SFCrestGreenThere’s a lot of nonsense going around the Intertubes today about a super eeee-leeet unit, “C110.” That’s not the prototype of the Mercedes-Benz C111, and it’s not the way-more-powerful update of C4. Supposedly, it’s the Special Forces unit that could have reinforced or rescued the cut-off Americans in the Benghazi consulate, if anybody at the State Department or in the NCA had cared a jot.

Here’s an example at Breitbart and another based on it at Hot Air, based on the a Fox News report. (Warning: both contain loud autoplay malware/adware, try Fox’s own version; it has the same garbage, but loads slowly enough you can read it before the crapware begins).

OK, listen up, blogosphere. That’s Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group. (C 1/10, pronounced “see one ten.”) It has also been since circa 1984 the Commander’s In-extremis Force (CIF, pronounced “sif”) for Special Operations Command Europe, the theater SOC for the European Command. While there is a separate Africa Command, the North African and other Mediterranean littoral states belong to EuCom. The unit that stands by to rescue hostages and conduct similar high-priority missions, should action be required before national JSOC assets can arrive from their secret North Pole (or somewhere) lair, is the CIF. (Note that it’s “in-extremis force,” not “and extremis force,” which makes no sense but still made it into Fox News’s transcript).

Anonymous sources claimed to be SF speak to the effect that the CIF was available as a reaction force to Benghazi, but was never called and continued a routine training evolution. We can’t address that, but we can tell you what the media types are trying, and failing, to say, terminologically speaking.

This entry was posted in Media vs. Military, Unconventional Warfare on by Hognose.

2 thoughts on ““C110” explained”

Chuck

Thanks for clearing that up and confirming my guess. I hung out with some guys in Bad Tolz many years ago so when I heard “EUCOM” and “C110” a (very dim) light bulb flashed in my head.

We didn’t sink the Bizmark…

Ah yes, someone figured out what the SUPER SECRET C-110 Force is… It is or was an enhanced SF line company slightly larger than a standard SFG line company and may contain extra SFOD “A”s and vehicles to support mobility and enhanced sustained operations. Special Forces CIF In-Extremis Forces are really focused on teaching friendly/host nation forces CT/COIN Ops and may or may not be quick reaction elements. As to the number of men, in the force, well is is excess of 40 operators. Seal Troop Elements consisting of a C4I Team and two Seal Platoons are about 40 operators in number. Delta sometimes uses a combined element of about 40 operators. Marine FAST platoons are about 50 men. These size elements just happent to the same size and structure of a rifle company platoon. The UK uses the Royal Marine Fleet Standby troop for such in extremis missions. A normal SF line company has about 80 plus operators and support personnel. CIF elemets are trained in Special Skills Identifier “W” “Special Forces Advanced Reconnaissance, Target Analysis and Exploitation Techniques” during an invatation only advanced special operations training course at Fort Bragg lasting several weeks. They can teach selected elements of tailored to the needs of a partiular friendly/host nation forces anti-terrorist units or act as a Direct Action/STRIKE Element for the supported combatant commander when directed to do so. As to their insertion platform. Several of the right of center radio loudmouths have been saying it was a C-130 “Gun Ship”. Well i doubt you can put several SF OD”A” teams let alone one in the back of a C-130 Spectre. Addtionally, they would have vehicles and heavy weapons, and special non leathal weapons for such an in extremis response! Such a quick reaction response to a Benghazi consulate type situation would be more suited to a Delta Force Squadron backed up by a 75th Ranger Regiment Rifle Company or two…