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Special forces units(SpN), (commando, special forces, English special forces) - specially trained units of state intelligence and counterintelligence services, army, aviation, navy, security of senior state officials and police (militia), whose personnel have high combat, fire, physical and psychological training, whose task is to solve specific combat missions in extremely extreme conditions.
RUSSIA
In the photo: airborne troops
Special forces of the GRU of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Special units of the SVR
Russian Airborne Forces
Russian Marine Corps
Special forces of the border troops of the FSB of Russia
Special forces of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia
The tasks of the center and detachments include carrying out anti-terrorist measures in the operational service area, searching for and eliminating illegal armed groups, eliminating mass riots, detaining especially dangerous criminals, and releasing hostages.
Police special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
Special forces of the Federal Penitentiary Service
Special units of the Federal Penitentiary Service. Currently they are called “Special Purpose Departments”. The task of the unit includes the prevention and suppression of crimes and offenses at the facilities of the Federal Penitentiary Service, the search and capture of especially dangerous criminals, ensuring security at special events, the release of hostages taken by convicted prisoners, as well as the protection of senior officials of the department.
Special forces of the Ministry of Emergency Situations
In the photo: soldiers of the SEAL unit (Navy Seals)
The US Armed Forces operate the US Special Operations Command, which includes the United States Special Operations Forces. A common mistake is to call the SOF “US Special Forces,” which is incorrect, since only the Green Berets are “special forces.”
ISRAEL
In the photo: fighters of the anti-terrorist unit “Shayetet 13”
Israeli Navy Special Forces
Special Forces Mossad
Israel Police Special Forces
Others
FRANCE
In the photo: fighters of the anti-terrorism unit “GIGN”
Special Operations Command (General Commandant les Operations Speciales (GCOS)
Unites under its command all units and formations available in the armed forces intended for conducting reconnaissance deep behind enemy lines, as well as carrying out sabotage actions and other special measures, and units supporting their activities. Objectives - Providing military assistance, which consists of training foreign militaries, mainly African states that have entered into an agreement with France on military assistance, conducting military support operations - is to use the experience of conducting deep raids on enemy territory, the fight against terrorism, influence operations involve conducting psychological operations.
GCOS includes:
Units of the Separate Special Command (GSA) - Groupment special autonome:
1st company is intended to conduct operations outside the city, crossing water barriers and protecting and escorting especially important persons. The 2nd company specializes in operations in urban areas, sabotage and sniping. In addition, company soldiers are trained in the use of mine explosives, and also practice “breaking and entering” techniques. The 3rd company provides fire support with heavy mortars, air defense, and also conducts reconnaissance on light all-terrain vehicles.
Air Force special forces. These include:
Special forces of the French ground forces
French Navy Special Forces
Traditionally, the special forces of the French Navy are named after the officers who were the first commanders.
The five remaining squads are the French equivalent of the British SBS - Special boat squodron and American SEALs. However, the Hubert squad stands out from the general list. It is fully staffed with combat swimmers.
Special forces of the French gendarmerie
Since the mid-20th century, special anti-terrorism units for special purposes began to appear in the armed forces of different countries. Today they exist in more than 50 countries. We will tell you about the most famous and powerful of them.
Great Britain
"22 Special Airborne Service Regiment" (SAS-22). Formed during the Second World War. In terms of combat training, it is comparable only with the Israeli counter-terrorist units, but surpasses them in weapons. According to some sources, 500 people serve within the unit. Despite strict secrecy, he pays a lot of attention to creating publicity. The most successful operations were actions against the IRA in Ireland, Holland, and Germany. Participated in thousands of operations from the Sahara to Malaysia. The most famous operation is the release of hostages at the Iranian embassy in London. Throughout its history, several dozen employees died in Northern Ireland and Iraq during Operation Desert Storm.
Germany
"Federal Border Protection Group" (GSG-9). Created after the Munich tragedy during the 1976 Olympics. This was the group's first operation. Then one of the television journalists installed a television camera in the house opposite the building with hostages and terrorists, and the terrorists watched all the preparations of the “GSG” live. More such incidents did not happen to German militants. Today this group not only fights terrorists, but also provides security for German diplomats during trips to the Near and Middle East. Helps German counterintelligence by organizing surveillance of terrorists. Number of people - about 200 people. There are no women in the unit, but sometimes the group uses employees of German counterintelligence. Over the entire period of its existence, more than 5 thousand operations have been carried out. Ten members died at the hands of terrorists. The most famous operation was the October 1977 operation in Mogadishu (Somalia), the release of a plane hijacked by Arab terrorists with more than 100 hostages. The German service was invited to eliminate the terrorists also because the terrorists demanded the release of the leaders of the "Faction" from German prisons Red Army,” a German left-wing radical group, the war against which “GSG” considered its main business in the 70s. Failures - 1994, the murder of Wolfgang Grams, a member of the Red Army Faction. During the capture of RAF leaders Grams and Brigitte Hogefeld on the subway platform, one of the special squad members was killed in a shootout. And then Grams was shot at point-blank range. Moreover, passers-by testified as follows: When the firefight ended, two GSG officers leaned over the wounded Grams and shot him with his own pistol.
France
"Group of Intervention of the National Gendarmerie" (GIGN). Created in March 1974 to combat Arab terrorism in France. At first it consisted of 15 volunteer gendarmes. Today the group numbers 200 people. Over the entire period of its existence, they saved about 500 people and carried out about 100 anti-terrorist operations. Ten soldiers of the unit were killed. The most successful operation was the rescue of 18 hostages from a plane in Marseille, hijacked by terrorists in 1994. GIGN fighters became famous during the suppression of a riot of prisoners in the French prison of Clairvaux in January 1978, in the liberation of the main Muslim shrine of the Kaaba in Mecca (Saudi Arabia) from armed fanatics in September 1979, in the operation to restore order on the island of New Caledonia during the uprising of the natives -Kanakov in May 1988.
Austria
"Cobra", an anti-terrorist unit of the Austrian police. Formed in 1978. Number of people: 200 people. The Austrian authorities decided to create their own anti-terrorist unit after ministers participating in the OPEC congress were attacked by terrorists in 1973. In 1978, the Austrian authorities officially announced the creation of Cobra. The unit is subordinate to the Director General of Public Security under the Austrian Ministry of Internal Affairs. In addition to anti-terrorist activities, Cobra is responsible for the security of Vienna Schwekat Airport. The militants are armed with 9mm French pistols. According to experts, this weapon is most suitable for anti-terrorist operations. So far, not a single member of Cobra has died. Therefore, the Austrian unit is considered one of the best anti-terrorist groups.
Israel
"Intelligence Group of the General Staff of the Ministry of Defense" (Sayeret Matkal). Created in 1957 as a special intelligence unit, in 1968 it switched to anti-terrorism activities. The number is unknown, but it is known that the soldiers are extremely young (from 18 to 21 years old). For every hundred terrorists killed, one unit soldier is killed. Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and current head of government Ehud Barak once served in the detachment. The group took part in more than a thousand actions. Considered the best counter-terrorism unit in the world. The most famous operation was in July 1976, the release of 103 hostages in Antebbe.
“Flying Leopards” (“Saeret Golani”). The infantry unit, which is also called the “Flying Leopards” because of its identification marks, was formed in 1959 from the best soldiers of the elite Golani infantry brigade. Until 1974, they were considered an anti-terrorist unit, and the fighters did not undergo special training, preferring simple army methods. Hence their biggest failure. In May 1974, three Arab terrorists seized a school in the northern Israeli town of Ma'alot. The unit's fighters literally riddled two terrorists with bullets, simultaneously killing 25 schoolchildren and wounding 100 more. It was after this failure that Sayeret Golani began to be trained in special anti-terrorist methods.
"YAMAM" is a unit of the Israeli police. The number is about 200 people. Performs up to 200 operations annually. Today there are two women in the group. Created in 1974 as a special service responsible for anti-terrorist actions exclusively within Israel. One of their first operations to free a bus with hostages, seized in 1977 near Tel Aviv, ended in complete failure. During the operation, 33 hostages died and more than 70 were injured. There have been no more hostage losses since 1978. 20 officers of the unit were killed.
Jordan
"Special Operations Squad-71". Created in 1971. The number is about 150 people. It is fighting Islamic terrorists and drug smugglers. Members of the unit underwent special training under the guidance of the Americans and the British. There were no deaths of hostages, but there were losses among members of the unit. The most famous operation was the one that prevented PLO terrorists from seizing the Intercontinental Hotel in Amman in 1970.
USA
Delta Squad. Operational detachment of special forces of the American army. Created in 1976. Moreover, at first it was planned to create anti-terrorism groups in the United States on the basis of the Green Berets, but the high command of the US Armed Forces decided to create new forces. Therefore, to this day, Delta is in a tough confrontation with the US Marines. Based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. At one time they were the favorites of American President Ronald Reagan. The main anti-terrorist unit of the United States, created in the mid-70s. Engaged in the release of American hostages abroad. The number is about 500 people. There are two women. During its existence, it took part in hundreds of secret operations around the world. Including the war in Panama and Grenada. The most successful operation was the action against Iraq during the Gulf War. The biggest failure was the attempt to free hostages at the US Embassy in Tehran in 1980. During the assault attempt, the Americans accidentally set fire to a helicopter, a plane, a fuel depot and a bus, and the Delta militants retreated in panic. 53 hostages remained in the embassy for 444 days and were released only through negotiations.
NYPD Emergency Service Unit (ESU). The number is about 400 people, about a dozen of them are women. They are equipped with heavy weapons and have cover groups. We rescued about 500 hostages and lost about three dozen of our fighters. The largest operation was the protection of the Pope during his visit to the United States in October 1995. This structure, reminiscent of a small army, participates in an average of 2.5 thousand operations per year
"Los Angeles Police Department" (SWAT). Created after youth unrest in the United States in 1965. An elite unit used both within the country and abroad. Number of members: 70 people, one of them is a woman. They are known for their fight against the US terrorist organization “Black Panthers”, for the liquidation of the kidnappers of the daughter of newspaper magnate Hearst. During its entire existence, the detachment freed more than a hundred hostages, and not a single one of them died. But about a dozen officers died in the unit itself.
Russia
Directorate "A" of the Special Forces Center of the FSB of Russia (Formerly "Alpha" group). The idea of creating a special unit to combat terrorism within the USSR belongs to Yuri Andropov (At first it was Detachment 7 of the KGB “Alpha” Directorate, created in 1974. Then there were only 40 “Alfovtsev” - officers and warrant officers from among the KGB employees of Moscow and the Moscow region). Number of people: 200 people. Over the 25 years of their work, Alpha fighters freed a total of more than a thousand hostages captured by terrorists in Tbilisi, Mineralnye Vody, Sukhumi, Sarapul. The biggest failure was the unsuccessful operation in Budennovsk, when Alpha was ready to carry out an assault on Basayev’s group, but received orders to retreat. During its entire existence, Alpha lost 10 fighters, three of them died in Budennovsk.
Directorate "B" of the FSB Special Forces Center (Former group "Vympel"). In 1981, under the management of “S” (illegal intelligence) of the First Main Directorate of the KGB of the USSR, the Vympel group was created. Its status formally sounded like a “separate training center of the KGB of the USSR,” But in fact, it is assumed that the group was intended for reconnaissance and sabotage activities outside the country. At first there were only 300 people in the group, but very quickly it became one of the best units special forces in the world. The group did not have any high-profile failures. Information about successful operations is still almost not disclosed. It is known that once during an exercise, Vympel scuba divers from under the ice attacked and captured the nuclear icebreaker "Sibir". The Vympel unit went on operations to Afghanistan, Mozambique, Angola, Vietnam, Nicaragua. In 1994, within the FSB, the Vympel group turned into the “B” (Vega) division.
The well-being of absolutely any state directly depends on the national army. The more combat-ready it is, the fewer threats there will be to the country's security. But one should understand the fact that the army is a systemic concept that has internal features and specific structural components. Each of these elements is assigned a number of specific functions necessary to ensure the defense capability of the state. It must also be remembered that the army performs important tasks both in wartime and in peacetime. In the classic version, it consists of several main elements, namely: naval, ground, and air forces.
In especially developed countries there are other troops, for example, in the Russian Federation there are space troops. Secretly, special elite troops are allocated, which are assigned special functions. It is these national military formations of the Russian Federation that will be discussed in the article below.
The essence of the concept
To get into the most elite troops in Russia, you need to train hard and for a long time. Many experts advise starting physical training even before the offensive. Both conscripts and officers who graduated from special universities enter the Airborne Forces. Knowledge of any martial arts or military sports training is welcome. This branch of the military is the most promising in the Russian Federation, because it recruits personnel for the GRU, FSB and other secret special forces units.
Conclusion
We looked at Russia's elite troops. Please note that this list may change over time. Nevertheless, the rating is based on facts of combat effectiveness and detailed surveys of the population. The article also answers the question of how to get into Russia's elite troops. In conclusion, we would like to add that the army is the destiny of strong and purposeful people. If you are one hundred percent confident in yourself, then the elite of the Russian Armed Forces is waiting!
Do you remember the old Soviet joke? At a meeting at NATO, generals decide in which army in the world, which elite units are best trained. English Green Berets? Or American Navy SEALs? Or someone else? Finally, one old general says that the most terrible troops are in the Soviet Union. They are called a strange word, construction battalion, and due to their special savagery, they are not even trusted with weapons. The Soviet Union conveniently collapsed. In the Russian army, the construction battalion was abolished (replacing it with more favorable phrases “railway troops” and “engineering troops”), but it is still interesting to know which country owns the most powerful elite special forces.
Of course, it is difficult to compare these troops with each other, since it is impossible to hold a tournament between them according to the Olympic system in the manner of gladiator fights practiced in Ancient Rome, but you can try to evaluate the entry requirements, training, and track record of these military formations. So….
8. Black Stork Squad, Pakistan
A special forces group that got its name from its unique headgear. During training, the fighters of this formation must complete a forced march of 58 km in 12 hours and, with full equipment, run 8 km in 50 minutes. It fights mainly against Afghans, including the Taliban.
7. Special Operations Unit of the Spanish Navy
Created in 1952, initially only volunteers were recruited there. It was called a “company of mountaineering divers” (the original name, isn’t it?) Later it was transformed into an elite unit. The selection for this unit is very strict. Based on the results of the qualifying course, 70-80% of applicants are usually eliminated.
6. Russian special forces "Alpha"
Created in 1974, of course, under the KGB, later, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it came under the control of the FSB. After the collapse of the Union, this special unit clearly had more work. All kinds of operations in the North Caucasus and beyond. Alpha fighters fight both terrorists and organized crime. As you understand, there are an order of magnitude more of both of them in Russia than in the former USSR. What can you do, the world is changing.
Alpha is still criticized for Beslan and Nord-Ost to this day, blaming the security forces for an unjustifiably large number of victims. But, it must be said that in the same notorious Moscow theater, the Alfovites corrected the mistakes of other people who showed phenomenal carelessness and indifference. The result was 129 dead hostages, mainly from the effects of paralytic gas. However, the professionalism and highest fighting qualities of the Alpha fighters are beyond doubt. Suffice it to recall the storming of Amin’s palace in Kabul in 1979, numerous operations in Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan and other hot spots.
For example, the liquidation of the leader of Ichkeria Aslan Maskhadov and the representative of Al-Qaeda in Chechnya and the adjacent regions of Abu Havs, the release of hostages in Mineralnye Vody in 2001. As for criticism, it seems that the peculiarities of the Russian mentality have an effect. Criticize, look for the guilty, and sometimes even curse, accusing of all known mortal sins, but when it gets hot, tearfully beg for help.
5. Special forces of the French gendarmerie, the so-called intervention group. GIGN
The main combat missions are operations to free hostages, this is the specificity of the group. When seizing the Al-Harak Mosque in 1979 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, special forces were faced with the fact that only Muslims could be allowed into the territory of the holy city. Then three fighters of the group converted to Islam, and after that they immediately joined the Saudi Arabian troops, who were liberating the mosque from terrorists.
In total, the group’s combat account includes more than 600 freed hostages.
4. Special unit Sayeret Matkal, Israel
The main tasks are reconnaissance and information collection. Therefore, the fighters of this unit spend a lot of time behind enemy lines. Not everyone can withstand the extreme stress of the qualifying course (gibusha). Training is carried out under the supervision of doctors and a psychologist. Based on the results of the death, only the best are accepted into the unit.
One of the group's most memorable operations was the release of an Israeli taxi driver named Ilyahu Gurel, who had been kidnapped by three Palestinians whom he had taken to Jerusalem. His captors held him in a 10-meter shaft in an abandoned factory on the outskirts of Ramallah. However, special forces soldiers found him there too. As for the terrorists, they were given what they deserved.
3. UK Special Air Service, or SAS (Special Air Service)
This is, in a way, a double of the SBS Marine Corps special unit. The motto of this unit is “He who takes risks wins.” The SAS saw action in Iraq following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. As American General Stanley McChrystal noted, “Their participation was critical. We couldn't have done it without them." This statement best characterizes the role of the SAS in those events, as well as the level of combat training.
2. Special unit of the British Marine Corps - SBS (Special Boat Service)
There is also a very tough selection and high intensity of training. The training course includes all kinds of endurance tests, training in survival skills in combat conditions, training in the jungles of Belize, plus intensive interrogation of candidates for admission. You can take the test course no more than twice.
1. SEALs are an elite unit of the US Armed Forces
The main tactical unit of the US Navy's special operations forces. They are mainly engaged in reconnaissance, sabotage activities and the release of hostages, and also solve other tasks of a tactical nature (clearing mines, combating illegal border crossings).
The formation of the detachment began in 1962. First of all, fighters who could swim well, shoot and wield bladed weapons were selected for the detachment.
From 1962 to 1973, SEALs fought in Vietnam, both as part of reconnaissance teams and as instructors for Vietnamese soldiers. Invaded Grenada (Operation Flash of Fury, 1983). Participated in the Gulf War (Operation Main Chance). They fought in Panama and Afghanistan. On May 2, 2011, a Navy Special Forces team conducted a successful operation to eliminate Bin Laden.
The specificity of training fur seals is that they perceive water not as an obstacle, but as a natural environment. Service in the SEAL places increased demands on the health of fighters, both physical and psychological, and therefore the training there is appropriate. What is the “hell week” worth, when for 5 days fighters sleep only 4 hours a day, and the rest of the time is occupied with survival tests.
The motto of the Navy SEALs - “the only easy day was yesterday” - clearly indicates the progressive nature of the loads, which would already seem prohibitive to an ordinary person.
What do Chuck Norris, Sylvester Stallone, Charlie Sheen, Demi Moore and Steven Seagal have in common? Each of them, at some point in their careers, played the role of a special forces soldier. Of all the military units, it is the special forces that have an alluring charm. These soldiers differ from the rest in that they undergo separate training and meet higher standards. Recently, many elite military units have become widely known through the media. Their regular activities include fighting terrorism, rescuing hostages, and conducting intelligence operations. The successful completion of such operations requires intensive military training, which soldiers undergo. In this list you will find ten of the best special forces groups from around the world. Some of the names will probably surprise you, but don't let the media fool you.
10. GIGN, France
Our list opens with the rapid response team of the French National Gendarmerie. The group was organized after the tragic events that unfolded at the 1972 Munich Olympics, when many people were taken hostage and killed. In addition, a year earlier there had been a riot in the national prison, where many innocent people were also injured. The result of these events was the organization of an elite military group of 400 people. Specializing in anti-terrorist operations and hostage rescue, this team was never idle. They are responsible for many successful operations, including the rescue of 30 schoolchildren held hostage in Djibouti, the capture of war criminals in Bosnia, operations against Somali pirates and, of course, the release of the hostages of Air France Flight 8969 in Marseille in 1994.
9. SSG, Pakistan
In 1956, the Pakistan Army created its own special forces unit called the SSG. The number of people included in the group remained secret, and the unit itself was created following the example of British and American special forces. A fairly strict selection process is carried out here, and only 1 out of 4 recruits who have completed a 9-month training course at the airborne school, an enhanced hand-to-hand combat program and a physical training course are included in the main squad. The training program here includes three types of terrain: mountain, desert and jungle, in addition, underwater exercises are also mandatory. At the very beginning of the Cold War, SSG collaborated with American special forces, some of the military participated in the war in Afghanistan in the 1980s and in the armed invasions of India. In 2009, the organization participated in an anti-terrorist operation, foiling an attack on the police academy in Lahore and rescuing hostages captured in an attack on Pakistan's military headquarters.
8. Sayeret Matkal, Israel
This is an Israeli special forces unit focused on reconnaissance, counter-terrorism and hostage rescue outside Israel. Sayeret Matkal was founded in 1957. This includes carefully selected candidates of high physical and mental ability. The training here lasts eighteen months; it includes basic infantry school, parachute school, lessons on preventing terrorist attacks and basic reconnaissance. This unit has been involved in many large-scale operations since 1960. The most famous of these is Operation Entebbe, during which soldiers demonstrated their determination and skills. It was an operation to free hostages taken captive by Palestinian terrorists on board an airliner landing at Entebbe Airport in Uganda, while more than a hundred hostages were being held in the terminal building of the airport. The Sayeret Matkal group then managed to free almost everyone.
7. EKO-Cobra, Austria
As a result of the attack on Israeli athletes during the 1972 Munich Olympics, a special forces unit, Einsatzkommando Cobra, was created in Austria to conduct anti-terrorism operations. It included 450 military personnel who had previously served in the Austrian Federal Police Forces. Training here, as in other similar troops, lasts several months, during which soldiers undergo specialized courses in shooting, language training, martial arts, and tactical and assault training courses. Only those who manage to pass psychological and physical tests can complete the full course of training. In addition to general subjects, they teach diving, work with explosives, and prepare future snipers on an optional basis. This special forces unit is the only one that managed to prevent the hijacking of an airplane during its flight. This happened in 1996, when four commandos were flying on the same plane that the hijackers were going to hijack.
6. Delta Force, USA
The full name of this group is First Operational Detachment-Delta. In addition to counter-terrorism operations, these guys take part in hostage rescues, raids and intelligence operations. The group was formed in 1977 after there was a sharp rise in terrorist attacks. The squad consists primarily of soldiers who served in US special forces such as the Green Berets and Rangers. Men who have reached the age of 21, have passed the aptitude test with high results and hold the rank of corporal or senior sergeant are accepted for training here. A series of grueling physical and psychological tests are designed to weed out the weakest. According to some estimates, only 1 in 10 soldiers completes the entire training course. In general, Delta Force's operations are kept secret.
5. JTF2, Canada
JTF2 was created in 1993 and expanded after the events of September 11, 2001. This is Canada's elite counter-terrorism unit. It serves members of the Canadian Armed Forces performing a variety of tasks. Among their duties you can even find escorting VIPs and ensuring their personal safety. The group has been involved in hot-spot operations such as rescuing hostages in Iraq, tracking down Serbian snipers in Bosnia, and even participating in military conflicts in Afghanistan. And although their presence in Afghanistan was never advertised, it became known from some sources that they were involved in secret operations carried out by US Navy special forces. The operation was so secret that even the Prime Minister of Canada learned of their participation in it only a few days later.
4. Alpha Group, Russia
Alpha Group was created in the 1970s and carried out many successful operations in Afghanistan, including the storming of the presidential palace in Kabul, as a result of which no one survived. In 1985, a group was sent to Beirut to rescue four Soviet diplomats. Although they were unable to save them, there are rumors that the group took revenge for the diplomats by killing family members of those involved with the terrorists. Alpha Group was involved in a number of major counter-terrorism and hostage rescue operations, including the siege of a Moscow theater in 2002 and a school in Beslan in 2004. Hundreds of people were killed in both operations.
3. Shayetet 13, Israel
Another Israeli special forces group is Shayetet 13, associated with the Israeli Navy. Founded in 1948, the group takes part in every major Israeli operation, be it hostage rescue, counter-terrorism or intelligence. The training here lasts 20 months and constantly keeps candidates under severe stress. Members of Shayetet 13 most recently took part in operations to seize ships and weapons being transported to the Gaza Strip. Their most famous operation was carried out after the 1972 Munich Olympics, when they tracked down and eliminated those responsible for organizing attacks on Israeli athletes.
2. Navy SEALs, USA
These guys have to show up in public from time to time. Navy SEALs are a special unit of American special forces created in 1962 and received almost mythical status thanks to Operation Neptune's Spear, when they killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda, in Abbottabad (Pakistan) in 2011. Only the most physically and mentally resilient are accepted into the Navy SEAL squad. The training here lasts a year, and the tasks are so difficult that most candidates cannot even pass the qualifying physical fitness tests, which include swimming, push-ups, squats and running. Candidates who pass the selection tests are sent to general training, then those who pass general training are sent to Navy SEAL introductory training, and then those who pass this are sent to SEAL vocational training courses. This rigorous selection ensures that all members of these elite forces are in excellent shape and capable of carrying out the most demanding missions.
1. SAS, Britain
This special forces unit surpasses even the elite Navy SEALs in its importance. The British intelligence service SAS was founded in 1941 to work behind enemy lines and provide support to the resistance movement against the occupying forces of fascism. Mostly airborne troops serve here. The physical requirements for candidates to join the SAS are particularly severe, requiring enormous stamina and the ability to march with a packed backpack. The final test here involves a forced march of 40 kilometers with a full backpack, and you are given 20 hours to do everything. You will also be required to swim 2 miles in an hour and a half and run 4 miles in 30 minutes. You will then be left in the jungle to test your survival skills and route-finding abilities. The final test involves a 36-hour interrogation designed to break your will. Those who cope with all the tests will be sent for further training. The SAS are trained on the same principles as MI5 and MI6 security, intelligence and counterintelligence agents.
