Särskilda skyddsgruppen
| Särskilda skyddsgruppen | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1994–2011 |
| Country | Sweden |
| Allegiance | Swedish Armed Forces |
| Type | Special forces |
| Role | Direct action, Long-range reconnaissance, Counterterrorism, VIP-protection, Personnel recovery |
| Size | Classified |
| Part of | Under the direct command of the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | Karlsborg, Västergötland |
| Engagements | Operation Artemis Operation Enduring Freedom EUFOR Tchad/RCA Bosnian War Kosovo War Republic of Macedonia Liberia Lebanon |
Särskilda skyddsgruppen (SSG) (Special Protection Group) was a special operations unit of the Swedish military which officially became active in 1994. The exact number of operatives was classified but was thought to be between 60 and 80, with an average age of 31. SSG could have been deployed to achieve specific, well-defined, and often time-critical results of strategic or operational significance which couldn't have been achieved using conventional forces. Typical missions undertaken by SSG were to engage and destroy targets of great significance to the enemy, to rescue people captured by the enemy or held hostage, and to gather intelligence through combat. SSG's missions required its operators to covertly infiltrate and move inside hostile territory and remain undetected for very long periods.