21st Commando Regiment (Malaysia)

The 21st Commando Regiment (Abbr. 21 CDO, Rejimen ke-21 Komando, stylised as Rejimen 21 Komando — 21 Kdo) is a special forces unit in the Malaysian Army. This regiment is part of Gerak Khas, alongside the 22nd Commando Regiment and the 11th Special Service Regiment, and its headquarters is located at Sungai Udang Camp in Malacca.

Originally named the 1st Malaysian Special Service Regiment, the 21 CDO has a direct link to the Malaysian Special Service Unit, which was the first special operations task force established by the Malaysian Armed Forces. Today, they are an integral part of the 21st Special Service Group.

Established to replace the Malaysian Special Service Unit
The Malaysian Special Service Unit (MSSU) is a special operations task force established during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation. Although the MSSU falls under the authority of the Malaysian Army, its commandos are selected from all branches of the Malaysian Armed Forces, including corps and regiments within the Malaysian Army as well as sailors from the Royal Malaysian Navy. This creates an issue wherein the commandos also need to report to their original units or service branches.

To address this problem, the Malaysian Army created a new regiment, the 1st Malaysian Special Service Regiment, for special forces on 1 August 1970. MSSU commandos who wished to remain as special forces soldiers were required to resign from their original units or service branches and volunteer for this new regiment by 1973.

Renamed as the 21st Para Commando Regiment
The 1st Malaysian Special Service Regiment (1 MSSR) has served as the sole special operations unit in the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) since 1970 and also functions as the command and headquarters for all special operations within the MAF. On 1 January 1976, the 2nd Malaysian Special Service Regiment (2 MSSR) was established. However, on 4 April 1980, the Malaysian Army separated the command of special operations from 1 MSSR by creating the Malaysian Special Service Command (Markas Gerak Khas; now known as the 21st Special Service Group) at Imphal Camp in Kuala Lumpur.

On 1 April 1981, 1 MSSR was renamed the 21st Para Commando Regiment, and 2 MSSR became the 22nd Para Commando Regiment. This renaming signified that all commando units in the Malaysian Army at that time would receive training as airborne units.

The 11th Special Service Regiment was separated from the 21st Para Commando Regiment
On 1 April 1981, alongside renaming 1 MSSR to the 21st Para Commando Regiment (21 PARA CDO), the Malaysian Army also established a combat intelligence squadron for 21 PARA CDO, known as the 11th Special Service Regiment (11 SSR). However, this unit did not remain under 21 PARA CDO for long. In 1983, the 12th Special Service Regiment, a sister regiment of 11 SSR, was disbanded, and at the same time, 11 SSR was separated from 21 PARA CDO. It became an independent combat intelligence and counter-revolutionary warfare unit reporting directly to the Malaysian Special Service Group (Gerup Gerak Khas Malaysia; now known as the 21st Special Service Group).

Renamed as the 21st Commando Regiment
In 1985, the Malaysian Army underwent a major restructuring, which also affected the Malaysian Special Service Group (MSSG) and its subordinate units. The MSSG was renamed the 21st Special Service Group, and the 21st Para Commando Regiment was renamed the 21st Commando Regiment. Similar changes also occurred within the 22nd Para Commando Regiment.

Reorganised as a special forces unit specialising in airborne insertion
In 2017, another restructuring occurred within the 21st Special Service Group. The 22nd Commando Regiment was restructured to become a specialised force unit focusing on amphibious operations. Meanwhile, the 21st Commando Regiment was assigned responsibility for special operations involving airborne operations.

Organisation
Originally, the 21 CDO had three special operations assault squadrons, one special operations support squadron, and one logistics squadron. Following a restructure in 2017, the support squadrons were abolished, and their functions were absorbed by the other special operations assault squadrons. Today, the 21 CDO comprises the following units:

Family welfare support
The 21 CDO's BAKAT oversees the family welfare support for the regiment. The organisation is under the leadership of the spouse of the Commander of 21 CDO, with the commander serving as the patron for this organisation.