024, days after an Israeli bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Iranian naval commandos seized a civilian ship, belonging to Zodiac Maritime, under a Portuguese flag.[4][5]

Weapons

The Iranian produced Tondar SMG (Heckler & Koch MP5) 9mm is known to be used by the unit. The Spanish produced Star Model Z84 sub-machine gun is also favored by the unit. The Iranian produced AKM 7.62x39mm is also used by the unit in some situations. AK-103 is used by this force.[6]

Gallery

References

  1. ^ a b c "احداث فرودگاه و بندرگاه در جزایر فارور". Mehr News Agency. October 2014. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d "ناگفته‌های فرمانده یگان ویژه ندسا از حضور سپاه در خلیج عدن". Fars News Agency. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  3. ^ Iran Military Power (PDF). Defense Intelligence Agency. 2019. p. 77. ISBN 978-0-16-095157-2. This article incorporates public-domain text from this source.
  4. ^ "Iran's Revolutionary Guard seizes a container ship near Strait of Hormuz amid tensions with Israel". AP News. 2024-04-13. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  5. ^ Motamedi, Maziar. "Iran's IRGC seizes 'Israeli-linked' ship near Strait of Hormuz". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  6. ^ "Iran Navy showcases Russian AK-103 Assault Rifles in Military Exercise". Navy Naval News Navy Recognition. 2023-11-27. Retrieved 2024-04-13.


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