The development of modern army units, there are always military forces whose history remains a mystery and almost unknown. These are the special forces of every country in the world. Unpredictable, operating in inhumane conditions and carrying out almost impossible missions, special forces are the elite in the army and always arouse interest.

Below we present our ranking of the top five best special parts in the world.

#5 – GIGN, France

Top 5 best special forces in the world - GIGN - France
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The most important component of the GIGN group is the intervention forces, designed exclusively for combat and assault operations.

They include about 100 employees. During large-scale special operations, when it is required to attract a significant number of special forces, employees of other units can be assigned to the intervention forces in accordance with the order of the commander.

Employees of the combat sections constantly support and develop their abilities, which allows them to successfully operate independently or in collaboration with other units in many crisis situations. GIGN assault units, as a rule, are involved in counter-terrorism measures in airplanes, on water vessels, in trains, when they enter the premises where the hostages are held, as well as in the elimination of terrorists at nuclear power plants, in prisons.

The commandos are able to act effectively in any environment, and not only in the city, but also in a wooded area, in the desert, mountains, etc. In addition, intervention forces are often attracted to detain armed criminals. All this requires high individual qualities from each employee, as well as the coordinated work of the entire unit. That is why the group pays great attention to martial arts, developing skills in precision shooting, parachuting, diving, tactics of invading buildings and penetrating various rooms, etc.

The surveillance forces specialize in collecting and analyzing intelligence data needed to plan counter-terrorism or organized crime operations. In its composition, this segment of the group has both men and women. They are trained in skydiving, diving, mountain climbing, martial arts, disguise. Employees are closely studying the latest technological innovations that can contribute to the successful solution of problems.

#4 – Navy SEALs, The United States

Top 5 best special forces in the world - SEAL DEVGRU Team 6
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The US Navy SEAL Special Forces, formerly known as SEAL Team 6, also known as Navy SEAL, and today operating under the name DEVGRU SEAL, which is best known for the elimination of Osama bin Laden, has been transformed by the US leadership into a global killing tool with limited external control.

The modern SEAL DEVGRU unit has practically unlimited capabilities, and the unit’s priority was the implementation of operational pre-emptive attacks, special counter-terrorism operations of increased importance and secrecy, missions to prevent the receipt of weapons of mass destruction by terrorist organizations, rescue missions from military and conflict zones and crisis situations of objects and people representing increased value and importance.

SEAL Team 6 / SEAL DEVGRU prepared and performed deadly operations in complete secrecy in the barren territories of Somalia. As part of operations in Afghanistan, the unit took part in hostilities so close that they returned to the base in blood that was not their own. On secret raids in the dead of night, their preferred weapons ranged from individual carbines to primitive tomahawks.

In many parts of the world, they operated espionage stations disguised as commercial boats, pretended to be civilian shell companies and conducted undercover operations at embassies for internal and external intelligence, keeping track of those whom the United States was trying to kill or arrest.

All of the above operations examples are just a small part of the secret history of the US Navy SEAL Team 6 / SEAL DEVGRU, one of the most secret, least explored special military unit of the US Armed Forces. Once reserved a small unit for specialized, but extremely rare operations, known for the elimination of the terrorist Osama bin Laden, was transformed over more than ten years of combat into a global tool for the destruction of US enemies.

#3 – Shayetet 13, Israel

Top 5 best special forces in the world - sheyetet 13 israel
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Shayetet 13 – the secret unit of the Israeli Navy for special operations. Despite being tied to the navy, this is a rather universal unit of a wide profile capable of performing special tasks on land and landing from the air. The main purpose of the unit, of course, is reconnaissance and sabotage and special operations in the enemy rear.

Naturally, the sea to this day is the best way to secretly penetrate enemy territory and the same way of retreat. This unit, like MATKAL, works closely with Israeli military and foreign intelligence, most of the operations are classified.

The most significant Shayetet 13 operations of the last years can undoubtedly be considered the interception of ships with weapons. Hundreds of tons of various weapons from grenades to anti-ship missile systems did not reach the Lebanese and Palestinian targets. In 2002, a ship Karine A with a large batch of weapons from Iran to Gaza was intercepted five hundred kilometers from the Israeli coast.

More than 50 tons of machine guns, sniper rifles, mortars, ATGMs and ammunition were unloaded from holds in the port of Eilat. Next was a series of operations against arms smuggling from Iran, and, according to unconfirmed reports, to Iran. In the 2000s, several ships were intercepted under the flags of different countries with a wide variety of weapons, including rockets, missiles and large-caliber mortars.

Palestinian terrorists have become another area of ​​operational activity of Sh-13. Since the beginning of the second intifada, special forces have carried out many operations to capture and eliminate terrorists and to destroy Palestinian terror infrastructure. Many operations were not directly related to the main profile of the unit, which caused an ambiguous assessment of this practice. In any case, the Navy special forces showed a high level of work, the truth was not without losses – 6 special forces soldiers were killed performing operations in the territories.

The most scandalous operation of recent years was the assault on the Turkish cruise ship Mavi Marmara.

#2 – Spetsnaz, Russia

Russian special forces will receive a new assault rifle dubbed “the silent death”
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The special forces of the Russian army (interdepartmental or army special forces) are separate combat units of the GRU, Navy and Russian special services, including special anti-terrorist units that are part of the Armed Forces. Courageous special forces soldiers carry out military operations to capture strategic enemy ground targets, conduct sabotage activities behind enemy lines, as well as to destroy gangs and terrorist groups. The commandos are the main “backbone” of the Russian army, since it is these soldiers “with iron nerves” who are entrusted with the most complex and crucial tasks.

The Special Operations Forces are the most elite units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation with the most difficult conditions for entering the service and the most difficult combat training.

They are composed entirely of professional servicemen, recruited mainly from the ranks of the Special Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, with whom the Command shares similar functions and tasks – sabotage, reconnaissance operations, counter-sabotage of objects and officers of special importance.

The main difference is that the Command is recruiting already highly trained fighters for special operations and further deepening their training, and that the Command is under the direct command of the Chief of General Staff, while the brigades, regiments and individual detachments of the GRU Special Forces are under double command. of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces and on the other of the military districts, the separate armies and navies.

As a particularly elite formation, the Command is secret.

#1 – SAS, United Kingdom

Top 5 best special forces in the world - SAS United Kingdom
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SAS – Special Airborne Land Forces Service of the British Armed Forces Emblem of the SAS Emblem of the SAS As part of the special forces of Great Britain, the special airborne service of the Ground Forces – SAS (SAS – Special Air Service) has a special place.

Being, along with the SBS (special boat service), the core of the British special forces, the SAS is one of the oldest and most highly trained special forces in the world.

The rich experience of anti-partisan and counter-terrorist operations accumulated by the special airborne service forced the special forces of various states to copy the tactics of the CAC.

Many famous special forces units, in particular, the American Green Berets and Delta, in the process of formation, actively adopted the experience of the SAS.

SAS is designed to conduct reconnaissance and sabotage and subversive operations in the rear of the enemy. In peacetime, it was entrusted with the tasks of combating terrorism, freeing hostages, protecting dignitaries and especially important state facilities. Created on the basis of the legendary special airborne service, which proved to be on the sidelines of the Second World War, today the SAS special forces are rightfully considered one of the best in the world. In addition to units designed for action in a military environment, this service has special anti-terrorist teams. The unit’s slogan “Who Dares Wins” is depicted on the coat of arms of the SAS.

The SAS is based on three separate regiments, which in wartime are transferred to the operational subordination of the command of the British Armed Forces. Their main tasks are:

  • identification of military installations behind enemy lines (headquarters, command posts, communication centers, airfields, depots, nuclear missile attack facilities, etc.) and bringing the data obtained about them to interested parties;
  • conducting special events behind enemy lines with the aim of destroying or incapacitating identified objects, capturing or eliminating prominent military and political figures of the enemy, capturing documents, samples of equipment and weapons;
  • guidance of aviation to strike at identified objects and reconnaissance of the results of these attacks;
  • organization and training of rebel units on enemy territory.