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Special forces- the elite of a nation's military, tasked with missions too delicate or difficult
for large, conventional forces to undertake.
These elite warriors operate in small unit sizes, and are specialized in a variety of
tasks to include recon deep behind enemy lines, hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, and direct-action
missions such as sabotage or assassinations.
But of all the world's elite forces, which are the best?
Today we're going to look at the ten best special forces units in the world, ranked
by not just their individual expertise, but past performance, overall capabilities, and
training plus equipment.
Some units listed here such as Germany's GS9 are world renowned as top counter-terrorism
operatives, but we're looking for the total package, the best warfighters any nation on
earth can field who can tackle a variety of missions, and come out on top each time.
10 – Sayeret Matkal – Israel
Israel is a nation born from conflict and surrounded by enemies, thus it's no surprise
that some of the most elite warfighters in the world would come from this tiny, but formidable
nation.
Winning stunning victory after stunning victory against superior forces across the second
half of the 20th century, Israeli soldiers quickly developed a reputation for being amongst
the world's best, and few IDF service members can match the skills of General Staff Reconnaissance
Unit 269, otherwise known as Sayeret Matkal or to their enemies: The Unit.
Founded in 1957, The Unit was originally tasked with reconnaissance and gathering intelligence
behind enemy lines, a vital need for a nation surrounded on all but one side by hostile
neighbors.
Given their expertise operating behind enemy lines, The Unit soon was tasked with the proactive
elimination of hostile enemy leaders before they could stir up trouble against Israel.
In a practice still considered controversial to this day, operatives of Sayeret Matkal
penetrated into Lebanon and other nations and assassinated or kidnapped top Palestinian
terror leaders.
The Unit has also undertaken several successful hostage rescues, but one black mark on their
elite record comes from a hostage rescue mission undertaken in an Israeli school in 1974, resulting
in the deaths of twenty civilians.
Capable of blending into any population and masters of reconnaissance, assassinations,
and snatch-and-grabs, The Unit firmly clenches the top 10 spot amongst the world's most elite
special forces.
9 – MARCOS – India
Formerly known as the Marine Commando Force, India's MARCOS are amongst the world's most
elite amphibious units.
Born out of a need for a maritime special operations force, India's MARCOS have their
roots in India's war against Pakistan in 1971, when a critical need for combat divers that
could support amphibious landings was discovered by India's military forces.
After the war, several infantry units were converted to amphibious units similar to America's
Marines, and in 1987 India's fist MARCOS soldiers were sent to train with American SEALs and
British SAS.
Capable of operating in any terrain, MARCOS nevertheless are specialized in maritime operations,
a critical need for a nation whose primary regional adversary- Pakistan- holds a large
coast line with vital military targets to eliminate in the case of war.
Starting in the 2000s though MARCOS began to undertake many counterterrorism operations,
and their enemies began to call them the 'bearded army' for their bearded, distinctly non-military
disguises as they hid amongst the civilian population.
With close ties to American, British, and Russian special forces, MARCOS operatives
are amongst the best in the world, and enjoy the benefit of training under three distinctly
different SOF units from three different nations, adopting the best that each has to offer.
Unfortunately their relative lack of global experience and narrow operational focus versus
some of the other units on this list though sees them rest at the number nine spot in
our top ten of the world's best.
8 – Joint Task Force 2 – Canada
Canada, America's fashionable top hat and a land full of people always ready to respond
with a polite word- but for all that politeness and civility, Canada operates one of the world's
best counter-terrorism forces in the world.
Known as Joint Task Force 2, or JTF2, these elite soldiers have their roots in the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police's Special Emergency Response Team.
Given the greater recruiting pool within the Canadian armed forces though, a request by
Deputy Minster of Defense Robert Fowler to have a new counter-terrorism unit established
within the military was approved, and thus the JTF2 was born.
Since its inception, the JTF2 has operated alongside its American allies, and on its
own, all across the world.
During the Bosnia-Herzegovina war in the 90s, JTF2 operatives hunted for snipers targeting
UN troops in the infamous sniper alley, where dozens of civilians and UN troops met their
end at the hands of snipers.
In Haiti, JTF2 supported the security forces of President Rene Preval by providing training
for the Haitan military and police in their conflict against revolutionary forces.
They also assisted local SWAT teams and even lead operations against weapon smugglers in
Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince.
In Afghanistan JTF2 worked alongside American special forces in neutralizing targets across
the country, in missions so secret that even the Canadian prime minister was unaware of
the details.
Hands down one of the world's best counter-terrorism forces, JTF2's narrow focus nonetheless ultimately
limits their position to number 8 on this list, though it doesn't make them any less
fearsome a fighting force.
7 – New Zealand Special Air Service – New Zealand
With their roots in the legendary Long Range Desert Group in World War II, New Zealand's
Special Air Service may be small in size, but their reputation is legendary.
Back in World War II their soldiers roamed the deserts of North Africa, carrying out
recon and daring raids against German and Italian bases and airfields, often attacking
in the middle of the night and disappearing back into the sands by sun-up.
After the war, New Zealand formed their own version of the British Special Air Service,
and assisted British efforts in counter-insurgency across their former colonies and commonwealths
in asia.
During the Vietnam war, NZSAS operatives were working behind enemy lines, pinning down North
Vietnamese and Vietcong lines of communication and supply routes.
With a wide range of disciplines, NZSAS troopers are capable of carrying out any mission from
reconnaissance behind enemy lines, to counter-terrorism, and even asymmetrical warfare operations.
They are however famously capable jungle warriors, with skills honed in the inhospitable and
dangerous jungles of south east asia.
6 – Special Air Service Regiment – Australia
Training closely with their New Zealand neighbors, Australia's very own Special Air Service Regiment
has earned a fearsome reputation for their incredible flexibility and lethality both.
The SASR was formed in 1957 and was, alongside with New Zealand's SAS, modeled after the
British SAS, even sharing their motto, “Who Dares Wins”.
These elite troopers have seen combat everywhere from Borneo to Somalia where they fought alongside
American troops, as well as Iraq and Afghanistan.
The SASR specializes in long-range, on-the-ground recon, working in small groups and operating
deep behind enemy lines, but also maintains specialized commando units capable of carrying
out large-scale raids against fortified targets.
While operating as recon elements, SASR commandos are experts in infiltrating enemy territory,
and are trained to remain unseen, operating invisibly behind enemy lines where they can
call in devastating air strikes against targets of opportunity and time-sensitive targets.
Infiltration and camouflage specialists, the SASR firmly clenches the number 6 spot as
one of the world's deadliest fighting forces.
5 – Delta Force- USA
There are few units in the world more feared, and more notorious, than America's Delta Force.
Secretive warriors, Delta Force operatives are unique amongst global special forces,
as they very often operate in plain clothes within the heart of hostile foreign cities.
These highly skilled soldiers are amongst the best in the US Army, and have a wide repertoire
of skills to back their reputation.
When General Norman Schwarzkopf needed bodyguards in the middle of a war zone during the first
Gulf War, it was Delta Force that met that need.
When one of Al-Qaeda's top recruiting and propaganda leaders was marked for elimination,
it was Delta Force operatives who snatched him in a now-legendary operation that plucked
the man from a busy street in mere seconds.
Best known for operating amongst hostile populations, Delta Force training includes everything from
land navigation at night to spycraft techniques, taught by CIA operatives.
While a broad-spectrum capable force, Delta Force's specialized operational scope nonetheless
limits their spot on this list to number 5.
4 – Alpha Group- Russia
There is no more notorious, and feared, counter-terrorism unit in the world than Russia's Alpha Group.
A famously aggressive unit of special forces operatives, Alpha Group has its origins in
the old Soviet KGB as a response to the 1972 Munich massacre.
With terrorism on the rise globally, the Soviet Union saw a pressing need for an elite counter-terrorism
unit along the lines of West Germany's GSG 9.
Primarily a counter-terrorism task force, Alpha Group has nonetheless been tasked with
a variety of very high-profile missions outside of the scope of their counter-terrorism training.
Just prior to the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan, Alpha Group operatives infiltrated
President Hafizullah Amin's palace and killed him along with his mistress and young son-
as well as many other Afghani nationals.
Famous for disregarding civilian casualties, Alpha Group operatives have a brutal efficiency,
but their inability to operate with subtlety has often caused unnecessary casualties and
massive political fallout for Russia and the former Soviet Union, ultimately limiting Alpha
Group to the number 4 spot.
3 – Shayetet 13 – Israel
Managing a feat only shared by one other nation on this list, Israel manages to land not one,
but two elite units in our top 10 of the world's most deadly special forces outfits.
Shayetet 13 commandos are often compared to American SEALs, and are without a doubt the
deadliest fighting force in the Middle East.
With a wide range of disciplines, there's no mission that Shayetet 13 can’t handle,
and they have undertaken everything from hostage rescues to target elimination and even boarding
actions against hostile vessels.
Their most famous feat however is likely the hunting down and elimination of Black September
terrorist leaders who had orchestrated and carried out the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics
massacre of Israeli athletes.
Some of the world's deadliest hunter-killers, Shayetet 13 commandos are also fully capable
of carrying out traditional direct-action missions during wartime, and in the Yom Kippur
war, its commandos infiltrated Egyptian ports and sunk five Egyptian navy vessels while
causing heavy damage to another.
Known as the “people of Silence”, Shayetet 13 is Israel's answer for any mission too
dangerous, or too difficult for anyone else to undertake.
2 – SAS – United Kingdom
The grandfathers of modern special operations forces, Britain's SAS laid the groundwork
for what special forces should be, and became a model that every other nation on earth followed.
Originally created in 1941, Britain's SAS conducted reconnaissance and raids in Nazi-held
territory, and was given one simple task: raise hell for Jerry any way you can.
And hell they indeed raised.
The exploits of Britain's SAS is by now the stuff of legend, and today they remain one
of the most formidable special operations forces in the world, with operational expertise
across the globe.
Their incredible heritage and long list of accomplishments should rightly place them
at the number one spot on our list, and in truth they are ultimately nearly neck and
neck with our top special forces unit in the world.
Capable of operations across the spectrum of modern war, SAS troopers are as equally
skilled at counter-terrorism operations as they are in direct-action missions.
While the British military steadily shrinks in size and capabilities, the SAS nonetheless
remains stalwart protectors of Britain's interests, and deadly allies to her friends.
1 – Navy SEALs – USA
Britain's SAS has a historical legacy well known and feared by their enemies, but in
the modern age no military force is more feared than America's Navy SEALs.
Their training is legendarily brutal, and they suffer the most casualties during training
of any American unit, and sport a washout rate of 98%.
For those that make it through initial training, they must still survive a year or more of
training before being declared combat-ready to join an existing SEAL team.
Operating from the sea, air, and land, there is no terrain on earth SEALs can't operate,
and thrive in, and their clandestine missions are so secretive, that little is actually
known about their service record.
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What do you think our our list?
Do you think someone else deserved the top spot?
Let us know in the comments!
And then go watch “Why You Won't Survive NAVY Seal Training” to further see why we
were right about them being most elite special operations force in the world.
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