• Purpose:

• The purpose of this presentation is to

inform about various aspects of the
Special Forces branch of the Romanian
Army so that you may be more educated
about the subject and more prepared for a
career in the Military.
• Batalionul 1 Operatii Speciale "Vulturii"
- 1st Special Operations battalion -

• "The Eagles"
The Romanian Armed Forces already had several special
operations forces which belonged to different branches of the
military. After a study which spanned several years, a decision was
taken in 2003 to keep some of them in the future, but disband other
and establish an integrated special forces battalion which will have a
response time of 72 hours, similar to Delta Force, SEAL DEVGRU
or the 22nd SAS Sabre squadrons.
The new battalion represents the main SOF unit of the military.

• US Equivalents:
Delta Force, SEAL DEVGRU, Army Special Forces
(all J-SOC components)
History of the Romanian Special Forces
• The real story begins in the 1990s, when after the fall of the
communist regime, some commanders in the armed forces pushed
forward the idea of creating a new, integrated special operations
unit, which would become the country's most elite unit and comprise
of the best men in the military. At the same time, others wanted to
keep the existing order of battle. At that time, the Mountain,
Airborne, Marine and Diving structures each had several SOF
capable units, ranging from detachment to battalion size.
• There were talks in the Defence Ministry and the Armed Forces
around the year 2000, about what to do with Romanian's Special
Operations Forces.
• In the year 2000, Romania had at least four Scouting battalions, at
least 6 airborne special operations battalions, one marine battalion,
one combat divers company and one special operations company.
In the end, the specialists decided to take a hibrid solution. They
maintained some of the SOF components existent at that time, while
at the same time disbanded others and established an integrated
special forces battalion.
 Characteristics
• The battalion will have an estimated strength of 500 men, and would
incorporate several modules, including but not limited to a mountain
module and a diving module.
Another module will be modeled after the US Army Special Forces,
commonly known as the Green Berets. Several Romanian soldiers
have attended and successfully graduated the US Army SF
selection process, in its entirety, and they, together with several SF
advisors, are now conducting a selection process in Romania to
increase the number of members for that module. The US SF
officers are rotated every 6 months during their stay in Romania. A
colonel in the US SF stated: "I am extremely priviledged, [...
pause ...] let me repeat that, extremely priviledged, to have
worked with the Romanian Special Forces, and I am very
confident in their skills and capabilities".
• The training methods of the battalion are
obviously classified.
Judging from video sequences and
interviews, it can be said however that the
battalion trains on all possible terrain and
for a large variety of missions. Direct
action, special reconnaissance, counter-
terrorism, intelligence gathering, hostage
rescuing, sabotage, airborne insertion,
intractions, extractions, close protection,
as well as other operations are expected
to be performed by this unit so the training
is up to standards.
Since many of the members of this unit
have completed selection courses and
training sessions abroad, they have also
participated to training sessions in various
circumstances which could not have been
emulated on national soil. As such, the
men which have undertaken the SF
courses have been to jungle
environments, while others have been
close to the arctic region, etc.
• Members of the battalion have
been known to employ the M-4
Call Commander 5.56mm assault
rifle, which is used in the US and
UK as the primary weapon of
choise for special forces.
The Eagles also used brand new
armoured Humvee's, at least 8 of
them being in the arsenal of the
battalion by the end of 2006.
Some of the Humvee's are fitted
with 50mm submachineguns to
increase firepower.
Romania ordered 16 Humvee's
originally, but their number was
increased later during the year to
24. Eight of them have arrived at
the 1st SOF battalion Eagles, 8 at
the Humint battalion and 8 at the
265th MP battalion in Bucharest.
• Since various units from allied
countries have helped to the
creation and organization of
this battalion, and also if we
consider the capabilities,
equipment and combat
experience it will have, it is only
obvious to assume the unit will
hold yearly international
exercise with similar units from
allied countries.
• In 2006, the first company of the battalion has become operational.
However it is now known that members of the 1st SF bn have long
been deployed to combat missions abroad, sometimes in small
detachments as instructors, and most of the time as individuals
incorporated into light infantry battalions. The latter tactic has also
been used to deploy Mountain Hunters, Humint, Para's and Marines
to real combat missions

• Afghanistan

• It has been admitted publicly in late 2006 that several of the KIA and
injured troops in Afghanistan have been in fact members of the 1st
bn Eagles.

• Iraq

• Romania has since 2003 a "special detachment" in Iraq. The

detachment comprises of 56 men, grouped in a comand and
analysis team, three intelligence teams, one mobile team, and two
Shadow 600 UAVs. While the three intelligence teams might be
Humint, the mobile team might be from the 1st bn Eagles. Sources
have long stated that members of the 1st bn Eagles participated in
combat operations in Iraq. Iraq
 One company of the battalion has now
Stories become operational(2006)

• In october 2004, the 404th Scouting Center was

transormed in the Humint battalion. The location in
Buzau also houses the 2nd Joint Center of
Operations (Centrul 2 Intrunit) which coordinates all
the Romanian troops deployed anywhere in the
world. The event was celebrated with a
demonstration of tactical abilities, hostage rescuing,
assault of a terrorist camp and others.
The battalion is now a reality, and it will become fully
operational in 2007. However, the first company of
the battalion has already become operational in
2006. Even prior to that event, small size
detachments of the unit took part in combat
operations in various parts of the world, including
Afghanistan and Iraq.
The Special Forces battalion represents one of the
best special operations unit in Romania. Thanks to
its selection process, which has an extremely high
failure rate, as well as to the multi-national
cooperation which for the past 5 years has helped
create this unit, the battalion could also be
considered one of the best special operations units in
the world.