Two new publications from Concord this month, one in the JOURNAL OF ARMORED & HELIBORNE Series and another in the SPECIAL OPS series...

The two new books follow the tried and proven format of Concord Publications. They are:

5531 Special Ops: Journal of the Elite Forces & SWAT Units Vol.31

Contents Include:


1) Spanish Army Green Berets
Created in the image of the French COS and the American USSOCOM, the Mando de Operaciones Especiales (MOE, or Special Operations Command) is tasked with planning, organizing and accomplishing special operations in the Spanish army. The core of the MOE, the Special Operations Groups or GOES, operate in sabotage, reconnaissance, and commando direct actions.

2) Gainful Sword 2003
"Gainful Sword 2003" was the first major field training exercise of Headquarters, 1st (German-Netherlands) Corps since the unit's return from Afghanistan. Taking place in Poland, the scenario of the exercise was that of a joint-service combined Crisis Response Operation and involved some 7000 NATO troops. Our article focuses on the deep strike air assault operation undertaken by the Dutch and Polish air assault forces.

3) Italian Rangers
The Italian Rangers follow the US Ranger doctrine and operate behind enemy lines, infiltration, perform specialized light infantry missions, conduct assaults by land, air and sea. The Rangers would operate and fight as a light infantry force, in quick-response strike operations requiring individual and unit initiative, with special emphasis on combat patrol small-unit tactics, at section, platoon and company levels.

4) Amphibious Ops
Exercise Co-operative Partner is an annual Partnership for Peace (PfP) exercise. In 2003, the exercise was held in Odessa, Ukraine, with exercise activities taking place on Ukrainian land, in territorial seas and estuaries, and in the Black Sea. Participating in the exercise were Ukrainian Marines, Greek and Turkish Marine Recon troops.

5) Balkan Elite
RENEA is Albania's counter-terrorist force. This small but busy unit safeguards Albania's law and order in a land beset by crime and terror.

The second is:

7809 ASSAULT: Journal of Armored & Heliborne Warfare Vol. 9

Contents Include

1) 1-77 Armor Regiment "Steel Tigers"
The mission of a tank battalion is to close with and destroy enemy forces using fire, maneuver and shock effect, or to repel his assault by fire and counterattack. The 1st Battalion, 77th Armor, deploys a battalion task force by ground, sea and/or air to conduct combat operations, however, it can also perform peacekeeping and peace-support operations.

2) Panzer Battalion Combat Maneuver
The German Panzer Bataillon 383 took part in a major training exercise called "Blitzender Kurass" at the Oberlausitz training area. The battalion's main objectives for this exercise were combat firing in defense and employing the battalion reserve. Other objectives were to integrate all elements of the heavy armor battalion and to test the skill of the officers and NCOs in leading the unit through combat drills.

3) Hungarian Quick Reaction Force
In compliance with NATO standards, the HDF is composed of combat, combat support and combat service support units. These units are assigned to one of three categories: reaction forces, main defense forces or augmentation forces. The HDF's Quick Reaction Force is ready to face any military threat.

4) 1/35 scale profile of Challenger 2 in Operation "Telic" in Iraq.