USS Attu (CVE 102)

Dimensions:
Length: 512ft (156.06m)
Beam: 65.2ft (19.87m)
Draught: 20ft (6.10m)

Performance:
Surface Speed: 19kts (22mph)
Submerged Speed: 0kts (0mph)
Range: (18,359km)

Structure:
Complement: 860
Displacement: 7,800tons

Power:
Engine(s): 2 x engines powering 2 x reciprocating screws and 2 x shafts.

Weapons Suite:
1 x 5" main gun
16 x 40mm cannons
20 x 20mm cannons

Air Arm:
28 aircraft of various makes. Selengkapnya...

Special Underwater Assault Rifle APS

Caliber 5.66 mm
Cartridge type 5.66 x 150 mm MPS or MPTS steel darts
Dimensions and weight
Total weight (with loaded magazine) 3 400 g
Total weight (with empty magazine) 2 460 g
Overall length 823 mm
Length (with folded butt-stock) 615 mm
Fire characteristics
Bullet initial speed 365 m/s
Bullet initial speed (under the water) 240 - 250 m/s
Magazine capacity 26 rounds
Sighting range 30 m
Range of effective fire (on the air) 30 - 50 m
Range of effective fire ( in 5 m depth) 30 m
Range of effective fire ( in 20 m depth) 20 m
Range of effective fire ( in 40 m depth) 10 m

The APS was developed as a combat diver weapon intended as a personal weapon for usage under water mainly against the enemy divers. The APS Underwater Assault Rifle has a unique design which has no analogues except a later Russian developments of the improved underwater assault rifle. Russian Federation is the only country which combat divers are armed with the APS Assault Rifles currently. The weapon is produced by Tula city firearms plant.

Until the development of the APS Russian combat divers were armed with a usual firearms which could not be used under the water. Combat divers used firearms mostly for landing operations. Usual firearms were carried under the water to the landing point and used only afterwards when divers reached shore. While under the water the combat diver could use only knive and was quiet defenseless.

Underwater Assault Rifles automatic is based on gas returning principle threw the gas chamber. It's automatic allows to execute fire on the air or under the water in single or automatic fire modes. In the last mention mode the APS executes short 3 - 5 shot series or a long series in 10 shots. A safety-lock is a fire mode changer at once. Overall the APS Special Assault Rifle has very much in common with the AK-74 Assault Rifle. However it has a lighter dimensions and weight comparing with the later mentioned assault rifle.

Rifle fires 5.66 x 150 mm MPS or MPTS steel dart cartridges with a 120 mm length dart bullet. The MPTS cartridges are the tracer one. The bullet dart has a weight of 26 g and is stabilized under the water by a cavitation effect. On the air this bullet isn't stabilized. Combat diver armed with the APS is able to defeat even shark.

On a usual fire trainings on the air the APS can fire a standard 5.45 x 39 mm Russian cartridges by changing it's smoothbore barrel into the rifled one chambered for the 5.45-mm.

The Rifle is fitted with a 26 round magazine. The magazine has uncommon shape determined by a long cartridge. The magazine is divided into two sections to prevent cartridge reloading failures.

Every APS is completed with two magazines and a knife-bayonet. Furthermore it has a folding inside the barrel box buttstock.

Underwater Assault Rifle is fitted with an opened triangle shape fixed sight. The underwater rifle has a depth of effective fire in 40 m. In the every depth a range of effective fire surpasses a range of visibility even in the clearest vision water obstacles. At a maximum range of effective fire the APS defeats combat diver wearing a hydro overall with filled with a foam thinner. It also proofs 5 mm wide organic plexiglas and defeats target covered by it.

Advantages

Since it's development till the last decade the APS was the only assault rifle intended for the combat swimmers. The weapon is extremely effective under the water defending oneself from the enemy combat divers or rapacious fish.

Disadvantages

Low range of effective fire on the air as the dart bullet isn't stabilized and has a low ballistic characteristics. The APS has a short service life in 2 000 shots under the water and only 180 on the air.



To sum it up the APS Special Underwater Assault Rifle is more likely to be suitable under the water than in the air. At the beginning of the last decade Russian designers developed a substitute for the APS. It was ASM-DT Special Underwater Assault Rifle which was approved by the Russian Armed Forces in the year 2000. The new Special Rifle has a greater characteristics and a service life comparing with the APS. It's range of effective fire on the air is similar to the AK-74 Assault Rifle and under the water - to the APS Rifle. Selengkapnya...

Komando Pasukan Katak (KOPASKA)

Kopaska was formed on March 31 1962 by President Sukarno to help his campaign in Irian Jaya. In that campaign they were ordered to be human torpedoes similar to Japanese 'kamikaze' troops. In doing so they rode the torpedo, guided it until hit the enemy's ship. KOPASKA is heavily influenced by the early U.S. Navy Underrwater Demoliton Teams (UDT) and modern Navy SEAL Teams. This foundation was built when early KOPASKA members were sent to the United States for training with the UDTs. That tradition continues today as each year a few men from the unit travel to Coronado, California and Norfolk, Virginia to participate in SEAL training.

Today, unit strength is approximately 300 men, divided into two groups. One is attached to western fleet, based on Jakarta and the other one is attached to eastern fleet, based on Surabaya, East Java. Their main duty is underwater demolition which consists of raiding enemy's ships and bases, destroying main underwater installations, beach reconnaissance, prisoner snatches, and preparing beaches for larger naval amphibious operations. In peace time the unit deployes seven man teams to serve as security personnel for VIPs. Primary among these duties are the escort and personal security of the Indonesian president and vice president. They are also responsible for limited search-and-rescue duties and have deployed as part of United Nations peace forces.

Recruitment for the unit is held once a year and draws exclusively on navy personnel (not from the marines). The maximum age of recruits are no more than 30 years. The length of recruitment is seven months. Usually from 700-1500 men who signed up only 15-20 men will pass the initial selection. After the selection the men who pass will undergo four-phase continual training. The first phase of this is one week of physical training (Hell Week), the second phase is basic underwater training, the third phase is commando training, and the fourth phase is parachute training. In the end from 15-20 men, usually only five or six make it and become Kopaska. Selengkapnya...

Latihan "Helo Sniper" antar Personel Navy Seals dan Kopaska

SURABAYA - Satuan elite AL Amerika Serikat Navy Seal, Senin (12/1) berbagi pelajaran khusus dengan rekan seprofesi dari Pasukan Katak TNI AL. Pelajaran bernama 'Hello Sniper' atau teknik menembak sniper dari pesawat helikopter yang tengah terbang ini merupakan materi baru yang akan diberikan teknik dan pengetahuannya kepada Kopaska.

Agenda latihan bersama dengan satuan pasukan elite Angkatan Laut Amerika US Navy Seal ini bernama sandi “Flash Iron 09-01”. bertempat di lapangan tembak Koarmatim Ujung Surabaya, latihan ini secara resmi dibuka oleh Komandan Satuan Pasukan Katak Komando Armada RI Kawasan Timur (Koarmatim) Kolonel Laut (T) Yulius Bustami. Turut hadir saat pembukaan para personel Paska dan US Navy Seal yang dipimpin Letnan Ehrhardt.

Pasukan Katak TNI AL mengerahkan 4 tim (masing-masing tim 7 orang), atau 28 personel pada latihan ini sedangkan dari US Navy Seal menyertakan 15 personelnya. Selain sniper, mereka juga akan berlatih tentang Maritime Interdiction Operation (peperangan ruang tertutup), Jungle Welfare (perang hutan) berikut Jungle Survival, Fast Roping, Over the Beach serta Tactical Combat Casualty Care.

Koarmatim mengerahkan satu unit KRI, satu unit helikopter NBell-412, 2 Sea Rider, serta 5 perahu karet untuk latihan yang berlangsung mulai 12 Januari hingga 6 Februari 2009 berlokasi di Markas Koarmatim, selat Madura, Pantai Banongan serta Selogiri Banyuwangi.

Menurut Komandan Satuan Katak Koarmatim Kolonel Laut (T) Yulius Bustami, latihan ini selain dapat meningkatkan kemampuan taktis dan teknis perorangan maupun satuan prajuritnya juga dapat menciptakan hubungan emosional yang harmonis dan saling pengertian antara prajurit Pasukan Katak Indonesia dan Amerika Serikat. Ditambahkannya latihan ini juga merupakan ajang “Take and Give” antara kedua pasukan karena masing-masing bisa saling memberikan bekal pengetahuan dan kemampuannya.

“Peningkatan kemampuan ini diharapkan nantinya dapat digunakan sebagai bekal guna mendukung tugas-tugas operasional Kopaska yang sesungguhnya,” kata Kolonel Laut (T) Yulius Bustami.

Sumber : DISPENAL Selengkapnya...

LATIHAN MENEMBAK BERSAMA KOPASKA DAN US NAVY SEAL!!

SURABAYA - Dua Satuan Pasukan Khusus masing-masing Komando Pasukan Katak (Kopaska) TNI AL dan US Navy Seal saling mengasah kemampuan menembaknya baik dalam penggunaan senjata laras pendek maupun senjata laras panjang di Lapangan Tembak Komando Armada RI Kawasan Timur (Koarmatim), Ujung, Surabaya, Jumat (16/1).

Dalam latihan dengan sandi “Flash Iron 09-01” itu, senjata yang digunakan adalah pistol jenis Sig Sauer 226 serta SMG jenis MP-5. Kedua senjata tersebut merupakan salah satu senjata standar yang digunakan oleh satuan pasukan elite TNI AL tersebut.

Sedangkan jarak tembak yang dilakukan cukup berpariasi, seperti 5 meter, 10 meter dan 15 meter serta beberapa kombinasinya.

Dalam latihan kali ini Pasukan Katak TNI AL mengerahkan 4 tim (masing-masing tim 7 orang), atau 28 personel pada latihan ini sedangkan dari US Navy Seal menyertakan 15 personelnya. Selain sniper, mereka juga akan berlatih tentang Maritime Interdiction Operation (peperangan ruang tertutup), Jungle Welfare (perang hutan) berikut Jungle Survival, Fast Roping, Over the Beach serta Tactical Combat Casualty Care.

Koarmatim mengerahkan satu unit kapal perang, sebuah helikopter Bell, 2 Sea Rider, serta 5 perahu karet untuk latihan yang berlangsung mulai 12 Januari hingga 06 Februari 2009 dengan lokasi di Markas Koarmatim, selat Madura, Pantai Banongan serta Selogiri Banyuwangi ini.

Menurut Komandan Satuan Katak Koarmatim Kolonel Laut (T) Yulius Bustami, latihan ini selain dapat meningkatkan kemampuan taktis dan teknis perorangan maupun satuan prajuritnya juga dapat menciptakan hubungan emosional yang harmonis dan saling pengertian antara prajurit Pasukan Katak Indonesia dan Amerika Serikat.

Sumber : DISPENAL Selengkapnya...