Private military contractors have been a controversial issue in recent years. People wonder what private companies are doing on the battlefield and why they need to be there at all. The private military industry can be broken down into two broad categories: private security contractors that protect people, places, or things, and private military services providers that offer professional soldiering capabilities. This article will discuss 11 different types of military contractors who often work with the US government to help support their national defense needs worldwide!
Types of Private Military Contractors
The majority of private soldiers are employed as Private Security Contractors (PSCs). PSCs ensure safety by providing armed personnel protection, either in a private capacity or as government-sanctioned armed guards. PSCs are often used to protect commercial operations and private individuals from physical threats such as terrorism, insurgency, warlordism, extortion, etc.
Some of the most well known private security companies include:
Gurkha Security Guards Ltd., Tactical Outsourcing Incorporated (TOI), Protection Vessels International (PVI) Maritime Asset Security & Training Corporation (MASTCO).
Private Military Services Providers (PMSCs) Private military services providers offer professional soldiering capabilities that allow countries to circumvent legal prohibitions on using their soldiers for specific tasks abroad. For example, many PMSCs provide logistical support by providing food and water supplies for peacekeeping missions.
Contractors are private companies providing logistics, security, and combat support services during wars or in high-risk environments that governmental armed forces would typically undertake. Contractors usually operate under the direction of a government organization like NATO. Still, they also provide commercial contracting opportunities to private businesses operating in risky areas where there is no risk for prosecution for crimes committed abroad.
PMC’s often work with international organizations to enforce peace deals or bring stability to war-torn countries without having any legal recourse against them in countries where they commit their atrocities since most private militaries are based out of small island nations as Samoa.
Another contractor is Aegis Defense Services, a private security company that operates in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their primary client is the US Department of defense. Still, they also provide services to other countries such as Canada and Germany. They have been criticized for their role in the Iraq War by giving private contractors who work with Iraqi police forces, which have led to civilian casualties. These private soldiers are allowed greater leeway than regular soldiers because they only receive limited training compared to traditional armed forces members, according to an interview made by The Guardian reporter Ghaith Abdul-Ahad with one soldier from Sudan working under Aegis Defense Services named Suleiman Salim Mousa, who stated: “We don’t know anything about international law — we do what they want us to do.”
The contractor’s industry increased after the September 11 attacks because of the US-led War on Terror, which led to an increase in private security work with many companies being contracted by the United States government, such as Blackwater Worldwide, whose founder, Erik Prince, who is now under investigation for money laundering and ties to Chinese intelligence according to recent news reports have been accused of war crimes allegedly committing unnecessary killings during their time in Iraq while working with American forces. However, they are not alone since other private military firms also received contracts from various governments, including Triple Canopy Inc., DynCorp International, Armor Group North America LLC (AGNA), Saffron Global Strategies Ltd.
We hope this information has been helpful to you.