Commando Corps | |
---|---|
Korps Commandotroepen KCT | |
Active | 22 March 1942 (as No. 2 (Dutch) Troop) 1 July 1950 – present (as Korps Commandotroepen) |
Country | Netherlands |
Allegiance | Government of the Netherlands |
Branch | Royal Netherlands Army |
Type | Special forces |
Role | Special operations Counter-terrorism |
Size | Six companies |
Part of | Netherlands Special Operations Command |
Headquarters | Engelbrecht van Nassaukazerne, Roosendaal |
Nickname(s) | "Shadow warriors", "Green berets" |
Motto(s) | Nunc aut Nunquam ("Now or Never") |
Colour of beret | Grass green |
March | Het Commandolied |
Decorations | Military William Order |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Colonel Huub Smeets [1] |
Insignia | |
Beret insignia |
The Korps Commandotroepen (KCT) (English: Commando Corps) is the elite special forces unit of the Royal Netherlands Army. The KCT traces its origins to the Second World War with the founding of No. 2 (Dutch) Troop, and the founding of the Korps Speciale Troepen during the Indonesian War of Independence. At present, the unit is tasked with conducting the full spectrum of special operations, its principal tasks being direct action, special reconnaissance, military assistance and counter-terrorism.
The corps currently consists of four active commando companies, a SOF Support company and a training company. The KCT is based at the Engelbrecht van Nassaukazerne in the city of Roosendaal. KCT missions are planned and coordinated by the Netherlands Special Operations Command (NLD SOCOM), as are the operations of its maritime counterpart NLMARSOF.
Due to the sensitivity of the unit's operations, which includes covert operations, much of the information about the KCT is classified. However, some deployments have been acknowledged and publicised by the Ministry of Defence. Since the end of the Cold War, the unit has seen extensive combat in conflict zones around the world. This includes deployments to the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq and Mali. Moreover, the unit has conducted numerous non-combatant evacuation operations in recent years.