List of defunct special forces units
Afghanistan[edit]
- Democratic Republic of Afghanistan[1]
- Afghan Army
- 26th Airborne Battalion
- 37th Commando Battalion
- 38th Commando Battalion
- 84th Commando Battalion
- 85th Commando Battalion
- 242nd Parachute Battalion
- 444th Commando Battalion
- 455th Commando Battalion
- 466th Commando Battalion
- 666th Commando Battalion
- Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Afghan Army (KhAD-e-Nezami)
- Afghan Army
ANA Special Operations Command[2]
- National Mission Brigade (NMB)[3]
- Special Missions Wing[3]
- Military Intelligence Battalion[3]
- National Strategic Reserve Operations Battalion[3]
- Afghan National Army Commando Corps[6][7]
- 1st SO Brigade at Gardez
Australia[edit]
- No. 200 Flight RAAF
- Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV)
- Australian commandos
- Combined Field Intelligence Service
- Far Eastern Liaison Office (FELO)
- M Special Unit
- Rose Force
- Royal Australian Navy Beach Commandos
- Services Reconnaissance Department
- Z Special Unit
- Bushveldt Carbineers
Austro-Hungarian Empire[edit]
Canada[edit]
Croatia[edit]
Ethiopia[edit]
- 103rd Commando Division - Derg government, active 1988-89[8]
Empire of Japan[edit]
- Kamikaze ("divine wind")
- Teishin Shudan ("Raiding Group")
- Giretsu ("Heroic Paratroopers")
- 1st Yokosuka SNLF
- 2nd Yokosuka SNLF
- 3rd Yokosuka SNLF
- 1st Raiding Group
- 2nd Raiding Group
Germany[edit]
- Sturmtruppen (17 battalions)
- Abwehr- units later reassigned to Wehrmacht after expanding to divisional size
- Brandenburg Lehr und Bau Battalion zbV 800 – December 1939
- 1. Company - Baltic/ Russian
- 2. Company - English/ North and South Africa
- 3. Company - Sudeten German/ Balkans
- 4. Company - Volkdeutshe/ Eastern ethnic German
- Motorcycle platoon
- Parachute platoon
- Brandenburg Lehr-Regiment zbV 800 – 1941–1943
- 1st Battalion, at Brandenburg
- 2nd Battalion at Baden
- 3rd Battalion at Baden
- Intelligence Battalion
- Coastal Raiding Company
- Sonderverbrand 287 - Arab volunteers with brandenburg volunteer core
- Sonderverbrand 288 - All German
- Wehrmacht from 1943- 1945
HQ staff at Brandenburg an der Havel, Brandenburg
- Verband 801, based in Brandenburg an der Havel
- I. Battalion
- II. Battalion
- III. Battalion
- Verband 802 (Mountain), base in Admont, Steiermark
- I. Gebirgsjäger Battalion
- II. Gebirgsjäger Battalion
- III. Gebirgsjäger Battalion
- Verband 803, based in Düren, North Rhine-Westphalia
- I. Battalion
- II. Battalion
- III. Battalion
- 13. Legionärs Company
- Verband 804 (Legionärs), based in Langenargen, Bodensee
- I. Legionärs Battalion
- II. Legionärs Battalion
- III. Legionärs Bataillon
- Verband 805, based in Brandenburg an der Havel
- Intelligence Detachment 800
- 5X Company
- Intelligence Support Detachment 800
- 4X Company
- Coastal Rangers Detachment 800, based at Langenargen, Bodensee
- 4X Company (1, 2, 3 and 4)
- Signals Detachment 800
- 3X Company (1, 2 and 3)
- Training Unit, Gut „Quenzsee“ (or „Quenzgut“), based near Brandenburg
- Lehrkommandos 200, 250, 300, 350, and 700
- Sonderlehrgang z.b.V. „Oranienburg“ (18 April 1943 – 16 June 1943)
- Sonderverband z. b. V. "Friedenthal" (16 June 1943 – 17 April 1944)
- 500th SS Parachute Battalion
- 502nd SS Jäger Battalion (17 April 1944 – 10 November 1944)
- 500th SS Jäger Battalion
- 600th SS Jäger Battalion
- SS-Jagdverband
- SS-Jagdverband Mitte
- 150th SS Panzer Brigade (November 1944 - 25–28 December 1944)
- Division Schwedt Kampfgruppe/Sperrverband Skorzeny (31 January 1945 – 3 March 1945)
- SS-Jagdverband Nordwest
- SS-Jagdverband Ost
- SS-Jagdverband Südost
- SS-Jagdverband Südwest
- SS-Jagdverband Mitte
Greece[edit]
Fiji[edit]
- Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit[9] (1987-2000)
Indonesia[edit]
- Kopkamtib (1965-1988)
- Bakorstanas (1988-2000)
Ireland[edit]
Israel[edit]
- Palmach
- Unit 101
- Samson Unit
- Force 100
- Sayeret Haruv
- TAT'ZAM
- Sayeret Shaked
- Sayeret Rimon
Kingdom of Italy[edit]
- Regio Esercito : 10th Arditi Regiment (3 battalions, plus 1 combined parachutist battalion)
- Regia Aeronautica : A.D.R.A. Arditi Distruttori Regia Aeronautica (2 battalions)
- Blackshirts : Battaglioni M
Netherlands[edit]
Poland[edit]
- Cichociemni
- Independent Grenadiers Company[10]
- 1st Assault Battalion[11]
Portugal[edit]
Philippine Republic[edit]
Rhodesia[edit]
- Selous Scouts
- Rhodesian Special Air Service
- Grey's Scouts
Serbia[edit]
Counter-Terrorist Unit (PTJ), MUP, merged into Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ)
Special Operations Unit (JSO), SDB, disbanded
South Africa[edit]
- South African Special Forces
- 1 Reconnaissance Commando
- 2 Reconnaissance Commando (Citizen Force)
- 3 Reconnaissance Commando (consisting of former Selous Scouts)
- 6 Reconnaissance Commando (consisting of former Rhodesian SAS)
- 31 Battalion "the Bushman Battalion" Originally "Alpha Group"
- 31 Battalion Recce Wing
- 32 Battalion 'The Terrible Ones' Originally "Bravo Group"
- 32 Battalion Recce Wing
- Civil Cooperation Bureau (CCB)
- Hunter Group
- Koevoet
- 44 Parachute Brigade Pathfinder Company 'The Philistines'
Syria[edit]
Turkey[edit]
- Special Warfare Department (Turkish: Özel Harp Dairesi)
United Kingdom[edit]
- Army Commandos (1940 - 1946)
- No. 1 Commando
- No. 2 Commando
- No. 3 Commando
- No. 4 Commando
- No. 5 Commando
- No. 6 Commando
- No. 7 Commando
- No. 8 (Guards) Commando
- No. 9 Commando
- No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando
- No. 11 (Scottish) Commando
- No. 12 Commando
- No. 14 (Arctic) Commando
- No. 30 Commando
- No. 50 Commando
- No. 51 Commando
- No. 52 Commando
- No. 62 Commando
- Middle East Commando
- Long Range Penetration Group “The Chindits”
- Ferret Force
- Phantom
- Layforce
- Long Range Desert Group (LRDG)
- Popski's Private Army[12] (PPA)
- Raiding Support Regiment (RSR)
- Special Interrogation Group (SIG)
- T-Force
- V-Force
- Z Force
- Royal Marine Detachment 385 (Small Operations Group)
- Sea Reconnaissance Unit (SRU)
- Royal Marine Demolition Unit
- Royal Navy Commandos - 22 units each consisting of 10 officers and 65 ratings
- 30 Assault Unit[citation needed]
- Combined Operations Pilotage Parties
- Royal Marine Boom Patrol Detachment (RMBPD) The “Cockleshell Heroes”
- Special Operations Executive
- Force 133
- Force 136
- Force 137
- Force 266
- Force 399
- Norwegian Independent Company 1
- Small Scale Raiding Force (SSRF) "62 Commando"
- Other
- UK and the Royal Navy Volunteer Group (Korean War unit)
- Special Reconnaissance Unit
- 14 Intelligence Company "The Det"
- The Increment
United States[edit]
 |
- 1st Air Commando Group
- 1st Special Service Force "Devil's Brigade"
- 2nd Air Commando Group
- 3rd Air Commando Group
- 6th Army Special Reconnaissance Unit "Alamo Scouts"
- Alaskan Scouts
- Army Ranger Battalions
- 5307th Composite Unit (provisional) "Merrill's Marauders"
- Marine Raiders
- 1st and 2nd Raider Regiment
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Raider Battalions
- Observer Group
- Sino-American Cooperative Organization
- Naval Group, China (NGC)
- Naval Scouts and Raiders
- Navy Combat Demolition Units (NCDU)
- US Navy Beach Jumpers
- Office of Strategic Services (OSS)
- 2641st Special Group
- 2671st Special Reconnaissance Battalion
- 2677th Office of Strategic Services Regiment
- US Army Air Forces Carpetbaggers
- OSS Detachment 101
- OSS Detachment 202
- OSS Detachment 303
- OSS Detachment 404
- OSS Detachment 505
- OSS Jedburgh Teams
- OSS Operational Groups (OG)
- OSS Maritime Unit (MU)
- OSS Maritime Unit, Operational Swimmer Group
- OSS Weather Observers
- Special Allied Airborne Reconnaissance Force (SAARF)
- Air Resupply And Communications Service (ARCS)
- Airborne Ranger Companies
- Combined Command Reconnaissance Activities, Korea (CCRAK)
- 6167th Air Base Group
- 6167th Operations Squadron
- B Flight, 6167th ABG
- 6167th Air Base Group
- Detachment 1, 6160th ABG/22nd Crash Boat Rescue Squadron (CBRS), Korea Detachment
- Joint Advisory Commission, Korea (JACK)
- Special Activities Group (SAG)
- GHQ 1st Raider Company (Provisional)/8227th Army Unit
- Unit 4 21st Troop Carrier Squadron (TCS), 5th AF/Special Air Missions (SAM) Detachment, 21st Troop Carrier Squadron (TCS), 5th AF
- United Nations Partisan Infantry Korea (UNPIK)
- BAKER Section
- Partisan Airborne Infantry Regiment (PAIR)
- US Navy Special Operations Group, Korea
- 46th Special Forces Company
- Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP)
- MIKE Force
- Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group(MACV-SOG)
- Phoenix Program
- Project 404/Palace Dog
- Project "Leaping Lena" (Vietnam War)
- Project DELTA
- Project GAMMA
- Project Sigma and Project Omega
- Raven Forward Air Controllers
- Tiger Force
- US Navy Boat Support Units (BSU)
- Other
- 1st Battalion, 245th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)
- 5th Force Reconnaissance Company
- 6th Special Forces Group
- 8th Special Forces Group
- 11th Special Forces Group
- 12th Special Forces Group
- 55th Special Operations Squadron
- 129th Air Commando Group
- 129th Special Operations Aviation Company (SOAC)
- 437th Combat Control Squadron
- 617th Special Operations Aviation Detachment
- 745th Special Operations Squadron
- 1730th Pararescue Squadron
- Army Aviation Support Element (AASE), US Special Operations Command
- Blue Light
- Detachment A (DET A, 39th SFOD)
- HAL-3 "Sea Wolves"
- HAL-4 "Red Wolves"
- HAL-5 "Blue Hawks"
- Marine Corps Special Operations Command Detachment One (MCSOCOM-Det 1) (Operation Iraqi Freedom)
- Red Cell
- SEASPRAY
- Special Forces Groups Aviation Detachments
- Special Warfare Aviation Detachments (SWAD)
- 22d Aviation Detachment (Special Forces)
- 23d SWAD (Surveillance)
- 281st Aviation Company (Assault Helicopter)(Airmobile Light)
- Special Boat Unit 11 (SBU 11)
- Special Boat Unit 13 (SBU 13)
- Special Boat Unit 24 (SBU 24)
- Special Boat Unit 26 (SBU 26)
- Special Operations Reconnaissance
- Task Force 5 (forerunner of Task Force 11)
- Task Force 11 (Operation Enduring Freedom)
- Task Force 20 and Task Force 121 (Operation Iraqi Freedom)
- Task Force 98
- Task Force 157 (Covert USN Intelligence unit)
- Task Force Bayonet (Operation Just Cause)
- Task Force Ranger (Operation Gothic Serpent)
- Underwater Demolitions Teams (UDT)
- US Air Force Special Operations Weather Teams (SOWT)
- US Army Special Operations Agency
- US Army Special Operations Division
- USAF Special Operations Combat Control Team (SOCCT)
- US Coast Guard Drug Interdiction Assist Team (DIAT)
- Yellow Fruit
- Naval Interdiction Forces ((Rose Units))
Republic of Vietnam[edit]
South Vietnamese Rangers At its peak there were 22 ARVN Ranger Battalions organized in 10 Groups.
- 1st Ranger Group - Da Nang (I Corps/CTZ)
- 2nd Ranger Group - Pleiku (II Corps/CTZ)
- 3rd Ranger Group - Biên Hòa (III Corps/CTZ)
- 4th Ranger Group - Chi Long (initially in the 44 Tactical Zone and later the IV Corps)
- 5th Ranger Group - Biên Hòa (III Corps/CTZ)
- 6th Ranger Group - Biên Hòa (III Corps/CTZ)
- 7th Ranger Group - Saigon, attached to Airborne Division
- 8th Ranger Group - Formed in 1974-75
- 9th Ranger Group - Formed in 1974-75
- 81st Ranger Group (Airborne) - Biên Hòa[13]
Additionally, during the Vietnamization of the CIDG and MIKE Forces, former CIDG units were namely given Ranger status and organized into groups mostly of 3 battalions each, but they were largely local forces without any special forces capabilities.
- 21st Ranger Group
- 22nd Ranger Group
- 23rd Ranger Group
- 24th Ranger Group
- 25th Ranger Group
- 31st Ranger Group
- 32nd Ranger Group
- 33rd Ranger Group
- 41st Ranger Border Defense Group - Chi Long HQ
- 42nd Ranger Border Defense Group - Chi Long HQ
South Vietnamese Special Forces (LLDB), later reformed as South Vietnamese Special Mission Service
See also[edit]
- List of special forces units
- List of commando units
- List of paratrooper forces
- List of police tactical units
References[edit]
- ^ "«Пожарная команда» Кабула | Warspot.ru". 2023-11-15. Archived from the original on 2023-11-15. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ Afghan special forces expand to handle night raids, delicate missions, but training takes time[dead link]. The Washington Post. Retrieved on 2012-01-01.
- ^ a b c d e "ANA Special Operations Command (ANASOC)".
- ^ "Special Infantry - Ktah Khas (KKA) (Afghan Special Unit)". Globalsecurity.org.
- ^ "Ktah Khas - KKA". Afghanwarnews.info.
- ^ NPR: New Afghan Commandos Take to the Frontlines
- ^ "Afghan National Army Special Forces (ANASF)".
- ^ John Young (ed)., 'Peasant Revolt in Ethiopia: The Tigray People's Liberation Front, 1975-91,' Cambridge University Press, 2006, ISBN 0521026067, 164.
- ^ Fijian coup colonel took part in SAS blunder. Retrieved on September 19, 2008.
- ^ "Komandosi Polskich Sił Zbrojnych". Interia (in Polish). 23 May 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
- ^ "Jednostka Wojskowa Komandosow". SpecialOperations.com. December 13, 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
- ^ Popski's Private Army, Vladimir Peniakoff, Nelson Doubleday publisjing
- ^ Previously 81st Ranger Battalion (Airborne). Officially upgraded to Groups status, but actually just an overstrength single battalion with 6 rifle companies.