Special operations of the world. Elite special forces of different countries

Today, the issue of combating terrorism is one of the most pressing. Only elite units, which are also called special forces, can provide adequate protection to the civilian population. Similar structures exist in every state. In this regard, many are interested in what special forces are the best in the world?

The public has heard a lot about the anti-terrorist activities of some elite groups, and has no idea about the existence of others. However, despite the lack of wide publicity, such units still exist and operate secretly. Information about which special forces are the best in the world, the rating of the most effective special forces are presented in the article.

Acquaintance

Spetsnaz is a unique branch of the military, the purpose of which is to destroy terrorist formations, conduct special operations, and, having penetrated behind enemy lines, carry out acts of sabotage and other complex combat missions. Since the place of activity of the personnel is extremely and they have to work using specific power methods, the fighters are provided with high combat, fire, physical and psychological preparation. The question of which special forces are the best in the world, according to experts, is very delicate, since the fighters of such units have already been recognized as the best. In this regard, various competitions are held between the structures. The task of such events is to identify whose special forces are the best in the world.

About classification

According to experts, it is rather problematic to determine the best special forces in the world. The difficulty lies in the fact that in each individual state the tasks of elite groups are different. Some units resist terrorists and rescue hostages, while others carry out reconnaissance and even attack. It is also difficult to identify the best special forces in the world for the reason that the countries have police special forces and elite groups that are in the department of both the special services and the Ministry of Defense.

Compilers of tops and ratings often do not take into account various characters the activities of elite paramilitary structures, but they mix everything together: the Russian FSB special forces operating inside the country, American "fur seals" engaged in sabotage and reconnaissance deep behind enemy lines, the army SAS of Britain. According to one of the American versions, posted in Business Insider, the best special forces in the world are in the USA. However, according to experts, this point of view is biased. To determine the best special forces in the world is possible only by simulating a real battle between one or another group. Besides, great importance have such factors as the age of the special forces, foreign policy state and its internal stability. For example, the Colombian "Hunglas", constantly opposing local drug cartels, has more experience than special forces in prosperous Belgium. Also, American units that went through Iraq and Afghanistan, and Russian - long time those who worked in the Caucasus, compared with the special forces of quiet Denmark, will be much more effective. Below are the top 10 special forces in the world.

Pakistani SSG

In 1956, a detachment was formed which is known as the Special Servies Group. The British SAS and American special forces were taken as a model for the unit, with which joint exercises were conducted during the Cold War. Information on the number of personnel of the Pakistani special forces is not freely available. It is only known that the recruitment of fighters in the SSG is very thorough. Each of them must be fluent in hand-to-hand combat techniques. To do this, applicants undergo a nine-month training with exhausting physical exercises. According to experts, out of ten applicants, only two get into the group. The detachment is trained to perform specific tasks in the mountains, desert, jungle and under water. Afghanistan became the place for acquiring the first combat experience. Pakistani specialists on the side of the Mujahideen opposed their colleagues from the Soviet Union. Over time, the SSG fighters made sabotage attacks against the border guards of India. Today, the group conducts anti-terrorist activities within the country and is among the top best special forces in the world.

About Israeli Sayeret Matkal

This formation is in ninth position among the best special forces units in the world. Sayeret Matkal has been functioning since 1957. According to experts, candidates for this unit enter after eighteen months of training courses. The list of disciplines includes the infantry school, parachuting and reconnaissance. Since 1960, Sayeret Matkal has taken part in some of the largest anti-terrorist operations. Operation Thunderbolt brought world fame to the Israeli special forces. Then the Palestinian terrorists hijacked an airliner with hostages. Many were released, but over a hundred were still held by the Palestinians at the airport. The soldiers of the special forces had to destroy the terrorists to free the hostages.

GIS. Italy

In the 1970s, after several terrorist attacks, an elite unit was formed from among the Carabinieri, which today is known as the Gruppo di Speciale. Initially, the unit was created in response to a terrorist threat. Also, Italian specialists acted in Libya and the Persian Gulf together with NATO colleagues. There are 150 people in the group. Some of them are professional snipers. Candidates are trained in shooting and various types hand-to-hand combat, including Wushu and Thai boxing.

USA. "Seals"

The special forces have been operating since 1962. The unit gained worldwide fame after 2011, when American specialists in Abbottabad eliminated Islamist leader Osama bin Laden. Only the best applicants with high physical and intellectual data get into the squad. Candidate training lasts for a year. Many applicants are eliminated because the standards are too high. Physical tests include swimming, running, sit-ups, and push-ups. Having passed them, the young man is sent for further training, after which he is awarded a qualification. Only after that, specialized courses are available to the candidate. As a result, the fighter of the unit is fully prepared to perform the most difficult tasks anywhere in the world.

About Canadian JTF 2

In sixth position among the best special forces in the world is Canada's elite unit JTF 2. The paramilitary structure was created in 1993. After the terrorist attack in September 2001, the personnel of the special forces expanded to include several hundred people. The backbone of the special forces was the military personnel of the Canadian Armed Forces. The range of activities is not limited only to countering terrorism and performing specific tasks on the territory of the country. The fighters of the Canadian elite formation are attracted to escort VIPs. In 2010, at the Olympic Winter Games, special forces ensured the security of this sporting event. In addition, Afghanistan, Iraq and Bosnia, where Canadian specialists were engaged in tracking down professional snipers from Serbia, became places for hidden activities of the fighters. According to experts, the level of secrecy is so high that even the Canadian Prime Minister is not aware of the tasks performed by JTF 2 employees.

USA. "Delta Force"

This formation is the first operational detachment special purpose. In everyday life it is called "Delta". In addition to counter-terrorist operations and hostage rescue, the fighters carry out reconnaissance and attacks. The unit was formed from American special forces, Green Berets and Rangers in 1977 in response to the growing terrorist threat at that time.

Delta recruits people no older than 21 years old with high physical data. In addition, applicants must be mentally stable. Thanks to grueling physical and mental tests, the weak are eliminated immediately. Thus, out of 10 candidates, testing successfully adds up only one. After the young people, an intensive 6-month training course awaits. Despite the fact that all Delta activities are classified, according to experts, you can be sure that Delta Force is at the head of every operation for which America is responsible.

About French GIGN

This formation is the Intervention Group of the National Gendarmerie and occupies the 4th position in the top 10 best special forces in the world. Like most European special forces, the impetus for the creation of GIGN was a terrorist attack. It was made in 1972 at the Olympic Games in Munich. Prior to this event, a hostage-taking riot broke out in one of the French prisons. As a result, civilians were killed, and all of France was shocked. It became clear that the country needed such a force that could ensure the protection of its citizens.

The number of personnel of the GIGN special forces is 400 people. The formation works in two directions: rescuing hostages and countering terrorism. Since its inception, the French special forces have carried out many successful operations. The most high-profile cases were the rescue of several dozen schoolchildren in Djibouti, the capture of Bosnian war criminals, the neutralization of terrorists and the rescue of civilians in Marseille in 1994 on board 8969 Air France. In addition, GIGN successfully counters Somali pirates.

About the German GSG 9

This formation is ranked 3rd among the best special forces in the world. It has been operating since 1973. The unit was created in response to the Olympic terrorist attack in Munich. German special forces soldiers counter terrorism, free hostages, protect VIPs and strategically important objects on the territory of the country. The personnel of the special formation is 300 people. By 2003, GSG 9 fighters had successfully completed more than 1,500 operations.

About the British SAS

According to experts, this formation surpassed the American Navy SEALs in terms of efficiency. SAS was created in 1941. The task of the group is to carry out sabotage activities deep behind enemy lines. The SAS opposed German and Italian forces and provided support to the local resistance movement. Special Forces recruitment is very strict. Candidates must be physically very developed and be able to make a 40-mile march. No more than 20 hours are given to overcome this distance. In addition, applicants must swim two miles in 120 minutes and run another four miles in half an hour. In the jungle, where young people are then thrown, they learn to survive in difficult conditions. At the end of the test, candidates have good navigational skills. The test ends with a 40-hour session, during which the instructors break their will. After successfully passing all the stages, the young man is sent to specialized courses. They are taken to MI 5 and MI 6. There, cadets are taught the intricacies of intelligence and counterintelligence.

Top leader

Every year Florida hosts the Super SWAT International Round-Up. Mostly among teams a large number of American police departments. Also frequent participating countries are Russia, Hungary, Brazil, Germany, Sweden and Kuwait. Despite the fact that, according to experts, even American units are often sued by the commission, and even a biased attitude towards other participants, the Russian Alfa always managed to occupy the top lines in the end. In 2013, similar competitions were held in Jordan. Fighters from China became the enemy of the veterans of the special forces of the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Russian snipers was given the highest score. According to many experts, Russian special forces are the best in the world. Alpha is considered an elite unit.

The formation gained worldwide fame after the successful assault on Amin's palace in Afghanistan. In 1985, in Beirut, the group was involved in the rescue of four diplomats from the Soviet Union. However, the hostages were executed. There are legends that after this event, the Alpha fighters hunted down the terrorists and destroyed them, returning the pieces to their relatives. This forced measure has become a kind of message for would-be terrorists. In Russia in 2002, the group worked in the Nord-Ost theater besieged by extremists, and in 2004 they were engaged in the release of hostages in one of the schools in Beslan. According to experts, in both episodes, the cruel nature of Russian specialists was manifested, since not only terrorists were destroyed, many civilians died. Officially, the unit is called department "A" of the FSB Special Forces Center Russian Federation.

The group was formed in July 1974. Yuri Andropov was the initiator. Therefore, the unit is also called the Andropov Group. The Munich events of 1972 became the impetus for the formation of the Soviet special forces, as well as similar European paramilitary structures. According to experts, Alpha fighters have vast experience in countering terrorism, which other foreign structures do not have to such an extent.

Top 5 Elite Special Forces in the World Entrusted with the Most Dangerous Missions

In addition to the main armed forces, each country has its own special forces elite, for the selection of which set high requirements. Such fighters should be able to silently neutralize the enemy, rescue hostages during the assault on a captured aircraft, and carry out sabotage behind enemy lines. They are entrusted with the most dangerous and most secret missions. Onliner.by tells about the five most famous and prestigious special forces in the world.

Special Air Service, United Kingdom

The British Special Air Service gained worldwide notoriety after the storming of the Iranian embassy in London in 1980. The colonial British past guaranteed the widespread use of the SAS unit in various countries and in various conflicts. The history of this structure dates back to the time of the Second World War on the North African front of hostilities in Libya and Egypt. These paratroopers were not spared by the Nazi troops. They were subject to a special order from Hitler for immediate destruction. So, in 1944, 55 British operatives were shot.

SAS patrol in North Africa during World War II. Photo: The Times

Modified and heavily armed SAS jeep

In April 1980, six Arab terrorists broke into the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in London and took hostage 26 people from among the visitors and staff of the diplomatic mission. They demanded the release of almost a hundred of their comrades from Iranian prisons. Otherwise, they threatened to blow up the embassy. The SAS fighters were the first to arrive on the scene, who organized their headquarters in a nearby building. Negotiations began, within a couple of days several hostages were released from the embassy, but on May 5, when the demands of the terrorists were not met, the lifeless body of the press attache of the diplomatic mission was thrown out of the building.

For several days, the SAS fighters practiced the assault on a full-size mock-up. On May 5, Operation Nimrod was broadcast on live. It took 15 minutes, and only one of the invaders survived. He was sentenced to life in prison, but was released in 2008 and helped start life under a new name. None of the SAS fighters were injured. Among the hostages, one person was killed and two others were seriously injured.

Margaret Thatcher with SAS fighters who stormed the Iranian embassy

Selection in SAS is carried out twice a year: in winter and in summer. Only the military can get into the British special forces. Historically, people with a past are welcomed there in commandos or the local equivalent of the Airborne Forces. In addition to the physical exercises inherent in the selection for the "seals", British candidates are weeded out by a two-hour 13-kilometer march with 25 kg on their shoulders. Every day the distance grows and ends with a 65-kilometer march through a hill 886 meters high.

The fighters are then sent to learn survival, navigation, and combat techniques in the jungle. The most recent test is hide-and-seek in the jungle with stalking "hunters". But even uncaught candidates will have to pass the test of interrogation and torture, which stretches for 36 hours. Fighters are starved, thirsty and sleep deprived, and they, in turn, must repeat: "I can't answer that question."

The mountain so often stormed by candidates for the British special forces

Sayeret Matkal, Israel

One of the most secret Israeli special forces of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), Sayeret Matkal, primarily specializes in deep reconnaissance behind enemy lines. However, the unit is also tasked with counter-terrorism and hostage rescue missions outside of Israel. It is alleged that it was created in the image and likeness of the British SAS.

In the 50s of the last century, the structure was formed with an eye to uniting the best physically and intellectually developed youth of Israel. With the growing threat of Palestinian terrorism in the late 60s, the Sayeret Matkal unit began to develop the world's first methods and techniques for releasing hostages and countering terrorism.

One of the first such operations for Israeli fighters was the release of the hostages of passenger flight 571 Vienna - Tel Aviv in May 1972. Terrorists from the Palestinian Black September organization hijacked a Belgian plane, more than a hundred passengers and staff, and threatened to blow them up if Israel did not release more than 300 Palestinians from prisons. The Sayeret Matkal fighters trained on a similar vessel in a closed hangar, while the main one, meanwhile, had its wheels flattened and the fluid from the hydraulic systems drained. The terrorists were then assured that the Boeing needed maintenance.

People in white - Sayeret Matkal

The operation to free the hostages involved 16 fighters in disguise, among whom was the current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He was wounded, as were two other hostages. Two terrorists and one passenger of the plane were killed. It is noteworthy that the future Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak was also the commander of the assault group, and Shimon Peres, who at that time was the Minister of Transport, and later became ... yes, the Prime Minister of Israel, conducted negotiations with the terrorists.

Four years later, the Sayeret Matkal unit caused a stir in Uganda, where terrorists delivered about a hundred Israelis on a hijacked plane. Their release was complicated by the unfriendly government of Uganda, which required the transfer of hundreds of troops over 4,000 km. While the Sayeret Matkal fighters stormed the airport terminal, two more units held back the Ugandan military. As a result, three hostages were killed and ten more wounded. On the part of the Israeli troops, only the unit commander was killed, while the terrorists and Ugandans lost a total of 52 people and several dozen helicopters.

The old Entebbe airport, where an Israeli special operation was carried out, later named after the deceased Yonatan Netanyahu, the commander of Sayeret Matkal

Return of passengers to their homeland. Photo: Moshe Milner

GSG 9, Germany

The special forces of the German Federal Police were formed six months after the tragic events at the Olympics in Munich in 1972. Then as a result failed attempt hostage release, Palestinian terrorists killed 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team. In Germany, they realized that without specially trained fighters, a new type of threat would not be able to resist. Therefore, it was decided to create the Grenzschutzgruppe 9 unit (“Border Protection Group 9”).

The main challenges for GSG 9 were hostage-taking, terrorism, and kidnapping. The department's specialists are also involved as consultants both within Germany and abroad.

The real baptism of fire for the German special forces was the operation "Magic Fire" to free the hostages from the Landshut aircraft of the German airline Lufthansa in 1977. The terrorists wandered in the sky for a long time (from Rome through Dubai to Mogadishu in Somalia) and demanded the release of their accomplices from German prisons, as well as paying a multi-million ransom. But their journey ended in a Somali city where GSG 9 fighters arrived. Under the cover of night, in black uniforms and with their faces painted over, three groups of special forces broke into the plane, shot two terrorists, mortally wounded a third and captured a fourth. Over 80 passengers were rescued.

The hostages return home

After the Landshut incident, GSG 9 allowed the German government to be told that it would never again negotiate with terrorists.

The successful operation was followed by another attack on a plane with hostages in Düsseldorf, which took place without a shot being fired, and the arrest of terrorists in a town in the north of the country. One of the latest incidents that required the intervention of GSG 9 fighters was the massacre at a McDonald's restaurant in Munich this summer.

Only German police officers who have served in the bodies for at least two years can get into the ranks of the special forces. In addition to medical and psychological testing, they pass the 5 km run, 100 m sprint, jumps, pull-ups, bench press, etc. They also need to pass the shooting with a pistol and a submachine gun. The best are selected for 22 weeks of training, and only one in five successfully completes this course.

Alfa Group, USSR (Russia)

Like the German GSG 9, the anti-terrorist special forces in the USSR were created after the terrorist attack at the Munich Olympics. Six years before the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, the chairman of the KGB initiated the creation of the "A" unit. Only KGB officers passed through strict selection criteria there. The first staff recruited those fit for service in the Airborne Forces, and therefore both physical data and psychological endurance were taken into account strictly.

Most of the operations of the Alpha group were carried out on the territory of the Soviet Union. The unit's track record includes the capture of deserters in Sarapul, who took local schoolchildren hostage in 1981, the storming of a Tu-134 aircraft in Tbilisi with Georgian terrorists trying to escape from the USSR, as well as not the most personal tasks in the union republics during the slow disintegration of the country .

A group of fighters who were to storm Amin's palace

The loudest episode in the history of group "A" was the assault on Amin's palace (special operation "Storm-333") in December 1979, which involved Soviet Union in the long and exhausting war in Afghanistan. 24 Alpha fighters, in parallel with 30 KGB special reserve fighters, dressed in Afghan uniforms with a white armband and cleared the palace floor by floor, while other special forces provided them with external cover.

As a result of the operation, Afghan President Hafizullah Amin was killed, by whose order Prime Minister Nur Taraki was removed from office in September of the same year. Amin's repression threatened the fall of the regime of the local dominant party, which could lead to a change political course countries.

Since the 90s, the unit has been part of the FSB of Russia, where it specializes in anti-terrorist activities. Separate Alpha groups existed in Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan. On their basis, the national special forces of these countries were formed. Belarusian Alfa was founded in March 1990. It was part of the structure of group "A" of the 7th department of the KGB of the USSR as group No. 11 with deployment in Minsk.

United States Navy SEALs

American "fur seals" over the years of their existence have acquired almost mythical status. Largely thanks to the cinema. What is only Steven Seagal, who in the action movies "Under Siege" and "Under Siege 2" played a former SEAL fighter. This abbreviation stands for SEa, Air and Land (“Sea, Air and Land”), and translates as “seal” or “fur seal”. Bruce Willis ("Tears of the Sun") and Michael Biehn ("The Rock", "The Abyss") have repeatedly played SEAL commanders.

The SEALs were created in 1962 by then US President John F. Kennedy. The tense situation in relations with the Soviet Union, the Cuban crisis and the Vietnam War influenced this decision. The tasks of the newly formed unit included sabotage and counter-partisan activities on the territory of a mock enemy.

To a greater extent, this concerned just the Vietnamese theater of operations. In particular, the SEALs participated in the Phoenix program under the auspices of the CIA. Its essence was to eliminate key people in the Vietnamese army and people who sympathize with the Viet Cong - the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam.

Subsequently, the SEALs participated in all major US military conflicts: in the invasion of Grenada, where the group was unable to save the local governor general from house arrest; in the Iran-Iraq conflict of the late 80s, where the unit distinguished itself by capturing the Iran Air vessel, which mined the water area Persian Gulf; in the invasion of Panama, where the main sabotage task of the SEALs was the destruction of watercraft local army and the plane of General Noriega, overthrown as a result of the intervention.

IN modern history the most significant operation was the destruction of the number one terrorist Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. The CIA-developed Operation Neptune Spear involved 40 SEALs from DEVGRU, formerly SEAL Team Six. On May 2, 2011, a unit on Black Hawk helicopters with M4 assault rifles, night vision goggles and pistols approached the terrorist's house, where they began cleaning the premises. In addition to the terrorist, four more people who resisted the special forces were killed. The operation was monitored live by the top leadership of the country.

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

Alpha, Russia.

Detachment "Alpha" - the elite of the Soviet and Russian special forces, is known as one of the most efficient and experienced force units in the world. The special unit is designed to conduct counter-terrorist operations using special tactics and funds.

Prevention of terrorist acts.
Search, neutralization or liquidation of terrorists.
Release of the hostages.
Participation in special operations in "hot spots".

Requirements for candidates:

Active officers or cadets of military schools.
Recommendation from current or former employee"Alpha" or "Vympel".
Age limit: no older than 28 years.
Height: not less than 175 cm.

Regulations:

Cross-country run: 3 km in no more than 10 minutes 30 seconds.
Sprint run: 100 meters in no more than 12.7 seconds.
Pull-ups: 25 reps.
Push-ups: 90 times.
Flexion and extension on the press: 90 times in no more than 2 minutes.
Barbell bench press with your own body weight: 10 times.
Complex strength exercise 7 cycles in a row, no more than 40 seconds each cycle:
15 push-ups from the floor;
15 flexion and extension of the torso in the prone position;
15 transitions from the “crouching emphasis” to “lying emphasis” and vice versa;
15 jumps from the "crouching" position.

Preparation features:

Three minutes after the physical test, hand-to-hand combat skills must be demonstrated. At the same time, the candidate speaks in a helmet, gloves and protective pads on the legs and in the 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 continues for 3 rounds. Further: medical board, a special check to identify unwanted connections with the candidate himself or his relatives, an 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. The Yamam fighters have been taking individual and team prizes for years at all shooting competitions of the security forces. Yamam snipers are at a much higher level than their army counterparts.

Release of the hostages.
Carrying out rescue operations and raids in civilian areas.
Recruitment and undercover work.

Requirements for candidates:

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

Regulations:

Pull-ups: 25 reps.
Push-ups on fists with weight on the back: 100 times.
Flexion and extension on the press: 300 times.
Cross-country run in equipment 15-20 kg: 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.

Preparation features:
The course includes running on rooftops, climbing a building through a drainpipe, escaping from captivity and survival, during which the reaction to stress is tested. Another exercise - a fight with guard dog from the canine division of the gendarmerie corps, specially trained to attack a person. Here they study the reaction of a fighter to an attack: whether he will be confused, how aggressive he himself will be.

SAS, UK.

As part of the UK Special Forces Special Air Service ground forces- SAS occupies a special place. SAS is one of the oldest and most highly professional special forces units in the world. The rich experience of anti-partisan and counter-terrorist operations of the SAS 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.
Antiterrorist operations both within the country and abroad.
Training of special forces soldiers from other countries.
Release of the hostages.

Requirements for candidates:

Required service experience in other military units.
Age from 25 to 30 years.
Excellent physical and mental health.

Regulations:

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

Preparation features:
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 more.” And words do not diverge from deeds. Approximately one candidate out of ten survives. What is worth only a month's course of training to resist special methods of interrogation. Each cadet, in addition, 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 Minister of the Interior of Germany, the commander of the special unit is ready to start operations around the clock. After a command from the German Minister of the Interior, the group is ready to go anywhere the globe where the incident took place. Such control helps to avoid unnecessary involvement of the GSG 9 in minor operations that less powerful units are capable of responding to.

Release of the hostages.
Protection of high-ranking officials and especially important state objects.
Operations to eliminate terrorists.
Implementation and development of methods and tactics for all of the above activities.

Requirements for candidates:

Average or higher education.
Citizenship of Germany or EU countries.
Age from 18 to 24 years.
Excellent knowledge of English or French.
Swimming class.

Regulations:

Five roll-ups in full gear.
Overcoming the 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.

Preparation features:
The peak of physical stress is the third week, when the candidates in groups make long marches for a while over the rugged terrain of the Black Forest. At the same time, heavy objects are carried over a long distance, the wounded are transported, uphill and downhill with full equipment. All this is accompanied by a restriction of sleep and food. In conclusion, candidates pass various tests for psychological stability.

5. Chinese special forces.

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

Special Intelligence Activities.
Carrying out short, non-scale offensive operations behind enemy lines.

Requirements for candidates:

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

Regulations:

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

Preparation features:
The process of physical training of China's special forces is very often called "descent into hell." Every day in the morning and in the evening, cross-country running in full gear and an additional shoulder pack with ten bricks. At the same time, a distance of 5 kilometers must be completed in no more than 25 minutes. After passing the run, the fighters move on to the Iron Palm exercise. The fighter must inflict 300 blows on the bag, first with beans, then with iron filings. In exactly the same way, the standards for fists, elbows, knees and feet are further worked out.

GROM, Poland.

GROM - Polish military unit special purpose. Prepared for special operations, including counter-terrorism, both in peacetime and in times of crisis or war. Since its inception, the division has been completely professional.

Release of the hostages.
Antiterrorist operations.
Evacuation of civilians from the war zone.
Conducting reconnaissance operations.

Requirements for candidates:

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

Regulations:

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

Preparation features:
All candidates who have submitted applications first of all undergo a psychophysiological examination. After that, no more than 10–15 percent of total number candidates. People from both the country's police units and from civil structures. But civilians before joining the SWAT team, they must first complete a basic police course.

Special Forces "Delta", USA.

By official documents, the Delta group is intended for covert combat operations outside the United States, on the territory of other countries. Tasks for Delta Force are to fight terrorism, popular uprisings, national intervention, although this group is also directed to carry out secret missions, including but not limited to saving civilians and invading.

Release of the hostages.
The release of American soldiers who were captured.
Fight against terrorists and partisans.
Capture or destroy military and political leaders hostile to the United States.
Capture of secret documents, samples of weapons, military and other secret equipment.

Requirements for candidates:

Only US citizenship.
Age from 22 to 35 years.
Service experience in the American armed forces at least 4 years.
Excellent physical and mental health.
Skydiving experience.
Highly qualified in two military specialties.

Regulations:

Push-ups: 40 times in 1 minute.
Squats: 40 times in 1 minute.
Cross-country run: 3.2 km in no more than 16 minutes.
Crawl 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 time.

Preparation features:
Candidates 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 varies between 29 and 64 km. On the way, every 8–12 km there are checkpoints where candidates must go and where observers sit. To successfully overcome this test, it is necessary to maintain an average speed of at least 4 km per hour and to navigate well in unfamiliar terrain.

Remember the old Soviet joke? At a meeting in NATO, the generals decide in which army of 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 the strange word construction battalion, and due to their special savagery they do not even trust weapons. The Soviet Union successfully collapsed. In the Russian army, the construction battalion was abolished (replacing with more prosperous phrases “railway troops” and “engineering troops”), but, nevertheless, it is interesting to know which country owns the strongest elite troops special purpose.

Of course, these troops are difficult to compare 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 entrance requirements, training, as well as the track record of these military units. So….

8. Detachment "Black Stork", Pakistan

A special forces group that got its name from its unique headgear. The fighters of this formation in the process of training must make a forced march of 58 km in 12 hours and with full gear run 8 km in 50 minutes. He fights mainly against the Afghans, including against the Taliban.

7. Special Operations Unit of the Spanish Navy

Created in 1952, initially only volunteers were recruited there. It was called the "company of mountaineers-divers" (the original name, isn't it?) Later it was transformed into an elite unit. The selection process for this unit is very tough. According to the results of the qualifying course, 70-80% of applicants are usually eliminated.

6. Russian special unit "Alpha"

Created in 1974, of course, under the KGB, later, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, came under the control of the FSB. After the collapse of the Union, this special unit of work clearly increased. All kinds of operations in the North Caucasus and beyond. Alpha fighters fight both terrorists and organized crime. And those and others, as you understand, in Russia are an order of magnitude more than in former USSR. What can you do, the world is changing.

Alfa is still criticized for Beslan and Nord-Ost to this day, presenting an unjustifiably large number of victims to the security forces. But, I must say that in the same infamous Moscow theater, Alfovtsy corrected the mistakes of other people who showed phenomenal gouging and indifference. The result is 129 dead hostages, mostly from paralytic gas. However, professionalism and the highest fighting qualities fighters "Alpha" are not subject to 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 adjacent regions Abu-Hawsa, release of hostages in Mineralnye Vody in 2001. As for criticism, apparently, the features of the Russian mentality are affecting. Criticize, look for the guilty, and sometimes even curse, accusing of all known deadly 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 hostage rescue operations, this is the specificity of the group. When seizing the Al-Kharak Mosque in 1979 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the special forces were faced with the fact that only Muslims could be allowed into the territory of the holy city. Then the three fighters of the group converted to Islam, and after that they immediately joined the Saudi Arabian troops, who liberated the mosque from terrorists.

In total, the group's combat account has more than 600 released hostages.

4. Special Forces Sayeret Matkal, Israel

The main tasks are reconnaissance, information gathering. Because the fighters of this unit spend a lot of time behind enemy lines. Not everyone is able to withstand the hard overload of the qualifying course (gibush). Trainings are conducted under the supervision of physicians and a psychologist. According to the results of the gibbush, only the best are taken to the unit.

One of the group's most memorable operations is the release of an Israeli taxi driver named Ilyahu Gurel, who was kidnapped by three Palestinians whom he took to Jerusalem. The kidnappers held him in a 10-meter shaft in an abandoned factory in the suburbs of Ramallah. However, the special forces soldiers found him there too. As for the terrorists, they were given what they deserved.

3. Special Air Service of Great Britain, or SAS (Special Air Service)

It is, in a way, a twin of the SBS Marine Corps Special Unit. The motto of this unit is "The one who takes risks wins." The SAS took part in the fighting in Iraq after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. As US General Stanley McChrystal noted, “Their participation was critical. We couldn't have done it without them." This statement perfectly characterizes the role of the SAS in those events, as well as the level of combat training.

2. Special unit British Marine Corps - SBS (Special Boat Service)

There is also a very tough selection and high intensity training. The training course includes all kinds of endurance tests, training in combat survival skills, training in the jungles of Belize, plus intensive interrogation of applicants for admission. You can take the test course no more than twice.

1. "Navy SEALs" (SEAL) - an elite unit of the US military

Main tactical unit US Navy Special Operations Forces. They are mainly engaged in reconnaissance, sabotage activities and the release of hostages, as well as solving other tactical tasks (demining, combating illegal border crossings).

The formation of the detachment began in 1962. First of all, fighters who knew how to swim well, shoot and wield edged weapons were selected for the detachment.

From 1962 to 1973, the SEALs fought in Vietnam, both as part of reconnaissance teams and as instructors for Vietnamese soldiers. They invaded Grenada (Operation Outburst, 1983). Participated in the Persian Gulf War (Operation "Main Chance"). Fought in Panama and Afghanistan. On May 2, 2011, a Naval Special Forces detachment 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 high 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 the fighters sleep only 4 hours a day, and the rest of the time they are busy with survival tests.

The motto of the SEALs - "the only easy day was yesterday" clearly indicates the progressive nature of the loads, which will seem prohibitive to an ordinary person.

Those who are engaged in the most difficult tasks. This post will introduce you to the five most famous and prestigious special forces in the world.

Special Air Service, United Kingdom

SAS patrol in North Africa during World War II.

Modified and heavily armed SAS jeep

For several days, the SAS fighters practiced the assault on a full-size mock-up. On May 5, Operation Nimrod was broadcast live. It took 15 minutes, and only one of the invaders survived. He was sentenced to life in prison, but was released in 2008 and helped start life under a new name. None of the SAS fighters were injured. Among the hostages, one person was killed and two others were seriously injured.

Margaret Thatcher with SAS fighters who stormed the Iranian embassy

The fighters are then sent to learn survival, navigation, and combat techniques in the jungle. The most recent test is hide-and-seek in the jungle with stalking "hunters". But even uncaught candidates will have to pass the test of interrogation and torture, which stretches for 36 hours. The fighters are starved, thirsty and sleep deprived, and they, in turn, must repeat: "I can not answer this question."

The mountain so often stormed by candidates for the British special forces

Sayeret Matkal, Israel

People in white - Sayeret Matkal

The old Entebbe airport, where an Israeli special operation was carried out, later named after the deceased Yonatan Netanyahu, the commander of Sayeret Matkal

Return of passengers to their homeland.

GSG 9, Germany

The special forces of the German Federal Police were formed six months after the tragic events at the Olympics in Munich in 1972. Then, as a result of an unsuccessful attempt to free the hostages, Palestinian terrorists killed 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team. In Germany, they realized that without specially trained fighters, a new type of threat would not be able to resist. Therefore, it was decided to create the Grenzschutzgruppe 9 unit (“Border Protection Group 9”).

The main challenges for GSG 9 were hostage-taking, terrorism, and kidnapping. The department's specialists are also involved as consultants both within Germany and abroad.

The hostages return home

After the Landshut incident, GSG 9 allowed the German government to be told that it would never again negotiate with terrorists.

United States Navy SEALs

Subsequently, the SEALs participated in all major US military conflicts: in the invasion of Grenada, where the group was unable to save the local governor general from house arrest; in the Iran-Iraq conflict of the late 80s, where the unit distinguished itself by capturing the Iran Air vessel, which mined the waters of the Persian Gulf; in the invasion of Panama, where the main sabotage task of the "fur seals" was the destruction of the local army's watercraft and the plane of General Noriega, overthrown as a result of the intervention.

In modern history, the most significant operation was the destruction of the number one terrorist Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. The CIA-developed Operation Neptune Spear involved 40 SEALs from DEVGRU, formerly SEAL Team Six. On May 2, 2011, a unit on Black Hawk helicopters with M4 assault rifles, night vision goggles and pistols approached the terrorist's house, where they began cleaning the premises. In addition to the terrorist, four more people who resisted the special forces were killed. The operation was monitored live by the top leadership of the country.

Bin Laden's hideout. He and his wives lived on the second and third floors behind a high fence.

Before a cat candidate can begin training, they must go through a series of psychological and physical tests. The latter include swimming 450 meters in a minimum of 12 and a half minutes; 42 (optimal - 100) push-ups and 50 (100) squats in 2 minutes, 6 (25) pull-ups and a 2.4 km run in 11 minutes. Naturally, the candidates with the best results are more likely to be in the training camp. However, 80% of all those selected still break down and do not complete the training.

Alfa Group, USSR (Russia)

A group of fighters who were to storm Amin's palace

The loudest episode in the history of group "A" was the assault on Amin's palace (special operation "Storm-333") in December 1979, which dragged the Soviet Union into a long and exhausting war in Afghanistan. 24 Alpha fighters, in parallel with 30 KGB special reserve fighters, dressed in Afghan uniforms with a white armband and cleared the palace floor by floor, while other special forces provided them with external cover.