Located on the outskirts of the capital city of Amman, the sound of gunfire, explosions, helicopters, and tire screeches reverberate around the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Centre.
A massive 6,000 acre compound, KASOTC is dedicated to the training of special forces operators from around the world. It has everything it needs to train operators – a mock village, an embassy compound, driving and shooting ranges, and even an Airbus A300 with targets to simulate hostage scenarios.
“Simply put, if special operations units are the tip of the spear, then KASOTC is the sharpening-tool that hones it,” the center’s website states. It certainly lives up to its motto: “Where Advanced Training Meets Advanced Technology.”
KASOTC is the project of Jordan’s King Abdullah II, a graduate of Britain’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and the former commander of Jordan’s Special Forces. The king recognized the importance of special operations and counter-terrorism in the 21st Century, particularly in the Middle East, and wanted Jordan to be a leader in these types of warfare.
Built by a US company on land donated by King Abdullah, KASOTC is handled by the Jordanian armed forces and private security companies.
They have trained military teams, private security contractors, and even the actors playing SEALs from "Zero Dark Thirty." They also hold the Annual Warrior Competition, a contest where the best special forces teams from around the world participate in exercises and drills.
Take a look at KASOTC here:
The King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Centre opened in 2009 and trains special forces teams from various nations, as well as private contractors and security firms.
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The main part of KASOTC is a massive amount of buildings designed for counter-terror and urban warfare.
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The buildings include residential areas, an embassy compound, industrial facilities, government buildings, and public areas.
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They've been built to be as realistic as possible. Some have features like exploding charges, fires, and sound systems that play everything from gunfire to the screams of civilians.
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KASOTC also has a Airbus A300 and control tower.
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The plane features targets and civilian dummies that can move up and down, and speakers that play the sound of panicked civilians.
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The Jordanian Armed Forces, particularly its Special Operations Forces, train regularly at KASOTC.
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The drills conducted at KASOTC include helicopter insertions, hostage rescue, and urban warfare.
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KASOTC offers courses to teach soldiers how to use vehicles in special operations.
Dirt bikes are also common at KASOTC.
KASOTC has hosted international military exercises like Eager Lion.
Its facilities and equipment make it one of the best places to hold these exercises.
Jordan's king and KASOTC's namesake, King Abdullah II, makes frequent visits to the training center, as does his son Crown Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II
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King Abdullah, sometimes referred to as the "Warrior King" for his military background, is known to participate in drills himself.
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As does the crown prince.
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KASOTC also hosts the Annual Warrior Competition, where special forces teams and elite police units from around the world compete to be recognized as the best.
While a regular week of training can cost as much as $200,000 the competition is free to whoever can make it.
The teams compete by running various drills like hostage rescue, urban battles, VIP protection, and marksman competitions.
Obstacle courses are timed to find out which team is fastest. Speed is a very important part of the competition.
The teams learn valuable lessons that help them on the battlefield, like these Iraqi soldiers who fight against ISIS.
