Paskau

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PASKAU
Active	1970 - Present
Country	Malaysia
Branch	Malaysian Armed Forces
Type	Air Team Special Forces
Role	Airborne Special Operations, Counter-Terrorism force
Size	Field Protection Team (FPT), Skuadron Sayap Tempur-SST (English: Tactical Assault Squadrons) Combat Air Rescue Team
Part of	Royal Malaysian Air Force (Malay:Tentera Udara DiRaja Malaysia)
Garrison/HQ	RMAF Airbase Camp, Bukit Jugra, Banting, Selangor
Nickname	Handau
Colors	Light Blue Coloured (Beret)

PASKAU (Pasukan Khas Udara; Special Air Team) is a unit of the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The squad was created in the 1970s after a covert attack by Communist insurgents using high-explosive mortars from the outside a RMAF airbase, resulting in the destruction of one DHC-4 Carribou transport aircraft. This unit was originally known as Handau, but underwent reorganization and was renamed as PASKAU in 1996.

1 Organizations
- 1.1 Branches
2 Missions
3 Weaponry
4 See also
- 4.1 Similar Air Special Force Units Outside Malaysia
5 External Links

The RMAF ground force is known as RMAF Regiment operates directly under Air Operation HQ. Based in Bukit Jugra AFB, Banting, its a special operation force under RMAF and better known as PASKAU. Pasukan Khas Udara or PASKAU role is to work behind enemy line in support of ground attack, rescue downed pilot behind enemy line, provide force protection and so on. Below are the 3 main squadrons of PASKAU under the Operation Branch of the Regiment responsible for special operations.

The Paskau FPT operators in LIMA 2003. They were armed with Colt M4A1.

- Tactical Assault Squadron (Skuadron Sayap Tempur - SST) is the combat arm of PASKAU. Trained in counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, infiltration and sabotage, it works behind enemy line to disable or destroy high value target to ensure success of RMAF air operation. It has Ground Laser Target Designation (GLTD) team to provide forward target acquisition and tracking for attacking planes. There is also a Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) that specializes in aircraft hostage rescue operation. Every mission involves a six-man team with different specialties such as a riflemen, sniper, demolitions expert, communications expert and medics. These men will be equipped with light weapons, such as the M4 Carbine, M16A1 assault rifle and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) as a light support weapon. For Close Quarter Battle (CQB) operations like hostage rescue or counter-terrorism, the primary weapon is the M4 carbine equipped with EOTech Holo sights (hologram sights that maximizes the target view).
- Combat Air Rescue Squadron - CAR (Skuadron Penyelamat Tempur Udara - SPTU) is capable of mounting rescue operation for pilots down behind enemy line. It consist of 6 CAR detachments operating from air bases with Rescue Sub-Centre (RSC) such as Kuala Lumpur, Kuantan, Butterworth, Gong Kedak, Kuching and Labuan AFB. CAR is also capable of sea rescue thru its Maritime Para Rescue Team (MPRT) based in Bukit Jugra.
- Force Protection Squadron (Skuadron Kawalan Medan - SKM) provides special protection to high value targets such as air defense radar and forward operation bases. High value targets protection not just involves installation but also involves close or special escorts duty. What is unique with this team is they are equipped with Field Intrusion Detection System (FIDS) for zone protection. During insertion operation into enemy territory, they would be the pathfinder and able to act as Ground Forward Air Controller (GFAC).

PASKAU is capable of conducting

CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue) - Recovery of friendly units (especially ejected pilots) from behind enemy lines
Laser-designation - Using GLTD II (Ground Laser Target Designator) units to 'paint' hostile targets, marking them for attack by air-dropped laser-guided munitions such as the Paveway II LGB (laser-guided bomb).
Providing base security to RMAF installations.
Counter-terrorism.
Close Quarter Battle (CQB).
Hostage Rescue.
Unconventional Warfare
Intelligence
Urban Terrain (FIBUA)
HALO/HAHO.

PASKAU is highly capable in performing hostage rescue operations in any situation and is regarded the principal anti-hijack response for civil and military aircraft. This task was taken over from Grup Gerak Khas (Army SOF unit). PASKAU troopers are recognized by their light blue-colored berets.