List of special forces units - Definition and Overview

This is a list of special forces units.

Albania

• RENEA
• Reparti i Operacioneve Speciale
• Shqiponjat

RENEA REPARTI OPERACIONEVE SPECIALE (ROS) BATALIONI SPECIAL COMMANDO REGIMENT COMMANDO F.N.SH REPUBLICAN GUARD OPERATIV COMPANY

Argentina

• Alacran
• Albatros
• GEOF
• Grupo de Operaciones Especiales
• Buzos Tacticos
• Comandos Anfibios
• Compania De Comandos 601

Australia

• 1st Commando Regiment
• Clearance Diving Team
• 4th Commando Battalion
• ADG
• Australian Special Air Service

Austria

• GEK (Cobra unit)
• Jagdkommando

Bangladesh

• Jatio Rokhi Bahanini (defunct)

Belgium

• Belgian Para-Commandos
• LRRP

Bolivia

• Polivalente

Botswana

• SSG

Brazil

• 1st Batalhio de Forcas Especiais
• Comando de Operaciones Tacticas
• Força de Ação Rápida
• GER
• GRUMEC
• Projecto Talon

Canada

• Devil's Brigade (WW II)
• Joint Task Force 2 (JTF)

China, People's Republic of

• Immediate Action Unit (IAU)

Colombia

• AFEUR (AFEAU or AFEAUR are other names for the unit)
• Brigada de Fuerzas Especiales
• CCGU
• CIAES
• GOES
• GASDA
• GCA
• GAULA (Replaced UNASE)

Democratic Republic of the Congo

• 10th Special Infantry Brigade

Costa Rica

Costa Rica has a paramilitary Civil Guard, based on Spain's Guardia Civil, instead of a regular military. The UIE unit of the Civil Guard is trained in VIP protection and hostage rescue, and also assists with dangerous criminal arrests.

Czech Republic

• 6th Special Forces Brigade
• 115th Long Range Reconnaissance Battalion
• 4th Reconnaissance Battalion
• 43rd Airborne Mechanized Battalion
• 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion
• 7th Reconnaissance Battalion

Denmark

• Frømandskorpset
• Jægerkorpset
• Hjemmeværnets Patruljer
• Slædepatruljen Sirius

Ecuador

• Special Forces Brigade

Egypt

• Unit 777

El Salvador

• BESM

Eritrea

• Eritrean Special Forces (note: accepts female members)

Ethiopia

• 205th Commando Brigade
• 206th Commando Brigade
• Agazi Commando Division

Finland

• Erillinen Pataljoona 4 (Continuation War)
• Osasto Karhu (Bear Force)
• Sissikomppaniat
• Utti Jaeger Regiment

France

See unofficial site (http://le.cos.free.fr). French special forces operate under the Special Operation Command. First circle units are permanently under that command, while second circle units may be called in if necessary.

• First circle
  • Army
    • 11th shock parachutist regiment (disbanded)
    • 1st parachutist marine infantry regiment
    • 13th parachutist dragoon regiment
    • special helicopter squadron
    • DGSE, division of operations
  • Air Force
  • 10th air parachutist commando
  • Navy
    • Naval commandos (Jaubert, Trepel, de Penfentenyo, de Montfort, Hubert)
• Second circle
  • parachutist commando group
  • Gendarmerie GSIGN including GIGN.

• RAID (France)

Germany

• GSG-9
• Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK)
• Division Spezielle Operationen (DSO)
• Kampfschwimmerkompanie (KSK)
• Sondereinsatzkommando (SEK)

Hellas

• Rangers / Lochos Oreinon Katadromon (ΛΟΚ)
• Underwater Demolition Teams / Monada Ipobrichion Katastrofon [ΜΥΚ]
• Z MAK
• 71st airborn division

Iceland

• Víkingasveitin (Viking Squad)

India

• Indian Marine Special Forces
• Indian Parachute Regiment
• National Security Guard

Indonesia

• Komando Pasukan Katak
• Satgas Atbara
• Satgas Gegania
• Komando Pasukan Khusus / KOPASUS

Ireland

• Irish Army Rangers (note: accepts female members)

Israel

• Unit 101 (disbanded)
• Sayeret Matkal
• Shayetet-13
• YAMAM (police SF unit)

Italy

• COMSUBIN of the Navy
• GIS of the Carabinieri
• NOCS of the Polizia di Stato
• San Marco Battalion of the Army

Japan

Kazakhstan

• Aristan
• Spetznaz Brigade

Kenya

• D Company, 20th Parachute Battalion

Kuwait

• 10th Commando Battalion

Kyrgyzstan

• Kyrgyz 'Scorpion' Special Forces

Lebanon

• Marine Commando Regiment

Lithuania

• Aras

Malaysia

• GGK
• Paskal
• Paskau

Netherlands

• BBE
• KCT

New Zealand

• New Zealand Special Air Service Regiment

North Korea

• Light infantry Guidance Bureau
• Reconnaissance Bureau

Norway

• FSK (Special Forces)
• Hærens Jegerkommando
• Marinejegerkommandoen

Philippines

• Philippine Army-Special Forces
• Philippine Army-Scout Rangers
• Philippine Marines-Force Recon
• Philippine Navy-Special Warfare Group
• Philippine Navy-SeALs
• Philippine Navy-SeaBees
• Philippine National Police-Special Action Force
• Philippines National Police Aviation Security Command-Special Operations Group

Poland

• 1st Commando Regiment
• GROM
• 6th Airborne Brigade

Portugal

• DAE

Russia/Soviet Union

• Alpha_Group
• Beta Group
• Delfin (Dolphin)
• Kondor Division of MVD
• OMON (Black Berets)
• OSNAZ
• Naval Infantry
• Saturn
• Spetznaz (Spetsialnoje Naznachenie)
• VDV(Airborne Forces)
• Vympel

Romania

• USLA ("Unitatea Speciala de Lupta Antiterorista" or "Special Anti-Terrorist Fighting Unit")
• S.I.A.T. ("Serviciul de Interventie Anti-Terorista" or "The Anti-Terrorist Service")
• S.I.I.A.S. ("Serviciul Independent pentru Interventii si Actiuni Speciale" or "The Independent Service for Special Actions and Interventions")

Saudi Arabia

• Royal Saudi Marines
• Saudi Arabian National Guard

Serbia and Montenegro

• Specijalna Antiteroristicka Jedinica (Special Antiterorist Unit)
• Zandarmerija

Singapore

• Singapore Special Operations Force

Slovakia

• 5th PSU

Slovenia

• MORiS
• Enota za specialno delovanje
• SEP

South Africa

• Special Forces Brigade

South Korea

• 707th Special Mission Unit
• ROK Capital Command
• Special Forces Command
• Republic of Korea Marine Corps

Spain

• Grupo Especial de Operaciones of the Policia Nacional
• Grupos Antiterroristas Rurales of the Guardia Civil
• Berrozi from Ertzaintza
• Unidad Especial de Intervención

Sri Lanka

• STF
• LRRP

Sudan

• 144th Special Forces Company, 9th Airborne Division

Syria

• as saiqa
• Special Defence Companies
• Republican Guard

Sweden

• Särskilda Skyddsgruppen SSG
• Kustjägarna (Coastal Rangers)
• Norrlandsjägarna (Arctic Commandos)

Taiwan (Republic of China)

• Thunder Squad

Thailand

• Royal Thai Air Force Commando Company
• Royal Thai Navy SEALs
• Thai Royal Guard

Tunisia

• GCGN
• USGN

Turkey

• Ozel Jandarma Komando Bolugu

Ukraine

• Berkut (Golden Eagles)

United Arab Emirates

• Commando Squadron

United Kingdom

• Commandos - Royal Marines
  • Mountain Leader Training Cadre & Brigade Patrol Group
• Special Air Service (SAS)
• Special Boat Service (SBS)
• 63 (SAS) Signal Squadron (R)
• 14th Intelligence Company (Northern Ireland)
• Royal Brigade of Gurkhas - [1] (http://www.army.mod.uk/brigade_of_gurkhas/index.htm)
• UK Special Forces Reserve - [2] (http://www.army.mod.uk/uksf/index.htm)

United States

Main article: U.S. special forces.

Vatican

• Swiss Guard

Venezuela

• JCEF

Vietnam

• Sapper Command