King Abdullah II Special Forces Group, commonly known as the JORSOF are strategic-level special forces of the Royal Jordanian Army under the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF). Founded on April 15, 1963, on the orders of King Hussein, its primary roles include reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, search and evacuation, intelligence gathering combat, and the protection of key sites. The Special Forces Group are also charged with carrying out precision strikes against critical enemy targets. The unit is equipped and trained to be able to operate behind enemy lines for long periods without any logistical support and is considered some of the best in the Middle East.

History

Since its establishment in 1963, the Jordanian special operations forces were meant to be flexible and dynamic, in order to successfully face the ever-changing threats to Jordan national security. Their organizational structure has evolved significantly over the past half-century, as internal and external threats changed. Jordanian special operations forces evolved from a multi-task company-size parachute unit in the early 1960s to brigade-size in the early 1980s, with more specialized units, including a parachute unit, special forces unit and a small counter-terrorism unit. With the beginning of this century and the emergence of new threats to national security, Jordan established paramilitary troops—the Gendarmerie. The military force was, and remains, tasked with countering homeland security threats, thus allowing the Special Operations Forces to focus on homeland defense threats. Therefore the concept changed accordingly, from special operations to joint special operations. The previous organization of the Royal Joint Special Operations consisted mainly of three main brigades with all standard support and service units that facilitate operations and training.

2017 reform

In the summer of 2017, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lieutenant General Mahmoud Freihat launched a package of reforms across JAF—many of which appeared to be driven by budgetary constraints. The reforms included specific initiatives that have significantly changed the shape of the Jordanian special operations community. The first measure deactivated the Joint Special Operations Command headquarters and downgraded the highest-ranking special forces commander from a major general to a colonel-rank officer. The second measure transformed the 28th Royal Ranger Brigade out of special operations and re-organized it as the Rapid Intervention / High Readiness Brigade. The third initiative removed the 5th Aviation Brigade from special operations and transferred it to the Jordanian Air Force. While the brigade's aircraft and pilots now fall under air force control, it has been assigned a direct support role to the King Abdallah ll Special Forces Group. The fourth initiative has seen the creation of the Directorate of Special Operations and Rapid Intervention. This directorate, which forms part of the general staff of the army, is in charge of JORSOF and the Rapid Intervention / High Readiness Brigade. The result of reforms is to condense a three-brigade Joint Special Operations Command down to a single army-specific group—known as the King Abdullah II Royal Special Operation Forces Group—with most support elements, including administration and logistics, stripped away. At the heart of the group are the 101st and the 71st battalions, which were converted into Special Unit I—special operations—and Special Unit II—counterterrorism. JORSOF is supported by the Mohammed bin Zayed (MbZ) Quick Reaction Force (QRF) Brigade. There are similar units to the special operations units like the Special Gendarmerie's Unit 14 (SWAT unit) & Special Police's Unit 30 (SWAT unit). With the need for surrounding countries to develop modern forces, Jordan has become a centre of experience and specialized training for special forces. As an established regional centre for special forces training, Jordan has trained forces from Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Yemen.

Objectives

Tactical

Security

Training

Strategic

Structure

The Quick Reaction Force Brigade is equipped with advanced communication systems, allowing it to develop a fully deployable command and control capability also the brigade has its own Joint Tactical Air Controllers (JTACs) also the brigade is directly supported by RJAF 8th Quick Reaction Squadron (UH-60M). The brigade consists of four units: The King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Center is an installation located in Amman that specializes in the latest counterterrorism, special operations and irregular warfare tactics, techniques and procedures. The base was built by a U.S. construction firm on land donated by the King of Jordan and paid for by the U.S. Defense Department Foreign Military Sales programme, part of the 2005 special appropriation. Management of the construction was undertaken by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. By 2009, the center had been made operational. The center is managed by experienced active and retired special forces personnel and qualified training staff. As a turn-key facility, the center is ideal for pre-deployment training, joint and combined military exercises, or enhancing proficiency of unit requirements. All curricula are scalable to unit size and training needs. Courses begin in the classroom, where trainees master abstract concepts and discuss creative solutions. Trainees then apply their knowledge and skill in a variety of field exercises; simulating real-world conditions including live-fire and maneuver. Performance is observed, measured, and evaluated using state-of-the-art feedback systems.

Prince Hashem School for Special Operations

The Prince Hashem School for Special Operations serves to train and qualify officers and NCOs from JAF. The school went through the following key phases in terms of organization and development School Goals and Duties School Courses

Recruiting

Enrollment in the Jordan armed forces is on a voluntary basis, and this is obviously also true for the special operations. The first requirement for those willing to join the special operations is that they should successfully pass physical and mental fitness tests. From a psychological point of view, applicants are evaluated by a military psychologist in order to assess their personal and leadership traits. Then, applicants undergo a medical screening and an initial PT test. Those who make it through this preliminary selection phase are admitted to an endurance camp (boot camp) for a month of extensive training. The camp is designed to test trainees’ ability to work under physical and mental stress. Upon completing the camp, recruits take ranger and parachute courses. After this second phase, they are sent to specialized courses to complete their military professional training.

Training Courses

Training Courses Obtained By Special Operations Operator

Uniforms

Special Forces Group and QRF Brigade wear MultiCam with maroon berets. Some Special Unit II teams wear Full Black Pattern.