THE SAF SPECIAL OPERATIONS UNIT RESPONSE TO MODERN CHALLENGES

The Special Operations Unit (SOU) provides special operations capabilities for the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) and the implementation of special national security objectives for the Republic of Slovenia.Specialized training, the ability to perform covert operations, high accuracy to achieve collateral damage reduction, and great flexibility in facing different sources of threat are but a few of the features that highlight the role and importance of the Special Forces units of the armed forces. Having such characteristics, the unit can be used to fulfil the obligations of the Republic of Slovenia to NATO’s collective defence system and ensure the international security of UN missions when no other SAF units and capabilities can be employed. At the same time, the SOU provides potential capabilities for national defence and specific crisis situations for counterterrorism activities in the Republic of Slovenia. By validating its capabilities in practice, the SOU has shown that the theoretical concepts on which it is based are both good and feasible. It has proved itself to be a highly qualified unit – the elite of the SAF's combat operations units.