Special forces are the elite of the troops of any country, which recruits not just the best fighters, but the very best. Next, we will get acquainted with special forces from different countries of the world, find out what tasks military personnel perform, and what requirements are placed on them.

"Alpha", Russia.

Alpha Squad is the elite of Soviet and Russian special forces and is known as one of the most effective and experienced law enforcement units in the world. The special unit is designed to conduct counter-terrorism operations using special tactics and means.

Preventing terrorist attacks.
Search, neutralize or eliminate terrorists.
Release of hostages.
Participation in special operations in “hot spots”.

Requirements for candidates:

Active officers or cadets of military schools.
A recommendation from a current or former employee of Alpha or Vympel.
Age limit: not older than 28 years.
Height: not lower than 175 cm.

Standards:

Cross-country running: 3 km in no more than 10 minutes 30 seconds.
Sprint race: 100 meters in no more than 12.7 seconds.
Pull-ups: 25 times.
Push-ups: 90 times.
Abdominal flexion and extension: 90 times in no more than 2 minutes.
Bodyweight bench press: 10 reps.
Complex strength exercise 7 cycles in a row, no more than 40 seconds each cycle:
15 push-ups;
15 flexions and extensions of the torso in a lying position;
15 transitions from the position “crouched” to “lying” and back;
15 jumps from a crouched position.

Features of preparation:

Three minutes after the physical test, you must demonstrate hand-to-hand combat skills. In this case, the candidate performs in a helmet, gloves and protective pads on the legs and groin. He is opposed by an instructor or an employee of the FSB Special Purpose Center well trained in hand-to-hand combat. The fight lasts 3 rounds. Next: a medical commission, a special check to identify unwanted relationships with the candidate himself or his relatives, examination by psychologists and a polygraph. Based on the results of each study, the candidate is awarded points, which are then summed up and a final decision is made.

2. “Yamam”, Israel.

Yamam is an elite unit of the Israeli Border Police. "Yamam" has the highest level of shooting training among all Israeli special forces. “Yamam” fighters have been taking personal and team prizes at all security forces shooting competitions for years now. Yamam snipers are at a much higher level than their army counterparts.

Release of hostages.
Conducting rescue operations and raids in civilian areas.
Recruitment and intelligence work.

Requirements for candidates:

Age from 22 to 30 years.
Be an active member of the army, police or border troops.
Have at least three years of service in combat units.

Standards:

Pull-ups: 25 times.
Fist push-ups with weight on back: 100 reps.
Abdominal flexion and extension: 300 times.
Cross running with 15–20 kg equipment: 8 km in no more than 38 minutes.
Climbing a 7-meter rope: no more than 7 seconds.
Freestyle swim: 50 meters in no more than 35 seconds.
Swim underwater: 50 meters.
Swim with hands and feet tied: 50 meters.

Features of preparation:
The course includes running across rooftops, climbing a building via a drainpipe, escaping from captivity and survival, which tests one's response to stress. The next exercise is a fight with a guard dog from the canine unit of the gendarmerie corps, specially trained to attack a person. Here they study the fighter’s reaction to an attack: whether he will be confused, how aggressive he will be.

SAS, UK.

Within the UK Special Forces, the Special Airborne Service of the Ground Forces - SAS - occupies a special place. The SAS is one of the oldest and most highly trained special forces units in the world. The SAS's rich experience in anti-guerrilla and counter-terrorism operations forced the special forces of various states to copy its tactics. Including: American Green Berets and Delta.

Conducting reconnaissance and carrying out sabotage and subversive actions deep behind enemy lines.
Anti-terrorist operations both domestically and abroad.
Training of special forces soldiers from other countries.
Release of hostages.

Requirements for candidates:

Service experience in other military units is required.
Age from 25 to 30 years.
Excellent physical and mental health.

Standards:

Cross-country running: 2.5 km in no more than 12 minutes.
Forced march with full equipment: 64 km in no more than 20 hours.
Fire training: hit 6 targets at least twice each with 13 rounds of ammunition.
Parachute training: 40 jumps day and night with a load of 50 kg.

Features of preparation:
Instructors greet candidates with the words: “We will not select you. We will give you such a load that you will die. The one who survives will learn further.” And words do not differ from deeds. About one candidate out of ten passes. What does it cost just to take a month's training to resist special interrogation methods? Each cadet also undergoes mandatory training in the jungle.

4. GSG-9, Germany.

GSG 9 is a special forces unit of the German Federal Police. The special group is directly and solely subordinate to the German Minister of the Interior; the commander of the special unit is ready to take action around the clock. After the command of the German Minister of the Interior, the group is ready to go to anywhere in the world where the incident occurred. Such management helps to avoid unnecessary deployment of GSG 9 in minor operations that less capable units can respond to.

Release of hostages.
Security of high-ranking officials and particularly important government facilities.
Operations to eliminate terrorists.
Implementation and development of methods and tactics for all of the above types of activities.

Requirements for candidates:

Secondary or higher education.
Citizenship of Germany or EU country.
Age from 18 to 24 years.
Excellent knowledge of English or French.
Swimming category.

Standards:

Five inversion lifts in full equipment.
Overcoming an obstacle course in 1 minute 40 seconds.
Forced march with full gear and additional weight of 25 kg: 7 km in no more than 52 minutes.
Swim: 500 meters in no more than 13 minutes.

Features of preparation:
The peak of physical stress is the third week, when candidates in groups make long treks over the rugged terrain of the Black Forest. This involves carrying heavy objects over long distances, transporting the wounded, going uphill and downhill with full equipment. All this is accompanied by restriction of sleep and food. Finally, candidates take various tests of psychological stability.

5. Chinese special forces.

Today, the Chinese army has seven groups ready to carry out special operations. Each military district has one such unit, which is directly subordinate to the district chief of staff.

Special intelligence activities.
Conducting short, small-scale offensive operations behind enemy lines.

Requirements for candidates:

Age from 18 to 32 years.
Excellent physical and mental health.
Passing a physical fitness test.

Standards:

Climbing a brick wall of a building to the 5th floor without any improvised means in 30 seconds.
Swim in full gear: 5 km in no more than 1 hour 20 minutes.
Pull-ups and parallel bars push-ups: at least 200 times a day.
Lifting a dumbbell weighing 35 kg: 60 times, in no more than 60 seconds.
Lying front push: 100 times, no more than 60 seconds.
Throwing a grenade: 100 times at a distance of at least 50 meters.

Features of preparation:
The physical training process of Chinese special forces is often called “descent into hell.” Every day, morning and evening, cross-country running in full gear and an additional backpack with ten bricks. In this case, a distance of 5 kilometers should be covered in no more than 25 minutes. After completing the run, the fighters move on to the “Iron Palm” exercise. The fighter must deliver 300 blows to the bag, first with beans, then with iron filings. In exactly the same way, standards for fists, elbows, knees and feet are subsequently worked out.

GROM, Poland.

GROM is a Polish special forces military unit. Prepared for special operations, including counter-terrorism, both in peacetime and during crisis or war. Since its inception, the unit has been completely professional.

Release of hostages.
Anti-terrorism operations.
Evacuation of civilians from a war zone.
Conducting reconnaissance operations.

Requirements for candidates:

Age from 24 to 30 years.
Excellent physical and mental health.
Resistance to stress.
Ability to drive a car.

Standards:

Cross-country running: 3.5 km in no more than 12 minutes.
Climbing a rope without using your legs: 5 meters twice in a row.
Bench press with your own body weight.
Pull-ups: 25 times.
Push-ups: at least 30 times.
Swim: 200 meters in no more than 4 minutes.
Swim underwater: 25 meters.

Features of preparation:
All candidates who submit applications first undergo a psychophysiological test. After this, as a rule, no more than 10–15 percent of the total number of candidates are allowed to take further tests. People from both the country's police units and civilian structures can come to serve in the Polish special forces. But civilians must first complete a basic police course before joining a SWAT team.

Special Forces "Delta", USA.

According to official documents, the Delta group is intended for covert combat operations outside the United States, on the territory of other countries. Delta Force's missions include countering terrorism, popular uprisings, and national intervention, although the group is also dedicated to covert missions, including but not limited to civilian rescue and invasion.

Release of hostages.
Release of American military personnel captured.
Fighting terrorists and partisans.
Capture or destroy military and political leaders hostile to the United States.
Capturing secret documents, samples of weapons, military and other secret equipment.

Requirements for candidates:

American citizenship only.
Age from 22 to 35 years.
At least 4 years of service in the US military.
Excellent physical and mental health.
Skydiving experience.
Highly qualified in two military specialties.

Standards:

Push-ups: 40 times in 1 minute.
Squats: 40 times in 1 minute.
Cross-country running: 3.2 km in no more than 16 minutes.
Crawling on your back 20 meters feet first in 25 seconds.
Overcoming an obstacle course of 14.6 meters in 24 seconds.
Swimming in clothes and combat boots for 100 meters without timing.

Features of preparation:
Candidates perform a forced march with backpacks weighing from 18 to 23 kg and a rifle in their hands. Their path lies through hills, forests and rivers, and the distance of this path ranges between 29 and 64 km. Along the road, every 8–12 km there are checkpoints where candidates must go and where observers sit. To successfully overcome this test, you must maintain an average speed of at least 4 km per hour and be well oriented in unfamiliar terrain.

Country: Brazil
Number of people: 400 people. 95% of recruits are eliminated at the training stage.

Habitat

Favelas, densely populated slums in the hills around Rio, founded 300 years ago by freed slaves. Favelas are divided into 950 districts, each of which has its own laws established by local authorities. A stranger, especially a white one, can easily be shot or stabbed here, unless, of course, he came to buy drugs. Streets with a width of one and a half meters exclude access by car. Many windows, doors and some holes on all sides make it difficult to understand where the shots were coming from. The police do not dare show themselves in the favelas; only special forces enter here. Any conflict with the local population turns into a close-quarters urban battle with the use of firearms, which, by the way, can easily be bought under the counter from the same police officers.

Weapon

Colt Commando assault rifle. 800 rounds per minute. Light weight and short barrel are ideal for mobile urban combat. BOPE fighters are trained to shoot with both the right and left hands, so that it is more convenient to maneuver in the slums.

Base

Rebuilt and fortified old casino on a hill high above the city. It rises in the very center of the favelas.

Workout

Running up hills and stairs with 30 kg of armor on your body and 5 kg of weapons. Close combat. Doom shooting on a special training ground simulating slums.

Vehicle

Some favela streets are still wide enough for a caveirao - a completely black armored special forces vehicle, affectionately nicknamed "the big skull" - to drive through them. The only weak point of these armored cars is the wheels. Brazilian special forces joke that they can change tires faster than Formula 1 mechanics. Amnesty International recently spoke out against the use of caveirao. The fact is that special forces often practice “mobile sweeps” - shooting suspicious passers-by in favelas directly from the windows of a truck. Human rights activists consider this poaching.

Country: Colombia
Number of people: 500 people.

Habitat

Jungle. Eternal twilight under a thick canopy of foliage. You can stand a meter away from the enemy and not notice him. Vermin, 100% humidity and lack of roads are not even discussed: the locals have been accustomed to this since childhood. In the impenetrable thickets in the center of the country there are coca plantations that produce 700 tons of cocaine a year. As a result, the powder will settle in the nostrils of residents of the United States and Europe, powdering the noses of half of Latin America along the way. Since the mid-80s, the Americans and British have been trying to block the great river at the very source and allocate a lot of money and specialists from their own special forces to train “hunglas” - fighters with Colombian field laboratories where 95% pure cocaine is boiled down. Storming these establishments means not only an exchange of 5mm bullets, but also the prospect of losing a leg or two. Few people know that Colombia firmly holds the first place in the world in the number of incidents with anti-personnel mines. Drug lords like to plant a Hunglas surprise.

Weapon

The good old Colt Commando in the M4 version - the shortest of all with a folding telescopic butt. Just enough to carry it through the jungle. On the other side, the special forces are greeted exactly the same. This is generally the most popular weapon in Latin America.

Base

There are four divisions in the country. Their bases are located at least an hour's drive from big cities, close to their native jungle.

Workout

Forced marches through the thickets in full equipment (the weight of armor and weapons is about 20 kg). Shooting at targets hidden among foliage and vines.

Vehicle

American Black Hawk helicopters. The most luxurious gift from a northern uncle. With the help of this reliable and compact machine, you can look out from above for coca plantations and throw “hunglas” to any point in their mountainous, impassable country. You can also shoot from above if the battle on the ground takes a particularly unpleasant turn. The most amazing people in the Colombian special forces are the helicopter pilots. They seem to be able to land casually on the roof of a shabby village hut, smiling and expertly bickering with someone they know on air. Before our eyes, one landed on a steep hillside, and the blades turned out to be about twenty centimeters from the protruding stone.

Country: Poland
Number of people: 237 people. The best police officers come here and undergo testing for three years.

Habitat

Densely populated city blocks, built according to Soviet GOST standards. It is in small apartments on the outskirts of Warsaw and other cities that those whom the ZOA hunts live, and hide weapons, prostitutes, heroin, etc. there. All this flocks here before being distributed throughout Europe: Poland, with its seven borders and membership in the European Union, is an ideal transit point. Special operations take place almost every week. Sometimes they are quite extreme, as, for example, in the small town of Magdalenka. Two Russian arms dealers then dug in in a private house, so that forty special forces could not storm them for 12 hours. The “Russian mafia” planted a mine under the door, grenades were dropped on the heads of stormtroopers, and fire was continuously fired from the windows. As a result, the criminals were taken dead, having lost two fighters. However, initially the Polish special forces were created with an eye on even larger game. After September 11, the small but proud Eastern European country decided that it, too, was under threat from terrorists. So far, fortunately, these ambitions have not come true.

Weapon

MP5 submachine gun. German quality, 9 mm caliber, weighs only 2.5 kg, can be used with a silencer and a combat flashlight - just what you need for quiet urban sweeps. The main disadvantage is the price. Still, you have to pay for the opportunity to snatch from a holster the same thing as the British SAS. By the way, the holster of the Polish special forces, which in addition to weapons also contains a walkie-talkie and smoke bombs, is fastened high on the chest. On the side of the thigh there is an additional holster with a Glock GmbH pistol. The uniform also includes a Robocop Kevlar helmet, knee pads and body armor - all in non-marking black.

Workout

Carrying out operations in high-rise buildings requires mastery of close combat techniques, rappelling from rooftops, and the art of breaking windows with your feet. The Polish special forces are constantly mastering all this in specially built “death houses”. Since most operations, according to the old KGB tradition, are carried out between three in the morning and six in the morning, they also train in pitch darkness, using night vision devices.

Country: Mexico
Number of people: 87 people.

Habitat

Mexico City, the largest metropolis on Earth. Here South America meets North America and does its most unpresentable business. In a crowd of 25 million people, it's pretty easy. Nevertheless, the local police do not give up and tirelessly search for criminals in order to engage in a shootout with them - almost every day one of the law enforcement officers dies in the line of duty. The special forces also work in the Stakhanov regime - two or even three trips a week. However, not all of them end in an assault. In many areas, the power is held by cocaine cartels, which place special people at the entrance to the intricacy of streets, so they know about the visit of GOPES in advance, and they prefer to leave. Some, however, take the fight. They have enough weapons and arrogance to meet stormtroopers with a barrage of fire (even rocket launchers!), and then what happens resembles a real war. Thanks to the investments of our northern neighbor, a lot of money and very serious people are circulating here. If someone decided to intimidate someone with the help of special forces, then they need to work it out for real.

In the world of military forces, nothing captures the imagination more than special forces. In addition to the conventional armed forces, most countries have an elite group of troops that meet a higher standard of requirements and training. Some of these groups have received wide publicity, others are not so well known and are shrouded in myth. A commando can silently emerge from the water to quietly neutralize guards, storm a plane to rescue hostages in a hijacked shopping mall, sabotage enemy bridges and roads, and carry out other of the most secret missions in the military world. Which countries have the best special forces in the world? This is a difficult and almost unanswerable question, since any national special forces are created for serious missions, from counter-terrorism and hostage rescue, to reconnaissance and even attack. However, past operations and reputation can be taken into account to assess which forces are in the lead.

Special forces GIGN, France

First on the list is the French Gendarmerie Intervention Group (abbreviated GIGN) from France. GIGN, like most European special forces units, traces its origins to the hostage crisis at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. In France, a year earlier, there had been a prison riot during which hostages were taken and killed. The result of this upheaval led to the creation of a force that today includes approximately 400 fighters. Specializing in hostage rescue and counter-terrorism, GIGN has repeatedly demonstrated itself in action. Past operations have included the rescue of 30 schoolchildren hostages in Djibouti, the capture of war criminals in Bosnia, the fight against Somali pirates and, of course, the dramatic attack and hostage rescue on Air France Flight 8969 in Marseille in 1994.

SSG Group, Pakistan

In 1956, the Pakistan Army created its own special forces, known as the Special Services Group (SSG). The force was modeled on the British SAS and American Special Forces, and its strength remains classified. Selection for the Special Forces is very strict, and only 1 in 4 recruits, after nine months of training, flight school, hand-to-hand combat courses and grueling physical exercises, make it into the ranks of the SSG. The SSG is trained to perform missions in all sorts of environments, including mountains, desert, jungle and even underwater combat. During the early Cold War, SSG forces trained and operated alongside American special forces. Some fighters trained in Afghanistan, fighting with the mujahideen against the Soviets in the 1980s. India claims that SSG forces have frequently attacked its soldiers in the border areas between the two countries. Later, the SSG focused on local counter-terrorism operations, taking part in many successful operations.

Sayeret Matkal, Israel

This Israeli special forces branch focuses on intelligence, anti-terrorism and hostage rescue outside of Israel. Sayeret Matkal was created in 1957 to fill a void in the Israeli Special Forces and is composed of candidates selected for high physical and intellectual characteristics. Candidates undergo eighteen months of training, including basic infantry school, parachute school, counter-terrorism training, and reconnaissance. The force has taken part in many large-scale operations since the 1960s. The most famous of them is Operation Entebbe/Lightning Strike, which made Sayeret Matkal famous throughout the world. The operation began after several Palestinian terrorists took hostages on board an airliner. Many hostages were released, but more than 100 people (mostly Israeli and Jewish hostages) were detained in the airport terminal building. A group of approximately 100 Israeli commandos, including Sayeret Matkal special forces, attacked the position, killing the terrorists and freeing all the hostages.

EKO-Cobra, Austrian special forces

In 1972, as a result of the attack on Israeli athletes during the Munich Olympics, Austria created the Cobra-Einsatzkommando for anti-terrorism operations. The unit was created from 450 men who served in the Austrian Federal Police. EKO-Cobra training is similar to other squads and includes several months of specialized courses in marksmanship, languages, hand-to-hand combat and tactical combat training. All candidates undergo psychological and physical testing. During training, Special Forces soldiers learn explosives, scuba diving and sniping. While EKO-Cobra has not had the same outstanding operations as Sayeret Matkal, they successfully freed hostages in Graz Prison in 1996, and are the only counter-terrorism team to prevent a mid-flight hijacking. In this case, in 1996, four Cobra fighters were on a flight when a hijacker called for the plane to divert. Needless to say, the hijacker chose the worst flight for such a step, and was immediately neutralized by special forces.

Delta Force, USA

The full name of this group is the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment "Delta". In addition to counter-terrorism operations, Delta can also take part in hostage rescue, attack, reconnaissance and less covert direct influence operations. The group was formed in 1977 as a result of a growing number of terrorist operations. It was created mainly from soldiers who served in the American special forces, Green Berets, or Rangers. Potential candidates must be male, 21 years of age or older, have high test scores, and be well prepared physically and mentally. A series of grueling physical and mental tests eliminate the weakest ones immediately. Based on the test results, less than 1 out of 10 applicants are admitted to intensive 6-month training courses. Delta Force operations are shrouded in secrecy, but you can be sure that they are at the forefront of any US operation.

Special Forces JTF2, Canada

Created in 1993 and expanded to several hundred troops following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Canada's JTF2 is an elite counter-terrorism and special operations force. Composed of members of the Canadian Armed Forces, JTF2 carries out a wide range of operations. They have repeatedly escorted VIPs and provided security at events such as the 2010 Winter Olympics. More secretly, they worked in many of the world's hot spots, rescuing hostages in Iraq, or tracking down Serbian snipers in Bosnia. Their presence in Afghanistan is largely classified, but it is known that some forces were still involved in individual operations. Their activities were so secret that even the Canadian Prime Minister was unaware that JTF2 was deployed to Afghanistan during the early years.

Spetsnaz Alpha, Russia

An elite Russian special forces unit, Alpha Group was founded in the mid-1970s and became famous during the invasion of Afghanistan, during which Alpha fighters stormed the Presidential Palace in Kabul, killing everyone in the building. In 1985, a team was sent to Beirut to try to rescue four Soviet diplomats. According to rumors, when the diplomats were killed, alpha fighters tracked down the relatives of the invaders and returned them to their families, almost piece by piece, to send a message to potential terrorists. Domestically, Alpha was involved in most major anti-terrorist operations, such as the siege of the Nord-Ost theater in 2002 and the Beslan school siege in 2004. Both events demonstrated the rather brutal nature of Russian special forces, as hundreds of hostages died during the operation.

Shayetet 13, Israel

Another Israeli special forces group, Shayetet 13 is affiliated with the Israeli Navy. Created in 1948, the force has taken part in all major Israeli military operations, from hostage rescue and counter-terrorism to intelligence gathering and surveillance. The training course takes 20 months and subjects candidates to the most intense psychological and physical tests before specialized training begins. Special forces soldiers learn all types of combat, parachute jumping, scuba diving and much more. Shayetet 13 is also responsible for seizing weapons heading to the Gaza Strip. Their most famous operation took place after the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, when special forces tracked down and eliminated those responsible for the attack on Israeli athletes.

Navy Seals, USA

The Navy SEALs are an American special forces group created in 1962. This group has achieved literally mythical status over the years of its existence. Thanks in part to Operation Neptune Spear, a mission in which commandos went to Abbottabad in May 2011 and killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda. This is an elite level of physical and mental strength where only the best of the best are selected. Training takes a year, and most applicants cannot even pass the physical qualification test, which includes swimming, push-ups, squats and running. But if you pass these very strict standards, then go to general training. After completing the training, you move on to become a Navy SEAL, and only after that the door to specialized training opens to you. All this ensures that special forces soldiers are physically and mentally strong and capable of carrying out the most difficult operations anywhere in the world.

SAS Special Forces, UK

What kind of special forces team could be superior to the legendary Navy SEALs? This is the SAS special forces - the British Special Service, created in 1941 to work behind German and Italian troops and support the Resistance movement against the occupying forces. The physical requirements for candidates are very strict and require great endurance. The test culminates in a 40-mile march with full gear, which must be completed in 20 hours. Candidates must be able to swim two miles in one and a half hours and run four miles in 30 minutes. After that, they are thrown into the jungle to learn survival and gain navigation skills, after which they undergo survival practice. The final test is a 36-hour interrogation session in an attempt to break the candidate's will. And only after this the candidate will be admitted to further training. SAS Special Forces members undertake security courses with MI5 and MI6, training in intelligence and counter-espionage operations. British special forces are like a mixture of the Navy SEALs and James Bond rolled into one.

Special forces have become an integral attribute of any modern army and police. The most complex and non-standard tasks for the release of hostages, the protection of VIPs, the destruction of especially dangerous terrorists and special operations abroad fall on the shoulders of special forces. The first prototypes of special forces appeared during the Second World War, it was the German Brandenburg division. Now there is a correspondence competition between countries to see who has the best special forces, where the main role here is played not by equipment, but by the training of people ready to carry out any task in the most extreme conditions. Meet the ten best special forces in the world.

10. Alpha (Russia)

The Russian special unit Alpha was created in 1973 under the KGB of the USSR. It became known about it after the storming of the presidential palace in Kabul, destroying almost all the people in the building. In 1985, 4 Soviet diplomats were kidnapped in Beirut, one of whom was immediately killed. The release of the hostages was undertaken by Alpha, who found the relatives of the organizers of the kidnapping and eliminated them, sending such a unique message to the terrorists. Recently, they have been mainly used for anti-terrorism (the school in Beslan and the terrorist attack on Dubrovka, better known as Nord-Ost) and special operations within the country, which are almost always accompanied by numerous casualties. By the way, this is one of the few special forces operating on the principle of “destroy everyone” and not “save them alive at any cost.”

9. GIGN (France)

The French special forces unit GIGN (Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale) was created after the high-profile terrorist attack of 1972 in Munich, during the Olympic Games, when several dozen hostages died in the Olympic village. Plus, the year before, there was a prison riot in France with numerous casualties. GIGN specializes in anti-terrorist operations and hostage rescue. The most famous operations of French special forces were the rescue of 30 child hostages in Djibouti in 1976, the arrest of war criminals in Bosnia, special operations against Somali pirates and, of course, the rescue of passengers on Air France flight AF8969 in Marseille in 1994. The number of GIGN is about 400 people.

8. SSG (Pakistan)

In 1956, the leadership of the Pakistani army created its own special operations unit SSG (Special Services Group), taking as a basis the structure of the British SAS and the American Green Berets. Only one in four applicants to become SSG fighters undergo a nine-month training course that includes hand-to-hand combat and survival in extreme conditions. SSG is ready to complete any assigned tasks in the mountains, jungle, desert and underwater. During the Cold War, SSG soldiers were trained by American instructors and operated alongside US Special Forces. In the 80s, Pakistani special forces soldiers acted together with the Mujahideen in Afghanistan against the Soviet army. Then, according to unconfirmed reports, they actively operated in territories disputed with India. Recently, the SSG has been mainly involved in anti-terrorism operations in Pakistan; in 2009, they carried out an operation to free hostages at the police academy and army headquarters.

7. Sayeret Matkal (Israel)

The Israeli special forces Sayeret Matkal was created at the General Staff in 1957, where only people with good physical shape and a high level of intelligence are selected. Candidates undergo an eighteen-month training course that includes infantry training, paratrooper training, counter-terrorism operations and intelligence training. Since the 60s, Israeli special forces have taken part in several dozen special operations in different parts of the world. The most famous operation carried out by the Sayeret Matkal fighters is “Yonatan”, also known as “Entebbe”. In 1976, Palestinian militants hijack a passenger plane and land it near the Ugandan capital of Kampala, taking 83 people with Israeli passports hostage. 100 people took part in the assault on the airport, but a strike force of 29 people, consisting entirely of Sayeret Matkal commandos, destroyed most of the terrorists.

6. Delta Force (USA)

The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta unit (translated into Russian as the 1st Special Purpose Operational Detachment "Delta"), the better known Delta Force, was created in 1977 to conduct anti-terrorism and secret operations, reconnaissance and hostage rescue. The British SAS were taken as a role model; moreover, the man who was at the origins of the creation of Delta Force worked closely with representatives of the British special forces for a long time. It typically recruits former Green Berets and Rangers, of whom only 1 in 10 pass the tests.

5. GSG 9 (Germany)

The German unit GSG 9, specializing in anti-terrorist and special operations under the Ministry of the Interior, was created in 1973, exactly one year after the Munich tragedy, when 11 Israeli athletes were terrorists during the Olympic Games. I use GSG 9 to free hostages, destroy terrorists, neutralize extortionists, protect important people and conduct sniper operations. Over the entire period of its existence, more than 1,500 successful operations were carried out.

4. JTF2 (Canada)

The Canadian special forces JTF2 (Joint Task Force 2) under the Ministry of Defense was created in 1993, the number of which was increased after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The main task of this unit is to conduct anti-terrorist and special operations, as well as to involve especially important persons in the protection. JTF2 was deployed to protect heads of state during the 2010 Winter Olympics, rescue hostages in Iraq, and hunt down Serbian snipers in Bosnia. Also, the Canadians, together with the American Navy SEAL, carried out special operations in Afghanistan, and which were so secret that the Prime Minister of Canada did not know for several years that JTF2 was actively fighting in Afghanistan.

3. EKO Cobra (Austria)

The Austrian anti-terrorist unit EKO Cobra was created in 1978 under the Ministry of the Interior. In Austria, the idea of ​​​​creating a special police force arose in 1972 after the terrorist attack in Munich in 1972 during the Olympics, when 11 Israeli athletes were killed. EKO Cobra is primarily involved in anti-terrorism operations. All fighters in the unit undergo mandatory courses in shooting, hand-to-hand combat, combat tactics, explosives and scuba diving. EKO Cobra is the only special forces unit in the world that neutralized terrorists in a flying plane before it landed at the airfield. This happened in 1996, when criminals demanded to change the course of a civilian aircraft carrying four EKO Cobra employees and were neutralized within a few minutes.

2. Navy SEAL (USA)

The US Navy SEAL team, also known as the Navy SEALs, created in 1962, has become a true legend after its daring operations in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past few years. Particularly resonant was Operation Neptune Spear in 2011, during which the number one terrorist, Osama bin Laden, was killed in a villa in Pakistan. All recruits of the unit undergo a training course during the year, where the majority are eliminated already at the first stage during general physical training, where the emphasis is on push-ups, squats, running and swimming. After which, undergoing highly specialized training such as explosives, reconnaissance, etc.

1. SAS (UK)

The best special forces unit in the world is considered to be the British SAS (Special Air Service, SAS), created back in 1941, which became a role model for the creation of similar units in other countries. Initially, the units were created to operate behind the lines of Italian and German troops in North Africa, eventually transforming into an anti-terrorist detachment to conduct operations both inside and outside the country. All SAS candidates, who are mostly paratroopers, must complete a 40-mile forced march at full gear in 20 hours, followed by a 2-mile swim in 1.5 hours and a 4-mile run in 30 minutes, and that's just the first part of the test. Further into the jungle, where they must demonstrate survival skills and finally withstand a 36-hour interrogation, where they try to break the will of the recruits. In addition to general military training, SAS soldiers undergo various courses under the guidance of MI5 (security service) and MI6 (foreign intelligence service) instructors. The SAS loudly declared themselves in 1980, carrying out a successful storming of the Iranian embassy in London, freeing the hostages.

The strongest elite units in the world are surrounded by an aura of mysticism and romance. They are the best prepared and perform the most difficult tasks. When ordinary soldiers cannot or do not want to take risks, special forces come into action.

8. "Black Storks"

Special Services Group (SSG) - Special Forces Group of the Pakistan Army.

Pakistan is not a country that you immediately think of when talking about the best elite troops. The SSG consists of 5,600 troops, distributed in eight battalions of 700 each. Each battalion is divided into platoons and groups. There are ten people in the group.

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Special forces, SEALs and others

Turkish special forces operation in Syria

Russian special forces in the Syrian war

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Special Forces Soldiers

These units operate in an extremely turbulent region, where there are border clashes and religious extremism. In December 2014, Pakistani SSG forces tracked down and killed al-Qaeda operational leader Adnan Gulshair el Shukrijumha and five of his soldiers.

7. Protect the sea, shore and land

Fuerza de Guerra Naval Especial - Special Naval Forces, Spain.

Until 2009, the Special Naval Forces of Spain were called the Special Operations Unit (Unidad de Operaciones Especiales), after which they changed the name to the current one. The special unit is believed to number about 100 people. Their task is to protect the sea, shores and land area 50 km inland from the coast.

The unit is believed to be modeled after the British SAS and American Navy SEALs. The Spaniards conducted joint training with both of them. Like all modern intelligence agencies, Spanish forces are prepared not only to fight the enemy, but also to combat the threat of terrorism that undermines the security of the state.

6. The release of hostages in the theater ended in disaster

"Alpha", Russia.

The Alpha special unit was founded in 1974 as part of the KGB by a special decision of the head of the State Security Committee, Yuri Andropov. The decision was made as a result of the massacre at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.

The Alpha Detachment was used against terrorists in Russia and also participated in operations abroad. The unit's special specialization is the release of hostages or kidnapped persons.

The counter-terrorism operation at the Dubrovka theater in 2002 ended in disaster. 129 hostages and 39 terrorists from among the Chechen separatists died. The Alpha special squad received a torrent of criticism.

5. Performed more than 1800 operations

National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN) - Special forces unit of the French Gendarmerie.

Like Alpha, GIGN was founded in 1974 as a result of the tragedy at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. It was then that it became clear that the world was face to face with a new threat - terrorism.

During its history, the special unit of the French gendarmerie carried out more than 1,800 operations and freed more than 600 hostages.

Many operations received wide resonance. For example, in 1994, 229 passengers from a plane hijacked by Algerian terrorists were rescued.

In January 2015, these special forces eliminated two terrorists behind the murders at the editorial office of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris.

4. Attacked terrorists at the airport

Sayeret Mat'kal ("Sayeret Matkal") - Special Forces of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces.

© AFP 2016, GPO Special forces soldiers of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces

Israel is a country that regularly becomes the target of threats and attacks, but there is hope that the Sayeret Matkal intelligence service will sooner or later correct this situation. The intelligence service is engaged, among other things, in collecting intelligence data, and is also used in critical situations.

One such situation occurred in 1976 and was called Operation Entebbe. Palestinian terrorists hijacked a French plane flying from Tel Aviv to Paris with 248 people on board. Terrorists forced the Air France airliner to change course and fly to Uganda, to Entebbe airport. Jews and Israeli citizens were separated from other passengers. The terrorists demanded that the hostages be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners. Otherwise, the Israelis and other Jews faced death.
The Sayeret Matkal special unit was called to the airport, where they carried out a successful operation to free the hostages. The incident was widely reported in the media around the world.

3. Created a special forces training system

Special Air Service (SAS) - Special Air Service, UK.

The SAS carried out several dangerous operations during the Second World War. After the Olympics in Munich, it became clear that the main threat to the world had changed its appearance, and the Special Air Service began to prepare for the fight against terrorism.

The British SAS in many respects turned out to be the author of the special services training system.

The 1980 photographs of British commandos storming the Iranian embassy in London have become classics. The soldiers of the unit got inside the building by descending from the roof along its facade. Then shots rang out and five of the six terrorists were killed.

2. Motto: “With strength and cunning”

Special Boat Service (SBS) - Special boat service, UK.

The Special Boat Service is the British equivalent of the Navy SEALs in the United States. While the SAS is responsible for land operations, the SBS is trained for naval operations. The motto of the special forces is “By strength and guile”.

The training for SBS soldiers is some of the toughest in the world. There are rumors that more people die during training than during armed operations. The training system includes tests of endurance, jungle survival, close combat, and intense interrogation techniques that break down the resistance of many participants.

1. Osama bin Laden was killed

Navy Seals - "Navy Seals", USA.

For many, the US Navy SEALs are the ideal example of an elite military force. The division was founded in 1962 by the decision of President John F. Kennedy.

The world situation was turbulent. After the unsuccessful capture of the Bay of Cochinos in Cuba a year before the planned overthrow of Fidel Castro, the authority of the United States and the president personally suffered a significant blow.

The unit was used in all armed conflicts involving the United States. On May 2, 2011, it was SEAL Team 6 that eliminated Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

InoSMI materials contain assessments exclusively from foreign media and do not reflect the position of the InoSMI editorial staff.