Forsvarets Spesialkommando Forsvarets Spesialkommando ( FSK , en . Armed Forces ' Special Command ) is a special operations forces unit of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence . The unit was established in 1982 due to the increased risk of terrorist activity against Norwegian interests , including the oil platform s in the North Sea . Introduction . Very little is known about the FSK since the Norwegian government for a long time denied their existence and have not mentioned their participation in any military operation . Some details have however emerged after the FSKs participation in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan . The establishment of FSK was briefly mentioned in an article in the Norwegian newspaper , Aftenposten , in 1983 . During a hijacking in Norway in 1985 , it was reported that FSK operatives had been put on alert in the town of Trandum , but not requested to assist in any action . A proposal to disband the FSK in 1988 , as a financial measure , was met with protests , especially from the oil industry and the military . The plan was shelved after much media attention . Aftenposten reported that : " special military command composed of highly trained operatives from the Paratrooper School at Trandum and the Naval School . Also some other units with special training associated the squad . The crew has experience and has been with the military for several years as contract officers . " The first time FSK was publicly mentioned by a representative of the Armed Forces , was in connection with the hijacking of SAS Flight 347 at Gardemoen Airport in September 1993 . The following year the magazine Vi Menn published an article about the FSK . In 1990 the FSK was also mentioned in a research paper : " The Armed Forces ' Special Command ( FSK ) is specially trained to approach in the event of terrorist attacks against oil installations - especially hijacking situations . " The FSK ' s existence was only publicly acknowledged by the Norwegian Armed Forces for the first time in 1999 . The size of force is classified with different sources claiming anywhere from 80 to 200 soldiers . The Army Special Forces command includes the FSK and the Army Rangers HJK . Currently anyone who has completed their military service with Norwegian Armed Forces can apply . The road to becoming an elite soldier of the Armed Forces Special Command is hard and long . First , one must go through a tough selection to separate out those who do not have physical and mental strength to start the special forces recruitment school . Amongst the absolute minimum requirements are 45 pushups , 45 situps in 2 minutes , 8 pullups with acquiring , 400 meters swim in under 11 minutes and a 30 kilometer march with a 25 kg backpack and weapons to be completed within 4 hours and 50 minutes . It should be noted that this is the minimum , and that one should be well above these when applying for admission . After passing the physical and mental test an application must pass " special forces school " . The school will last three weeks and all that is known is that it comprises hard physical exercises with little food or little sleep . Very few of those who enter the school passes it completely . If the recruitment school is passed , you get the opportunity to start basic training . The program is divided into different classes and lasts from August to June . After training , one is eligible for operational service in FSK , and that one can be trained further as a specialist . Examples are snipers or medical men , who receive advanced training in their fields . Snipers may , in addition to reconnaissance and engage with target detection , " engage and kill a target on a range of over one kilometer distance in absolute darkness " . The FSK works with special forces from several other countries , including the Special Air Services ( SAS ) and Special Boat Service ( SBS ) from the United Kingdom , Delta Force and the Navy SEALs / DEVGRU in the United States , and KSK and GSG - 9 of Germany . History . The unit was established in 1982 and became operative in 1984 . A parachute unit that is now part of FSK had been established in 1962 . FSK was first officially revealed to the media after the military ' s comments regarding the hijacking of an airplane at Fornebu in September 1993 . Outside of Norway . Kosovo . The FSK and the Kosovo Liberation Army ( KLA ) cooperated in various ways during the Kosovo conflict . FSK / HJK was the first special forces unit to enter Pristina . The HJK ' s mission was to level the negotiating field between the belligerent parties , and to fine - tune the detailed , local deals needed to implement the peace deal between the Serbians and the Kosovo Albanians . Afghanistan . FSK supported U . S . Special Forces in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan . They have had missions in the Helmand and Uruzgan provinces of South Afghanistan FSK has co - operated with other special forces such as the British SAS , Delta Force and DEVGRU of US Special Operations Command and KSK of Germany . Organization . In 2003 , the unit was claimed to consist of about 100 commando s . ( These individual commandos are referred to by various names in the Norwegian media , including " kommandosoldat " , " spesialsoldat " and " spesialjeger " . ) Chain of command . Above the FSK ' s Commanding Officer , the chain of command includes the Ministry of Defence . The unit commander reports directly to GIH ( " generalinspektøren for hæren " ) . There is at least one reference claiming the existence of a Chief of Special forces ( " sjefen for spesialstyrkene " ) Relationship with HJK . HJK ( " Hærens Jegerkommando " ) and FSK have at times ( if not today ) shared a Commanding Officer . FSK and HJK share training facilities at the military base ( " Rena leir " ) , where both units are headquartered . The term " FSK / HJK " . The term " FSK / HJK " is in use . FSK / HJK are claimed to be a special force ( s ) ( " " en spesialstyrke " " ) . FSK / HJK are also claimed to be responsible for preparing / training soldiers for service in " spesialjegerkommandoen " and " fallskjermjegertroppen " HJK received its name in 1997 , and records are lacking regarding any subsequent change of the unit ' s name . Records of FSK , being incorporated into another unit , are also lacking . FSK / HJK is the name of any task force convened , consisting of the two different units , FSK and HJK . FSK and HJK , have the capabilities of sharing logistics , training facilities and other resources , including mailing address and e - mail address . General tasks . In peacetime they are a support element to the Norwegian Police force and law enforcement agencies in allied nations , acting when requested by the Norwegian Police force or the Ministry of Justice and Public Security in serious incidents like hostage situation s and aircraft hijacking . During counter - terrorist operations , the commando s are trained to kill their opponents , rather than trying to arrest them . In wartime , their tasks are mainly : Selection . Soldiers from any branch of the Norwegian military , can be selected to join FSK . Conscript s can not apply for FSK selection . Previously , the FSK only accepted applicants who had served as a conscript in either Marinejegerkommandoen or HJK . Training . Candidates for FSK will go through some of the toughest Norwegian military training . FSK - officers are claimed to receive training at Long Range Reconnaissance School in Germany . Criticism of the training . Parachute landings on oil platforms in the North Sea . Testimony in court and in the media indicates that training previously included parachute landings on helicopter landing - pads related to oil platform s . The SAS ( special forces from Britain ) considered such as suicide missions . " Sitting duck " exercises . In the past , the training has included " sitting duck " exercises , where a soldier had to sit still while live rounds were fired , missing the soldier ' s head by only a few centimeters . The stated purpose of the exercise , if any , is lacking from records . Comments made about the exercise include " There probably is a reason why one does not conduct this exercise today . " Controversies . Psychological follow - up . Claims have been made , that professional psychological help for traumatized FSK - soldiers , has not been adequate ( and sometimes not reasonably available ) . Knut Braa has said that in 2002 , FSK soldiers who saw combat were not being debriefed adequately . ( Pål Herlofsen was ( then ) in charge of the " psychological follow - up " of the soldiers . ) Dagens Næringsliv asked in 2003 , if it is a problem that soldiers are prohibited from talking about their experiences during their service for FSK , due to confidentiality ( " taushetsplikt " ) . Minister of Defence Kristin Krohn Devold replied that " they are not prohibited from discussing their experiences and feelings ( " opplevelser " ) during therapy with civilian therapists . " Safety violations . During an FSK training mission a former commando of USA ( Kevin Thilgman ) , died in 2010 when their boat capsized at a speed above 50 knots . A number of safety procedures had been violated , when the " newly " acquired boat was being demonstrated without testing being completed in advance . Falsification of documents . In 2013 Dagbladet quoted a recent court verdict that said " The appellate court finds on account of witness testimony of NN and NN that most likely the written statements are false , and most likely they have been fabricated at a later time ( " i ettertid " ) to " begrunne " ( or give a reason ) for firing Sagvolden " . ( A soldier at FSK in 1983 , Bjørn Sagvolden , was fired from his job on the force . ) In seven written statements purportedly from soldiers in FSK , dated December 1983 , Sagvolden was labeled as quarrelsome and reckless in his handling of firearms . Two of the soldiers who the written statements named as the persons who sent [ and authored ] the statements , denied ( in the appelate court ) that they had done so . Those two also testified that " FSK ' s leadership [ in 1983 ] disagreed ( " faglig uenig " ) with Sagvolden on military subjects " . On 9 July 2013 media said that the [ seven ] written statements had not been signed , and that those statements were used by two psychiatrists who acted as expert witnesses ( " sakkyndig " ) , diagnosing Sagvolden as having " a post - traumatic stress affliction or brain damage " — without having met Sagvolden . A 29 June 2013 Dagbladet article said that the ministry of defence will " ask Forsvaret ( Norway ' s military ) to investigate the claims that false documents were fabricated , in connection with the job firing case ( " oppsigelsessaken " ) " . On 9 July 2013 media said that " Now the Judge Advocate General sends the case to the police " . Former commanding officers . Former commanding officers of FSK include : Weapons . The soldiers are trained in the use of these weapons :