| Su Alti Taarruz, SAT, Deniz Komando, Turkish Navy Special Operations Unit: Su Altı Taarruz (SAT) is one of two special operations units of the Turkish Navy (the other being the Su Altı Savunma, or SAS). The missions of the Su Altı Taarruz (SAT) include the acquisition of military intelligence, amphibious assault, counter-terrorism and VIP protection. They are trained and organized in a similar way to the US Navy Seals who have close training relationships with them. The first SAT and SAS units were established in 1963 in the city of Iskenderun, following a joint training program with the US Navy Seals from San Diego. The original name of the SAT unit was Su Altı Komando (SAK), while the original name of the SAS unit was Su Altı Müdafaa (SAM), and they were bound to the Kurtarma ve Sualtı Komutanlığı (KSK), or Rescue and Underwater Command. In 1974 the SAT and SAS group commands became bound to the Turkish Navy's General Command, and participated in the Turkish military landing in Cyprus later that year. The SAT and SAS are based in the Foça Naval Base near İzmir, on the Aegean coast of Turkey. |
