List of military special forces units
Appearance
Albania
- Reparti i Neutralizimit te Elementit te Armatosur (RENEA)
- Reparti i Operacioneve Speciale (ROS) (disbanded 2002)
- Shqiponjat
- Batalioni Special Commando
- Regiment Commando
- FNSH
- Republican Guard Operative Company
- Reparti Special i Farkes
- Port Authority Security Force
Algeria
Argentina
- Army
- Navy
- Tactical Divers Group (APBT)
- Amphibious Commandos Group (APCA)
- Air Force
- Special Operations Group (GOE)
- Law Enforcement
- Federal Special Operaciones Group / Grupo Especial de Operaciones Federales (GEOF)
- Falcon Brigade / Brigada Especial Operativa Halcon (BEOH)
- Agrupacion Albatros
- Tactical Special Operacions Group (GEAT)
Australia
- Special Air Service Regiment (SASR)
- Tactical Assault Group (West) (TAG West)
- 4th (Commando) Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (4RAR [Cdo])
- Tactical Assault Group (East) (TAG East)
- 1st Commando Regiment
- Incident Response Regiment
- 171st Aviation Squadron
- Navy
Austria
- Einsatzkommando Cobra (EKO Cobra)
- Jagdkommando
Bangladesh
- Army Commandos
- Para-Commandos
- Presidential Guard Regiment
- Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)
- Special Security Forces
Belgium
- Belgian Army Special Forces Group (SFG)
- Federal Police Special Units (former SIE/ESI)
Bolivia
Bosnia
- Crni Labudovi (Black Swans)
- Patriotska Liga (Patriotic League)
- Rendzeri (Rangers)
- Zelene Beretke (Green Berets)
- 505 Buzimska Muslimanska Brigada (505th Buzim Muslim Brigade)
Botswana
Brazil
- BOPE
- Brigada de Operações Especiais
- 1º Batalhão de Forcas Especiais
- 1º Batalhão de Ações de Comandos
- Centro de Instrução de Operações Especiais
- Comando de Operações Táticas
- Força de Ação Rápida
- PELOPES
- COMANF
- GRUMEC
- GERR
- PARA-SAR
- Grupo de Ações Táticas Especiais
- Projeto Talon
Brunei Darussalam
- Rejimen Pasukan Khas (Special Force Regiment)
Bulgaria
- Naval specialized research and analysis division (disbanded 2005)
- 68th Special Operations Brigade with Special Operations Battalion
- SOBT
- Para-Recon-Battalion
- Navy Combat Divers (Black Sea Sharks)
- Mountain Brigade with specialized Alpine coy
- Counter-Terrorist Squads
- Battalion for Psychological Warfare
Canada
- Devil's Brigade (World War II)
- Joint Task Force 2 (JTF-2)
- Canadian Special Operations Regiment (2006)
China, People's Republic of
- Army
- Law Enforcement
- Snow Wolf Commando Unit (SWCU)
- Immediate Action Unit (IAU)
- Special Police Unit (SPU)
- Beijing SWAT Unit
Hong Kong SAR
- Law Enforcement
Chile
- Navy (Armada de Chile)
- Tactical Divers Group (COMBUTAC)
- Amphibious Commandos Group (COMANDOS)
- Agrupación de Comandos Infantería de Marina Nº 51 (Marines SOF unit)
- Comando de Buzos Tacticos de la Armada (Navy SF commandoes)
- Army (Ejercito de Chile)
- 1st Parachute Battalion
- 1st Commando Company "Iquique"
- FACH (Fuerza Aerea de Chile) [Air Force of Chile]
- Grupo de Fuerzas Especiales (Air Force SF/Commando unit)
- Paracaidistas de Busqueda, Salvamento y Rescate (PARASAR - Air Force SAR unit)
- Agrupación Antisecuestros Aéreos de la FACh- (ASA - Air Force anti-hijack unit)
- Police
(Carabineros de Chile)
- Unidad Anti-Terroristes (UAT) of the National Police Force “Cobra”
- Grupo de Operaciones de Policia Especiales (GOPE) of the Carabineros
- Civilian Police
(Policia de Investigaciones de Chile)
- Grupo de Operaciones Especiales de la Policia de Investigaciones de Chile (GRUPO ERTA)
Colombia
Army
- Agrupación de Fuerzas Especiales Antiterroristas Urbanas (AFEUR)
- Brigada de Fuerzas Especiales
- Compañías Contra Guerrilleros Urbanos (Probably superceded by AFEUR)
Air Force
- Agrupación de Comandos Especiales Aereos (ACOEA)
- Grupo Anti-Secuestro de Aviones (GASDA), superceded by ACOEA
Navy
Police
- Grupos de Acción Unificada por la Libertad Personal (GAULA)
- Comando de Operaciones Especiales (COPES)
- Comando Especial Anti Terrorista (CEAT)
- Centro de Información Anti-Extorsión y Secuestros (CIAES), now superceded by GAULA
- Grupo Operacional Contra Extorsión y Secuestros (GOES), now superceded by GAULA
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- 10th Special Infantry Brigade
Costa Rica
Croatia
Czech Republic
- 7th Reconnaissance Battalion
- SOG (Special Operations Group)
- 601st Special Forces Group (601st SFG Official Website)
Denmark
- Danish Frogman Corps ("Frømandskorpset")
- Danish Hunter Force ("Jægerkorpset")
- Sleigh Patrol Sirius ("Slædepatruljen Sirius")
- Danish National Guard special support and reconnaissance unit ("Hjemmeværnets Særlige Støtte og Rekognosceringsenhed)
- The Police Task Force ("Politiets aktionsstyrke")
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
- Comando Especial Anti-Terrorista (CEAT)
- Grupo de Reacción Policial (GRP)
- Grupo de Operaciones Especiales (GOE)
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
- Erillinen Pataljoona 4 (Continuation War)
- Karhu Ryhmä (Bear Squad)
- Sissikomppaniat
- Utti Jaeger Regiment
- Taistelusukeltajat ("Combat divers")
France
- Army
- Army Special Forces Brigade (BFST)
- 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (1er RPIMa)
- 13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment (13e RDP)
- ALAT detachment for Special Operations (DAOS)
- Intelligence Brigade
- Plongeurs de combat du génie (PCG)
- Equipes d'Observation dans la Profondeur (EOP)
- Unité de Recherche Humaine (URH)
- Pelotons de Reconnaissance et Balisage (PRB)
- Air Force
- Commandos Parachutiste de l'Air (CPA 10, 20, and 30)
- Division des Operations Spéciales (DOS)
- Escadrille d'Helicopteres EH 01.067 "Pyrénées" (EH 1/67)
- Navy
- Naval Commandos
- Escouade de Contre-Terrorisme et de Libération d'Otages
- Groupes de Plongeurs-Démineurs (GPD)
- Gendarmerie
- Groupement de Sécurité et d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale (GSIGN)
- Escadron Parachutiste d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale (EPIGN)
- Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale (GIGN)
- Groupe de Sécurité de la Présidence de la République (GSPR)
- Groupe d'Intervention Héliporté (GIH, Air Force and Army Light Aviation helicopters for the GSIGN)
- Pelotons d'Intervention Inter-régionaux (PI2G)
- National Police
- Recherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion (RAID)
- Groupes d'Intervention de la Police Nationale (GIPN)
- Department of Corrections
- Équipes régionales d’intervention et de sécurité (ERIS)
- "11th Shock" (11e Bataillon Parachutiste de Choc, 11e BPC, 1946-1963; 11e Demi-Brigade Parachutiste de Choc, 11e DBPC, 1955-1963, 11e Régiment Parachutiste de Choc, 11e RPC, 1985-1993)
- Centre d'Instruction des Réserves Volontaires Parachutistes (CIRVP), Centre Parachutiste d'Instruction Spécialisée (CPIS) and Centre Parachutiste d'Entraînement Spécialisé (CPES)
- Centre d'Instruction des Nageurs de Combat (CINC) and Centre Parachutiste d'Entraînement aux Opérations Maritimes (CPEOM)
- Groupe Aérien Mixte 00.056 (GAM 56) "Vaucluse"
Germany
- WWII
- East Germany
- NVA 40. Fallschirmjägerbataillon Willi Sänger
- 9. Kompanie (Volkspolizei)
- Army
- Division Spezielle Operationen
- Fernspählehrkompanie 200
- Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK)
- Division Luftbewegliche Operationen
- Jägerregiment 1 (Air Assault Brigade)
- Navy
- Spezialisierte Einsatzkräfte Marine (SEK M)
- Kampfschwimmer (Combat Diver)
- Minentaucher
- Boarding-Spezialisten
- Marineschutzkräfte (Fleet Protection Group)
- Air Force
- Objektschutzregiment
- CSAR (planned)
- Federal Police
- GSG 9 ( formerly Grenzschutzgruppe 9)
- State Police
- Spezialeinsatzkommando (SEK)
- Customs Police
Greece
- Army
- Eidiko Tmima Alexiptotiston (Special Paratrooper Unit, ETA)
- Z Moira Amfivion Katadromon (Z Amphibious Raider Squadron, Z MAK)
- 13th Dioikisi Eidikon Epichiriseon (13th Special Operations Command, 13η ΔΕΕ)
- Navy
- Dioikisi Ypovrihion Katastrofon (Underwater Demolitions Command, ΔΥΚ)
- Air Force
- 31 Moira Eidikon Epiheiriseon (31st Special Operations Squadron, 31η MEE)
- Police
- EKAM (Special Anti-Terrorist Unit)
- Coast Guard
- OEA (Special Operations Team)
Guatemala
Honduras
Iceland
- Police
- Víkingasveitin (Viking Squad / Special Operations Unit of the National Commissioner)
- Coast Guard
- Ordinance disposal Unit / Frogman team
India
- Army
- Navy
- Air Force
- Counter-Terrorist Units
- Other units
Indonesia
- Army / TNI AD
- Kopassus (Komando Pasukan Khusus / Special Force Commando) TNI AD
- Tontaipur (Peleton Intai Tempur / The combat and reconnaissance platoon) Kostrad TNI AD
- Batalyon Raiders (Raiders Battalions) TNI AD
- Navy / TNI AL
- Marine Corp / Korps Marinir TNI AL
- Denjaka (Detasemen Jala Mengkara / Maritime Anti Terror) TNI AL
- Taifib (Intai Amphibi / Marine Reconnaissance) Korps Marinir TNI AL
- Air Force / TNI AU
- Detachment Bravo (Modelled on the British SAS) PASKHAS TNI AU
- Police / POLRI
- Brigade Mobil (National Police Special Operations Force)
- Detachment 88 (National Police Special Detachment 88 Counter-terrorism)
Iran
- Army
- Revolutionary Guard Corps
Ireland
- Emergency Response Unit (ERU)
- Irish Army Rangers (accepts female members)
Israel
- Infantry Corps
- PALSAR Givaty (part of Givati Brigade)
- PALSAR Golani (part of Golani Brigade)
- PALSAR NAHAL (part of Nahal Brigade)
- PALSAR T'zanhanim (part of Paratroopers Brigade)
- Engineering Corps
- Special Mission Units
- Air Force
- Naval Force
- Shayetet 13 (13th Flotilla)
- YALTAM (Underwater Task Force)
- YABAN
- Disbanded Units
- Civillian Units
Italy
- AntiTerrorismo Pronto Impiego (AT-PI)
- 9th Parachute Assault Regiment "Col Moschin"
- 185th Parachute Reconnaissance Regiment "Folgore"
- 4th Alpini Parachute Regiment "Monte Cervino"
Japan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
Korea, Republic of
Army
- Special Warfare Command
- 707th Special Mission Battalion (White Tiger)
- Special Guard Team (SGT)
Navy
- Naval Special Warfare Brigade (UDT/SEAL)
Air Force
- 6th Combat Control Team/Combat Search And Rescue (CCT/CSAR) Squadron
Marine Corps
- Force Reconnaissance
- Special Guard Team (SGT)
National Police
- Special Weapon Attack Team (SWAT)
Coast Guard
- Sea Special Assault Team (SSAT)
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
- Kyrgyz Special Forces (Scorpion)
Latvia
Lebanon
- Army
- Police
- Fuhud (Panthers)(Special Police Unit)
Lithuania
Macedonia
Malaysia
- Army / ATM TD
- Grup Gerak Khas (GGK, English:(Special Strike Group))
- 11th Rejimen Gerak Khas
- 21st Commando Regiment
- 22nd Commando Regiment
- Navy / ATM TLDM
- PASKAL (Pasukan Khas Laut, English: Special Maritime Unit)
- Air Force / ATM TUDM
- PASKAU (Pasukan Khas Udara, English: Special Air Team)
- Field Protection Team (Pasukan Kawalan Medan)
- Combat Air Rescue Squadron (Skuadron Penyelamat Tempur Udara)
- Tactical Assault Squadron (Skuadron Sayap Tempur)
- Police / PDRM
- Pasukan Gerakan Khas (Royal Malaysian Police Special Operations Counter Terrorism)
- 69th Commando Battalion (Police Commandos, Paramilitary Police, Bomb Squad)
- Special Actions Unit (Urban Terrain Police SWAT, Sniper Teams, Mobile Squad)
- TEKMA (Marine Police SWAT, Shipboarding, Underwater Demolitions Team, Frogmen Squad)
Malta
- Armed Forces
- C (Special Duties) Company (1st Regiment, Armed Forces)
- Rapid Deployment Team (2nd Regiment, Armed Forces)
- Police
Mexico
- Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales (GAFE)
- Fuerzas Especiales (FES)
- Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales del Alto Mando (High Command GAFE)
- Grupo de Operaciones Especiales (GOPES)
Netherlands
- Former Dutch Indies
- Army
- Korps Commandotroepen (KCT)
- Navy
- Bijzondere Bijstands Eenheid (Part of Netherlands Marine Corps)
- 7th Troop (Integrated with British SBS)
- Mountain Leader Platoon (Integrated with British ML)
New Zealand
Norway
- Army
- Norwegian Army Special Forces (Hærens jegerkommando, HJK)
- Norwegian Army Paratroopers (Fallskjermjegere)
- Norwegian Special Force (Forsvarets spesialkommando, FSK)
- Navy
- Naval Ranger Branch (Marinens jegervåpen)
- Norwegian Naval Special Forces (Marinejegerkommandoen, MJK)
- Norwegian Coastal Ranger Command (Kystjegerkommandoen, KJK)
- Norwegian Mine Diver Command (Minedykkerkommandoen)
- Tactical Boat Squadron
- Air Force
Pakistan
Peru
- Navy
- Fuerza de Operaciones Especiales (FOES)
- Unidad Especial de Combate (UEC)
- Agrupamiento de Comandos Anfibios
Philippines
- Light Reaction Battalion
- 1st Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) (SFR "A")
- 1st Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR)
- Philippine Marine Corps Force Recon Battalion
- Special Warfare Group
- 710th Special Operations Wing
- Special Action Force
- Special Reaction Unit
- Philippine National Police Aviation Security Command
- National Bureau of Investigation Anti-Terrorist Division
- Philippine Coast Guard Special Operations Group
Poland
- 1st Special Commando Regiment
- GROM (Grupa Reagowania Operacyjno-Manewrowego)
- Grupa Specjalna Płetwonurków FORMOZA (GSP FORMOZA)
- Pododdziały Antyterrorystyczne (Zarzad Operacji Antyterrorystycznych, ZOA KGP)
- 4101st Paratroop Battalion (LRRP units)
Portugal
- Comandos (Commandos)
- Operações Especiais (Portuguese Rangers)
- Companhia de Precursores (Paratrooper Pathfinder Company, Precs)
- Destacamento de Acções Especiais (Special Actions Detachment, DAE)
- Destacamentos de Mergulhadores Sapadores (Combat Divers Detachments)
- Security Forces (Polícia de Segurança Pública & Portuguese National Republican Guard)
- Grupo de Operações Especiais ( Special Operations Group, GOE)
- Companhia de Operações Especiais (Special Operations Company, COE)
Russia/Soviet Union
- Alpha Group (FSB).
- Beta Group
- Delfin (Dolphin)
- Saturn
- Kaskad (Cascade)
- Grom (Thunder)
- Vympel (Pennant, aka Group V) (FSB)
- Spetsnaz (Spetsialnoje Naznachenie)
- VDV
- MVD
- SVR
Romania
- Detaşamentul de Intervenţie Rapidă (MApN)
- 495th Paratroopers Battalion "Ştefan Soverth"
- Recon
- Special Operations Command
- Navy
- 307th Marine Battalion
- Scafandri de luptă (Combat Divers)
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
- 63rd Paratroop Brigade (63. padobranska brigada)
- 72nd Assault Brigade (72. jurišna brigada)
Singapore
- Naval Diving Unit (NDU)
- Singapore Police Force
- Singapore Prison Service
- Singapore Prison Emergency Action Response (SPEAR) Force
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
- Army
- Special Forces Brigade (SFB), commonly known as "Recces" an abbvreviation for "reconnaissance commandos".
- Police
- Special Task Force (STF)
Spain
- Army
- Mando de Operaciones Especiales (MOE) (Army Special Operations Command)
- Air Force
- Escuadrón de Zapadores Paracaidistas (EZAPAC)
- Navy
- Unidad de Operaciones Especiales (Special Operations Unit - UOE)
- Unidad Especial de Buceadores de Combate (UEBC)
Sri Lanka
- Special Task Force (STF)
- Sri Lanka Army Special Forces Regiment (SF)
- Special Boat Squadron (SBS)
- Sri Lanka Army Commando Regiment (CR)
- LRRP
Switzerland
- Grenadiers
- Fallschirmaufklärer (Kompanie 17)
Syria
Sweden
- Särskilda Skyddsgruppen (Special Protection Group)
- Särskilda Inhämtningsgruppen (Special Reconnaissance Group)
- Fallskärmsjägarna (Parachute Rangers)
- Nationella Insatsstyrkan (Police CT Unit)
Taiwan (Republic of China)
- Thunder Squad (Police CT unit)
- Security Preservation Force
- Nighthawks Force (Counter-decapitation unit, Military Police Command)
- Aviation and Special Warfare Command
- 862nd Special Warfare Brigade
- Airborne Special Services Company (ASSC)
- 101st Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion (ROC Army Frogmen)
- Underwater Demolitons Unit (UDU)(disbanded)
Thailand
- Royal Thai Special Forces
- Royal Thai Air Force Commando Company
- Royal Thai Marine Corps Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion
- Royal Thai Navy SEALs
- Thai Royal Guard
Tunisia
Turkey
Ukraine
- Berkut (Golden Eagles)
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
- Armed forces
- United Kingdom Special Forces
- Special Air Service (SAS)
- Special Boat Service (SBS)
- Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR)
- Units in direct support of SF
- Disbanded units :
- Long Range Desert Group (LRDG, WWII)
- Special Interrogation Group (SIG, WWII)
- Mobile Reconnaissance Force (MRF)
- 14 Intelligence Company (14 Int, a.k.a. Joint Communications Unit (Northern Ireland) (JCU-NI), Northern Ireland Troubles)
United States
Vatican
Venezuela
- Brigada de Acciones Especiales (BAE)
- Grupo de Acciones Especiales (GAE, GAC)
- JCEF
- 5 División de Infantería de Selva
- 507 Batallón de Fuerzas Especiales "Coronel Domingo Montes"
- 107 Batallón de Fuerzas Especiales "General en Jefe José Gregorio Monagas"
- Comando de Operaciones Especiales "Generalísimo Francisco de Miranda"
- Unidad de Fuerzas Especiales
Vietnam
- Đặc công (Special Attack)