elite forces

the US fields several elite units- seals, delta, special forces, AF para rescue, CG rescue swimmers, marine recon & SOC, rangers - how many other countries have units at or near the same level? most have forces that are considered elite but many if not most are not up to the standard of the best around. several were well trained at one time but have not maintained their readyness and training. who still has forces operating at the highest levels?

myself i think perhaps the toughtest might be the CG swimmers- who else considers being left alone a few hundred miles out sea at night, in a storm, and swimming as just part of the job?

 

British SAS & SBS.
The SBS are apparently everything that the SAS are, but on water too.

Aussie SAS, good record, and not slacking yet AFAIK (mind you, how would I know? ).

 

Agreed, national pride aside both the SAS and the SBS are at least equal to the various US special forces (The SAS have a Boat Troop as well so they do operate on water too!). Depends what you mean by "Elite", in terms of the British Army, Navy and Airforce the Paras, Ghurkas, Commandoes and even RAF Regiment Para units are all Elite, but they're not Special Forces.

I'd say, and this is not just National pride, that British Special Forces are up there with the best in the world, and the Elite regiments are also up there with the best.

 

In France there are various elite forces in the different brances of arms.

The Army has the RPIM (Régiment Parachutiste D'Infanterie et de Marine).
These are said to be similar in training and missions to the british SAS.
Not surprising, as the RPIM is a descendant of french SAS forces of WW2.

In the Navy there are the Groupement des Fusiliers-Marins commandos(COFUSCO) which are comparable to the US Seals.

The Armée de l'air has got the "Groupement des fusiliers commandos de l'air"

There was some news coverage on them several years ago when they rescued the crew of a Mirage 2000 shot down over Bosnia.

There are some other elite forces in the army and the Foreign Legion but they don't really qualify as special forces.

 

Don't the Foreign Legion also have their own Special Forces units?

 

In France, units are called special forces if they are under the command of "COS"(Commandement des operations speciales).

In the foreign legion, there are some more specialised units(such as 2.REP, or 6th REG)but these are more "Quick reaction units" than real "Special Forces".

 

The Dutch Navy has its own Marine Corps, not exactly special forces but definitely tough and well-trained, above standard. The Dutch Army has a unit of Commandoes, of which I don't know any details, and a unit of Mountain troops who, according to certain Norwegain forum members, can't ski for crap.

Probably the most elite unit around here would be the Military Police's BBE (Special Support Unit), which is basically an anti-terrorist that intervenes in hostage situations and such.

 

As an aside the Dutch Marines maintain quite close contacts with the Royal Marines, the two apparently have historical links.

 

Why do the dutch have mountain troops??

FRom what I know their highest "mountain" as more or less the heigth of the Eiffel tower.

 

That's probably why their skiing is so bad then!

 

Because they don't fight here a lot, and other countries where they are sent for peace missions and intervention do have mountains. I guess.

This mountain unit is a specialized part of the Marines by the way, not of the Army (just looked it up). They are known as the Mountain Leaders, sort of long-range scouts and mountain specialists within the Marine corps.

 

Is this the right moment to mention the "Brownies"? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Such as fighting each other a lot in the 17th Century?

 

Yes but apparently it was a joint force of Dutch Marines and Royal Marines that captured Gibraltar, it would appear that the Dutch contribution tends to get overlooked in the minds of most British!

http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/pages/141.html

From the RM website themselves!

 

Canadians Task Force 13 or something?

and i agree...SAS is the best currently

 

Back in the War of Spanish Succession we were your allies, but in the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War (1780-1784) we were enemies once again. And you Brits mostly wiped the sea floor with us.

Oh, and David: there is no right moment to mention the Brownies. Not now, not in the past, and most certainly not in the future, ever again. :angry:

 

Several countries have units of this caliber and some are even better. I am not just talking SAS SBS.

 

the Israeli special forces are meant to be very good as well

 

I was thinking more on the lines of the Dutch Marines and the Bellgian Para Comando or the Aussie SAS. Haven't read much on the Isreali Elite Troops.

 

ive heard they are quite good, but yeh the troops u metioned are also very good