Sorry, but I did not understate the importance of equipment and gear for SF forces as per the tasks and roles.
Understatement comes from understanding efficacy of SOF in the 21st century. please bear with me.
I was trying to paint a picture of SAS who were employed by the British Empire all over the world in places like Poland, Georgia, Persia, Iraq, and scores of other countries not in uniform but otherwise for military strategic tasks.
few points - You are refering to war fighting in the 20th century and previously you mentioned africa. Understand that those we for a lack of a better term Bush wars - Revolution, FID, Long Range Raiders. ( and this is a very small component of SOF tasking) - these troops did not operate out of a base or a FAB. They fought/fight out of their vehicles being resupplied from time to time. they went with their "friendlies" lived with them off the land and moved like nomads. The bush wars are hot, humid, arid etc. After a few days there is no need for "uniform discipline". All troops down range for an extended period of time go native.
That being said - how these bush wars are now fought is also changing. Look at the kit of the recent ambushed and killed French and US SFGs in West Africa. The kit they carried was the same a DA unit flying out of the Green Zone in Baghdad would carry.
Circling back to our SOF in Kashmir - yes if the SOF operators had just emerged from a 10 day patrol and recon from the LOC or the mountains no issue. But this is a CASO. Even if the SOF units had come off the mountains (and not responsding/mobilizing out of the nearest base) there HAS TO BE A UTILITY TRUCK where they should kit up before transitioning from a LRRP to Urban Assault. Is there even a SF C&C (TOC) that is liasioning with the larger CASO Force? There is ZERO Excuse. CASO carrys significant mobile Military infrastructure with it - Coms, C&C, ISR, Heavy Ordanance, - Cant SOF requirements be part of the orbat? So far its only the bodies who are part of the ORBAT.
Moden SF units like those of USA are geared up as per US interests / role / task requirements which can vary from conventional military requirements like those in Iraq or Afghanistan to operations against contras or drug lords in Latin America,
Forget the Americans - What about the Philipinos, Polish, Korans, South Africans, Brazilians - just to name a few.
Secondly - The Americans have evolved (proactive) for their requirement. fair enough. What have we done? NSG got a kick in their teeth so we reacted. Kargil we got a kick in the teeth we did pretty much nothing. 2 decades have passed since then - we got tavors , galils and kneepads - Where is our evolution for OUR needs?
PS- Spending time on SOFREP the growth in gear and tactics around shooting, communicating and optics is PROFOUND- this has nothing to do with US Tasking - this is basic. The Americans continue to do R&D into mountain warfare and Artic Warfare - we operate in worse conditions - what evolution has Parvat Ghatak come out in terms of better more improved kit - Are those instructors even consulted by DRDO/MOD/CDS etc etc?
What about medical kit? breaching Kit? Sniper School? Comms? - again nothing to do with US "Requirements" - this is basic.
I did not mean that SFs do need equipment, I only said gear and gadgets do not make SF.
Yes and no. and this is where we disagree
1. This logic that is the man not the machine has been touted by our officers (and some exist in my family) since the 70s to justify lack of kit (across the Army) and to play up the "Josh" of soldiers - its a complacent attitude of Chalta Hai - its the rank and file that makes up for the shortcomings of our officers trhough sheer grit and tenacity. - i call that stupidity.
2. today Training is driven by kit and tech - it is as applicable to the Corporate world as it is for the Military - no matter how good your soldiers are in infantry tasks the Enemy who can see you, hear you and shoot you first will ALWAYS win. Hell our shooting drills today also are straight out of the 80s- no evolution - Sure its changing but the Change has to be CONSTANT not periodical SPECIALLY in the SOF
No amount of gear will ever make NSG or CRPF as SF. As it is the "Guard" role does not call for the employment of SFs.
Sorry - NSG is a Special Operations Force specialising in CT/HRT - any SAG would eat a PARA SF Squad for breakfast in their specific role. In Fact SF gains primarily from SF soldiers rotating back from NSG. (leaving CobRa CRPF out of this- i agree with you on that)
SF is an Army Unit - SOF covers a very large Gambit of Conventional, Asymetrical, Para-Military (policing) tasks. Each has a place and role and their quality in executing their specialization determines whether they are SOF or not.
The Same way HRT finds its way into the National Command Authority (USA) alongside JSOC so does the NSG alongside the Cabinet Secretariate.
Lastly SF/SOF etc the word "Special" comes from tasking - capability and skill is derived from there. not the other way around. If we continue using our SF as QRT and basic problem solvers (which should be under the purview of Ghatak and RR QRT) they will no longer be special. no matter how much ammo you give them to training in the kill houses or how many KMs you make them run.
