Special Warfare Diving and Salvage

Not to be confused with SWAT (Bangladesh).

Special Warfare Diving and Salvage (SWADS)
স্পেশাল ওয়ারফেয়ার ডাইভিং অ্যান্ড স্যালভেজ
The Naval Commando tab worn by SWADS members
Active2009 - Present (official creation)
Country Bangladesh
Branch Bangladesh Navy
TypeSpecial forces
Role
SizeClassified
Part ofBangladesh special operations forces
Garrison/HQBNS Nirvik, Chittagong
NicknameSWADS
MottoValour. Vigour. Victory
Engagements
Commanders
Current
commander		Commodore Md Mostafizur Rahman

The Special Warfare Diving and Salvage (SWADS) (Bengali: স্পেশাল ওয়ারফেয়ার ডাইভিং অ্যান্ড স্যালভেজ) is an elite special operational unit of the Bangladesh Navy. Members are Bangladesh Navy sailors.

As of 2014, SWADS is believed to number a few hundred strong,[1] and is based in the southern port city of Chittagong.[2] Its base is formally known as "BNS Nirvik".[3]

History

BN SWADS members with a Bangladesh Navy AW-109E Power

Although Bangladeshi Navy personnel were trained on American soil since the 1970s, United States Navy instructors were instrumental in creating SWADS in late 2008.[4] SWADS was formally created in 2009 with 150 commandos and 200 divers recruited.[3] US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan Mozena assisted in the creation of the unit.[3]

The unit's lineage is traced back to the Nou Commando frogmen of Sector 10 during the country's Liberation War against Pakistan.[5][6] SWADS operators have participated alongside American Navy SEALs in Joint Combined Training Exchange programs under the Tiger Shark exercises.[5]

Selection

Bangladesh Navy SWADS during victory day parade

SWADS operatives are volunteers from the Navy and are trained in Bangladesh and abroad. They do the Naval Commando Basic Course (similar to BUD/S of US Navy SEALs) from the SWADS Training area at Rangamati and complete their airborne qualification course from the army's School of Infantry and Tactics, Sylhet. Further specialist courses are held in various naval and army training bases in Bangladesh as well as abroad. The average drop rate of NCB is 95%, and this is only the first step of becoming a SWADS operator. SWADS operators receive training from Republic of Korea Navy UDT/SEALs, UK's SAS & SBS, US Marine Force Recon, US Navy SEALS and Turkish SAT. The instructors for this training are often special forces trainers from countries like South Korea, Turkey, and the United States.[7]

SWADS personnel at a joint military exercise with the US Navy in 2011

The SWADS is organized, trained, and equipped along the lines of SEAL/UDT teams of the United States Navy SEALs and the Republic of Korea Navy UDT/SEAL.[8][9]

Duties

US Navy and Bangladesh Navy Sailors assigned to RIVRON TWO and the SWADS Command

SWADS commandos are currently deployed in South Sudan as the Bangladesh Force Marine Unit, part of UNMISS. They were the first SF unit to respond during the Holey Artisan Bakery attack in Dhaka and later assisted the Army's 1 Para-Commando Battalion in Operation Thunderbolt, by securing the lakeside and cutting off the possible escape route of the terrorists.[10][11]

SWADS has also performed several Anti-Drug raids in the Bay of Bengal and captured some major drug shipments.[12] They have also conducted Anti-Human Trafficking operations off the coast of Teknaf.[13]

Weapons and equipment

A US Marine and a SWADS personnel engage the enemy during a noncompliant boarding exercise in 2012
See also: List of equipment of the Bangladesh Navy § Special Warfare Diving and Salvage

The range of weapons and equipment used by members of SWADS is extensive. In contrast to other Bangladeshi SOF units, a considerable share of SWADS equipment is chambered in western calibers such as 5.56 caliber, owing to the relations with US and ROK SEALs.[7]

SWADS personnel use Level-III & Level-IIIA bulletproof vests and ballistic helmets as standard issue. SWADS divers use various European diving and hydrographic research equipment.[7]

References

  1. ^ Waters, Conrad (2014). Seaforth World Naval Review 2015. Seaforth Publishing. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-84832-330-8.
  2. ^ "Moriarty_Balance_Buffalo_Closing_Ceremony" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 February 2013.
  3. ^ a b c "PM inaugurates Naval Aviation, names SWADS naval command base "Nirvik"". Priyo News. Archived from the original on 4 July 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Bangladesh navy adds special war unit to fight terror - ANN". Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  5. ^ a b "Speeches & Remarks 2009 - Embassy of the United States Dhaka, Bangladesh". Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  6. ^ "Joint U.S.-Bangladesh Military Exercise Concludes in Chittagong" (PDF). Embassy of the United States of America (Press release). 12 November 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2010.
  7. ^ a b c Sof, Eric (20 October 2012). "SWADS: Bangladesh Navy's Elite Special Operations Force". Combat Operators. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  8. ^ "Path of Naval Persons". Bangladesh Navy. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  9. ^ "U.S. Navy Concludes Training with Bangladesh Navy". U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  10. ^ Rana, Md. Sohel (February 2018). "The Dhaka Attack: Lessons for Bangladesh". Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences: 19. doi:10.9790/0837-2302101624.
  11. ^ "Country Reports on Terrorism 2016". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  12. ^ "Weapons, ammunition recovered in Teknaf". DeshKal News. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  13. ^ "Navy, Coast Guard rescue 39 kidnappees in Teknaf; 2 traffickers arrested". United News of Bangladesh. Retrieved 5 March 2026.

Further reading

  • "US donates 16 defender boats for Navy". UNB. 13 April 2010. Sixteen 25-foot (8 meter) Defender Class Boats, donated by the US, were handed over to the Bangladesh Navy today ... The United States Government provided the Defender boats at Bangladesh's request to improve its Navy's and Coast Guard's abilities to disrupt criminal organizations and transnational terrorist groups seeking to exploit Bangladesh's maritime borders ... These first sixteen boats will significantly improve the maritime interdiction and counterterrorism capabilities of Bangladesh's new Navy Special Operations Force at the Navy Special Warfare Diving and Salvage Command.
  • Khan, Sharier (10 May 2012). "Navy adds spl war unit to fight terror". The Daily Star.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Warfare_Diving_and_Salvage