| Unit Name: | Snow Leopard Commando Unit |
| Dates: | December 2002 (existence only revealed on 29 August 2006) – present |
| Agency: | People's Armed Police |
| Type: | Police tactical unit |
| Role: | |
| Command Structure: | Beijing General Corps[1] |
| Abbreviation: | SLCU |
| Sworn Type Label: | Officers |
| Sworn: | 400 |
| Programmes: | --> |
| Significant Operations: |
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The Snow Leopard Commando Unit (SLCU, Simplified Chinese: 雪豹突击队), formerly known as the Snow Wolf Commando Unit (SWCU, Simplified Chinese: 雪狼突击队), is a People's Armed Police (PAP) tactical unit in the People's Republic of China. Its tasks include counterterrorism, hostage rescue, riot control, serving high-risk arrest and search warrants, anti-hijacking, anti-WMD terrorism, bomb disposal, counterinsurgency, crowd control, law enforcement tactics against crime, VBSS, and VIP protection. The SLCU, along with Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau's SWAT unit (under the Ministry of Public Security (MPS)), was tasked with many of the security responsibilities of the 2008 Summer Olympics.[2]
Officially, the SLCU is the 3rd Group, 13th Detachment, People's Armed Police Beijing General Corps.[1]
The former "Snow Wolf" name was inspired by the ability of the Arctic wolf to survive and thrive under harsh conditions.[3]
The SWCU was secretly established in December 2002 and trained in secret for five years.[4] The SWCU and the Beijing SWAT unit were unveiled in a demonstration at the Beijing Police Academy on 27 April 2006[5] as part of a public relations effort to illustrate the capabilities of the PAP to deal with terrorism, the protection of delegates, and to enforce law and order in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.[6] The SWCU had participated in an anti-terrorist exercises with Russia on 4 September 2007 known as "Cooperation-2007."[7] On 13 November 2007, SWCU operators were involved in anti-terrorist exercise before foreign military VIPs.[8] SWCU operators have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq to protect Chinese diplomatic personnel.[1]
The unit's name was changed in 2008 to the Snow Leopard Commando Unit.[3] According to Qu Liangfeng, a senior PAP officer in charge of the daily operations of SWCU, the name change was "inspired by the story of a brave and cunning snow leopard, which escaped an ambush by a hunter and his eight hunting dogs."[3]
In 2011, the SLCU deployed to Xinjiang to support counter-terror police operations[9] and provide security for the China-Eurasian Expo convention.[10]
In 2013 and 2014, the SLCU participated in the Annual Warrior Competition.[11] [12]
SLCU applicants must have one to two years of PAP service and undergo interviews, physical and psychological tests.[6] In 2006, the average age of SLCU officers was 22 years, with most entering at 18; the SLCU was among the youngest in the Chinese counter-terrorism community.[13]
Candidates undergo physical training, driving lessons for various vehicles, and weapons training.[14] [15] Physical training includes 200 push-ups, 200 sit-ups, 100 squats, lifting barbells 200 times and carrying a 35 kg load for a 10 km cross-country run.[6] Afterward, they are assigned to the Beijing General Corps' 13th Detachment, where the SLCU is based.[1] [16]
The SLCU consists of four squadrons assigned with very specific responsibilities:[16]
| Squadron | Duty | |
|---|---|---|
| 9th and 10th Squadrons | Counter-Terrorism | |
| 11th Squadron | Obstacle Removal, Bomb Disposal, Anti-WMD Terrorism | |
| 12th Squadron | Snipers |
The SLCU was shown in the demonstrations armed with the QBZ-95B-1 and QSZ-92,[17] but they will most likely also be armed with a wide variety of submachine guns and other firearms.[18] The SLCU is armed with the JS9, the CS/LM6, the QBS06, QBZ09, the PF-89 and the QLU-11.[17] [19] The unit also uses the Norinco CQ-A.[20]
The unit has spent about CNY 2 million (approximately US$ 258,000) in domestically manufactured armored personnel carriers for riot control and has also imported CNY 4 million worth of American-manufactured vehicles and equipment.[18]
Each SLCU operator is estimated to be outfitted with CNY 300,000 (approximately US$48,000) worth of equipment, including their body armor and communications equipment.[21] [22] The SLCU is the first unit in the PAP to be equipped with the W-15 helmet, an improved version of the QGF11, in 2015.[23] [24]
The SLCU is known to wear the Type 05 digital camouflage uniform issued by the PAP, although they are now using the Type 07 digital camouflage uniform. In overseas operations, they have velcro patches with the Chinese flag and 'CHINA' on the patch, usually with the language of the region where they operate in.