The SSO, better known by the English translation of Special Operations Forces, are an elite strategic level special forces unit operating under the jurisdiction of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Formed far back in 2009, the SSO has been carrying out critical operations for the Russian Federation since it's inception. Their official task is to perform specific tasks in order to protect the interests of Russian Federation (with application of military force, by necessity), both within the country and abroad, in peacetime and in wartime. By definition, their areas of specialty include but are not limited to: reconnaissance and sabotage, subversion and sedition, counter-terrorism, counter-sabotage, counterintelligence, guerrilla and counter-guerrilla activities.
The SSO's history since has been long and elaborate, however records of their history in the United States are sparse as they are highly classified. Most of it was under tasking orders from the GRU, and the implications of that alone are enough to ascertain some measure of an understanding of just what they were up to. The shift from centralized government to corporate control only served to aid the SSO. It was through covert actions of the SSO that several Russian corporations were allowed to thrive in certain parts of the American market where usually they would face extremely stiff competition from local companies. While it was certainly possible for said corporations' US branches to take root normally, the actions of the SSO only helped to accelerate the process.
The SSO operate in every city where TSIINTOCHMASH have a presence, and work diligently to keep the facilities safe from any corporate espionage and sabotage. Anyone expecting thugs with guns are instead met with highly trained, highly skilled and very well equipped men and women who will not hesitate to use everything in their considerable armory to put a threat down. Additionally, they are also tasked with protecting the offsite housing for important corporate officials, and have on more than once thwarted kidnapping and assassination attempts. They also perform more...clandestine operations when required, either for the benefit of Russian corporations (which in turn benefit Russia) or Russia herself.
SSO operators usually patrol in three teams of two, with two marksmen watching over from vantage points. Among the marksmen, two members will typically carry support weapons, and at least two riflemen will double as grenadiers. The squad as a whole always has a medic, and will typically include a Vorobey-class Recon Drone operated by an SSO operator cross-trained as a technician. Teams such as the above will typically patrol within the perimeter of facilities, while the marksmen will have designated zones they're expected to watch that will both overlook the perimeter as well as their squads. The marksmen are typically equipped with the Rosboron 'Prizrak' Infiltration Suit, while the rest of the unit is equipped with the better armored Ratnik-4 suits. Naturally, all SSO operators are augmented with the SSO Enhancement Package.
As is to be expected, dedicated SSO snipers are also employed to guard important locations, and are also present in over watch positions when VIPs are embarking or debarking transport in public locations. Given the various security concerns, the SSO don't typically transport VIP using ground vehicles, but prefer to use the VIP transport variant of the Mil Mi-72. Four SSO operators accompany the VIP and three of their staff on the aircraft. Two additional gunship variants follow this aircraft, both with a single squad of SSO on board.
If forced to transport personnel by ground, the SSO prefer to transport them using Bumerang-M Armored Personnel Carriers. Unlike the Mi-72, there is no VIP transport and this usually involves bundling the VIP, their staff and protective detail aboard and driving as fast as possible. Perimeter patrol during times when trouble is expected is also carried out by these vehicles, augmenting the usual ZIL-Karatel-M patrols. In both cases, the vehicles carry eight man SSO squads. In the case of the Bumerang-M, the vehicles are crewed by a dedicated crew, allowing the infantry squad to disembark the vehicle and continue on foot for whatever reason.
SSO and support personnel are typically housed on installation in the case of larger installations, but for smaller cities, they have housing elsewhere. In such a case, patrol duty of said location is governed by a duty roster using the three watch system. Posting to the United States is looked on favorably by operatives, as while the majority of time is spent performing guard duty, there are times when an operator is called on to do more for their country than they could do at any other posting.
To assume that things always work to the favor of the SSO is to embrace naivety. SSO operators have gone 'missing' before, more often or not as the result of a botched mission. Their armor lacks any marking, and SSO operators don't have any form of identification when operating covertly. SSO operators are trained to ensure that they'll die first before giving any pertinent information. Unless caught by surprise and incapacitated immediately, SSO operators, operating clandestinely or otherwise would sooner take their own lives than allow themselves to be captured. Though none so far have given any real information to those seeking it, SSO equipment has sometimes fallen into the hands of certain corporations and on occasion, the black market.
(Vehicles, armor, weapons and equipment mentioned here not already posted will be posted post haste.)
The SSO's history since has been long and elaborate, however records of their history in the United States are sparse as they are highly classified. Most of it was under tasking orders from the GRU, and the implications of that alone are enough to ascertain some measure of an understanding of just what they were up to. The shift from centralized government to corporate control only served to aid the SSO. It was through covert actions of the SSO that several Russian corporations were allowed to thrive in certain parts of the American market where usually they would face extremely stiff competition from local companies. While it was certainly possible for said corporations' US branches to take root normally, the actions of the SSO only helped to accelerate the process.
The SSO operate in every city where TSIINTOCHMASH have a presence, and work diligently to keep the facilities safe from any corporate espionage and sabotage. Anyone expecting thugs with guns are instead met with highly trained, highly skilled and very well equipped men and women who will not hesitate to use everything in their considerable armory to put a threat down. Additionally, they are also tasked with protecting the offsite housing for important corporate officials, and have on more than once thwarted kidnapping and assassination attempts. They also perform more...clandestine operations when required, either for the benefit of Russian corporations (which in turn benefit Russia) or Russia herself.
SSO operators usually patrol in three teams of two, with two marksmen watching over from vantage points. Among the marksmen, two members will typically carry support weapons, and at least two riflemen will double as grenadiers. The squad as a whole always has a medic, and will typically include a Vorobey-class Recon Drone operated by an SSO operator cross-trained as a technician. Teams such as the above will typically patrol within the perimeter of facilities, while the marksmen will have designated zones they're expected to watch that will both overlook the perimeter as well as their squads. The marksmen are typically equipped with the Rosboron 'Prizrak' Infiltration Suit, while the rest of the unit is equipped with the better armored Ratnik-4 suits. Naturally, all SSO operators are augmented with the SSO Enhancement Package.
As is to be expected, dedicated SSO snipers are also employed to guard important locations, and are also present in over watch positions when VIPs are embarking or debarking transport in public locations. Given the various security concerns, the SSO don't typically transport VIP using ground vehicles, but prefer to use the VIP transport variant of the Mil Mi-72. Four SSO operators accompany the VIP and three of their staff on the aircraft. Two additional gunship variants follow this aircraft, both with a single squad of SSO on board.
If forced to transport personnel by ground, the SSO prefer to transport them using Bumerang-M Armored Personnel Carriers. Unlike the Mi-72, there is no VIP transport and this usually involves bundling the VIP, their staff and protective detail aboard and driving as fast as possible. Perimeter patrol during times when trouble is expected is also carried out by these vehicles, augmenting the usual ZIL-Karatel-M patrols. In both cases, the vehicles carry eight man SSO squads. In the case of the Bumerang-M, the vehicles are crewed by a dedicated crew, allowing the infantry squad to disembark the vehicle and continue on foot for whatever reason.
SSO and support personnel are typically housed on installation in the case of larger installations, but for smaller cities, they have housing elsewhere. In such a case, patrol duty of said location is governed by a duty roster using the three watch system. Posting to the United States is looked on favorably by operatives, as while the majority of time is spent performing guard duty, there are times when an operator is called on to do more for their country than they could do at any other posting.
To assume that things always work to the favor of the SSO is to embrace naivety. SSO operators have gone 'missing' before, more often or not as the result of a botched mission. Their armor lacks any marking, and SSO operators don't have any form of identification when operating covertly. SSO operators are trained to ensure that they'll die first before giving any pertinent information. Unless caught by surprise and incapacitated immediately, SSO operators, operating clandestinely or otherwise would sooner take their own lives than allow themselves to be captured. Though none so far have given any real information to those seeking it, SSO equipment has sometimes fallen into the hands of certain corporations and on occasion, the black market.
(Vehicles, armor, weapons and equipment mentioned here not already posted will be posted post haste.)
