Pathfinder Company (Malaysia)

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Pathfinder Company (Parachute),
10th Parachute Brigade
Kompeni Pandura (Para), 10 Bgd Para
Founded1995; 29 years ago (1995)
Country Malaysia
Branch Malaysian Army
TypeAirborne light infantry
Special operations
Role
SizeClassified
Part of10th Parachute Brigade
Garrison/HQTerendak Camp, Malacca
Nickname(s)"Tinjau Para" ('Airborne Recon'),
"RECON"
Motto(s)Pantas, Senyap, Maut
('Fast, Silent, Deadly')
Beret  Maroon
Anniversaries1 July
EngagementsLahad Datu standoff (2013)
Website@Pandura10Para (Official social media)
Commanders
Current
commander		Major Salmuazhari Md Salleh
Insignia
Pandura Skills Badge

The Pathfinder Company (Parachute) (Malay: Kompeni Pandura (Para), pronounced /kəmpəniˈpɑːnˈdʊˈrɑː/) is a pathfinder and reconnaissance unit within Malaysian Army's 10th Parachute Brigade (10 PARA BDE).

The unit is a small group of paratrooper who have been specially trained to carry out special operations missions for the brigade. They trained together and have good relations with other elite forces in the Malaysian Armed Forces, such as the Malaysian Army's 21st Gerup Gerak Khas and the Royal Malaysian Air Force's PASKAU.[1]

Major Salmuazhari Md Salleh is the current commanding officer of Pathfinder Company (Parachute), taking over from Major Huzairein Hj Yacob on 13 January 2022.[2]

The Pandura is equivalent to the French Army's Commando Parachute Group, which serves as the pathfinder unit for the 11th Parachute Brigade.

Origin[edit]

The unit was formed in 1995 as Platun Pandura (English: Pathfinder Platoon) to meet the need for an infiltration team to enter the area of operations and provide navigation assistance and movement control for the main airborne forces.[3] On 1 June 1999, the army command formally established the Pandura as a Malaysian army unit. As the platoon grew, the unit was expanded to the size of a company on 1 July 2008, and its name was officially changed to Pathfinder Company (Parachute).[4]

This unit is influenced by the Pathfinder Platoon of the British Army.[3]

Etymology[edit]

The term 'Pandura' is an abbreviation of the Malay word 'Pandu Arah Udara', which translates directly to 'Pathfinder'.

Roles[edit]

Initially, the Pandura Platoon's role was to provide 10 PARA BDE with navigation assistance and movement control, drops, plane flight, and landing in the exercise or operations area. Furthermore, they study, select, and mark out drop zones (DZ), landing zones (LZ), landing sites (LS), and plane landing points.[5] Pandura paratroopers will infiltrate the target area and ensure its safety. There, they will provide navigation assistance so that the larger airborne force can accurately locate the landing area and be dropped as a cohesive force rather than in smaller teams. They can direct artillery, aircraft, and naval gun fire support (NGF).[3]

Later, many other combat elements, such as snipers and combat intelligence, were added to the Pandura Platoon, and the platoon was expanded into a company size.[6] Pandura paratroopers can act as a sniper team at the same time relaying information to aircraft pilots during operations.[6] The Pandura, with its diverse abilities, serves as the 10 PARA BDE's "eyes and ears".[7]

Pandura paratroopers were frequently chosen as instructors to teach jungle survival skills and combat tactics to local and international military units as an elite among the elite.[8][9][10] The Pandura company, in close cooperation with the 10th Squadron (Parachute), Royal Army Engineers Regiment (The army's airborne sapper), is also responsible for supervising the Para Integrated All Weather Multi Mission Range (PIAW), a shooting range owned by the 10 PARA BDE.[11][12]

Formations[edit]

Because the unit is small and exclusive, there isn't much information available to the general public. However, only a few platoons in the Pandura company are well-known to the general public. The platoons are as follows:[5][13][14][15]

Name (English) Name (Malay) Roles
Recon Platoon Platun Tinjau Pandura Inserted ahead of the main airborne forces to conduct special reconnaissance, raiding and to mark the DZ, LZ, or LS.
Sniper Platoon Platun Sniper Pandura Providing sniper protection (over-watch), as well as observation, surveillance, target acquisition, and raiding.

Training[edit]

The new members of the 10 PARA BDE's Pandura Company were chosen based on combat qualifications and parachute insertion skills, including static line and free fall. Pandura paratroopers must also be able to operate visual aids and electronic equipment, as well as provide ground-to-air communication and drive various off-road vehicles such as all-terrain vehicles and motocross. They must be able to interpret and value the weather, wind direction, conditions, and cloud height, as well as the visibility and safety of the landing area, in real time.[3]

Pandura paratrooper must have 'Mobility': the ability to operate by air, land and sea; and 'Flexibility': the ability to operate on short notice in a variety of ways, to deal with any type of contingency, whether low or high level. The Pandura Company's capabilities were extended on 11 August 2021. They were trained to parachute into the sea and swim to the coastlines in order to get behind enemy lines.[3][16]

Preparatory course — unit level (4 weeks)[edit]

As a preparation for the actual pathfinder course conducted by the Special Warfare Training Centre (SWTC), the Pandura Company (Para) held a month of their own Pandura Course for the candidates.[3]

Pathfinder course (7 weeks)[edit]

This 7-week course, known as Kursus Pandu Arah in Malay, is offered at SWTC. Members who complete the Pandura course will receive a Pandura badge.[17] The following conditions must be met in order to receive the Pathfinder badge:

  • Pass basic parachute course
  • Pass pathfinder course

Basic free fall course (6 weeks)[edit]

Military free fall is the Pandura Company's specialty, which sets them apart from the other units in the 10 PARA BDE. This course is offered by SWTC and lasts 6 weeks.[18]

Advanced training[edit]

Among the advanced training options available to Pandura Company paratroopers are:[15]

Killed in the line of duty[edit]

Rank Name Date of death Circumstances
Corporal Mohamad Azrin Mohamad Isa 1 September 2021 He went missing on 29 August 2021, while participating in infiltration training while tactically swimming across the Pahang River during Exercise Para Predator Series 1/2021. On 1 September 2021, his body was discovered 75 kilometers away from where he was last seen. Lance Corporal Azrin was a member of Pandura Company (Para)'s Recon Platoon.[19] On 2 September 2021, he was posthumously promoted to the rank of Corporal.[20]

Equipment[edit]

Aside from free-fall equipment, the Pandura paratroopers relied on vital navigation systems such as the Operational Parachutist Navigational System (OPANAS) and the Global Positioning System (GPS). They also use ground-to-air communication to communicate with aircraft for airborne force drops.[3]

The Pandura paratroopers carry the same combat equipment as the other 10 PARA BDE's infantry units, with the exception of the sniper team.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "A monthly jump, progressive training with PASKAU" (Facebook post). Bureau of Parachuting Malaysia. Retrieved 2017-04-23.
  2. ^ 10 Brigade (Para) HQ (2022-01-15). "Change-of-Command Ceremony for Pathfinder Company (Para)". MY Military Times. Retrieved 2022-03-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Mohamad Solleh Jaapar (January 2005). "Platun Pandura - miliki kepakaran tersendiri". Berita Tentera Darat Malaysia. 134: 31.
  4. ^ "Pertandingan Tachtlon Dan Perbarisan Tempur Sempena Hari Ulangtahun Pasukan Kompeni Pandura (Para) Ke-14 Tahun 2022" (Facebook post). Komp PANDURA Para. 2 July 2022.
  5. ^ a b GaGaK. "Eks Gerak Pantas 10 Bgd Para". Malaysia Military Power. Retrieved 2017-04-22.
  6. ^ a b Khaleeq Shahzada Manja (30 May 2016). "Wira Beret Semerah Hati". Majalah 3, TV3 (Malaysia).
  7. ^ Mohamad Haziq Mohd, Captain (2020-01-25). "Lawatan Ulung Panglima 10 Bgd (Para) dan Pemeriksaan Tadbir Tahunan Komp Pandura (Para)". Berita Tentera Darat Malaysia (in Malay). Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  8. ^ "Kelas OBUA Komp Pandura Para". Berita Tentera Darat Malaysia (in Malay). 2017-05-18. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
  9. ^ "Latihan Immersive Virtual Training Simulator System (VIRTSIM) PL 9 RAMD (Para)". Berita Tentera Darat Malaysia (in Malay). 2017-09-19. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
  10. ^ "Eksesais Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019". Berita Tentera Darat Malaysia (in Malay). 2019-04-26. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
  11. ^ Muhamad Zainalarifin Mohamad Zainal Abidin, Lieutenant (2018-05-16). "PIAW Memacu Kecemerlangan Skill Menembak Warga 10 Bgd (Para)". Berita Tentera Darat Malaysia (in Malay). Retrieved 2020-04-30.
  12. ^ Mohammed Fahmi Ishak, Major (2019-08-30). "Wisma Perwira 3 Div Anjur Hari Pengajian Menembak di PIAW". Berita Tentera Darat Malaysia (in Malay). Retrieved 2020-04-30.
  13. ^ Amar Aziz (24 August 2017). "Luahan Askar Yang Terlibat Operasi Daulat Lahad Datu". SoZCyili. Retrieved 2020-04-28.
  14. ^ "Semangat Wira Negara tidak pernah luntur di Lahad Datu". Berita Harian (in Malay). 2019-08-28. Retrieved 2020-04-28.
  15. ^ a b "Latihan Kepakaran Dan Kompetensi Tinjau & Sniper Kompeni Pandura (Para)". army.mod.gov.my (in Malay). 2021. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  16. ^ 10 Brigade (Para) HQ (2021-08-13). "10 Bde (Para) Trial Improvements to Combat Water Jump SOP". MY Military Times. Retrieved 2022-03-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ "Pembukaan Kursus Anjuran PULPAK". Mytradoc (in Malay). 27 August 2019. Retrieved 2020-04-28.
  18. ^ "Ex Eagle Swift Tingkat Kemahiran Taktikal Komp Pandura". Berita Tentera Darat Malaysia (in Malay). 2017-06-15. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
  19. ^ M.Faizie (2021-09-01). "Tentera Darat sahkan mayat Lans Koperal Mohamad Azrin ditemui". Air Times News Network (in Malay). Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  20. ^ Zaid Mohd Noor; Othman Yahaya (2021-09-02). "Allahyarham Azrin dinaikkan pangkat koperal". Utusan Digital (in Malay). Retrieved 2021-09-03.

Further reading[edit]

  • Sjn Mohamad Solleh Jaapar (January 2005) "Platun Pandura - miliki kepakaran tersendiri", BTDM, vol. 134, pg. 33. Retrieved 3 April 2017
  • Pbt Ainur Aisyah Yahaya, "Raja Muda Perlis Dipertonton Keupayaan 10 Bgd Para", bdtmonline.net, Published 29 October 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2017
  • Khaleeq Shahzada Manja, "Wira Beret Semerah Hati", Majalah 3, TV3 (Malaysia), 30 May 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2017
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