Members of these 11 best, most elite hardest training special forces in the world are known for their skill and courage. Their training and operations are often hidden in myths and legends. This is due in part to their obvious need for secrecy and protection of themselves and their families, but also the mysteries that surround them also serve to strike fear into the hearts of their enemies. It isn’t unheard of for enemy combatants to abandon their positions and scatter at the mere mention that some of these elite special forces are spotted in the neighborhood.
The need for small groups of highly trained and determined individuals in times of war has been present in armed forces throughout history. Ancient armies often employed scouts to determine an enemy’s moves and location. These may be called the forbearers of all special forces in the world. Austro-Hungarian Jagdkommandos and German Strurmtruppen (Stormtroopers) from World War I could also be considered special forces. But it was the British who established the foundations for modern special forces we see today in almost every country.
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The name of the original special forces outfit, Commando, is today used almost as a synonym for special forces. In 1940, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was faced with a problem of striking at German forces in occupied Europe without using massive invasion forces. After the fall of France, the British Army was faced with a lack of both manpower and equipment needed for such operations. What they had in abundance was the resolve and a will to fight. Churchill took advantage of that and ordered a formation of small, elite unit able to “develop a reign of terror down the enemy coast”. The result was ten independent companies, each consisting of 21 officers and 260 men. After several raids on German-held France with mixed results, the British realized that they needed a larger force to be effective. Thus, the original 12 Commando units were formed. This battalion-sized outfits, with 500 men each, fought all over the world during WW2. Their legacy today is kept by the 3 Commando Brigade.
The success of the Commando units was quickly noted by other participants in WWII on both sides of the fence. David Sterling went to North Africa and formed both SAS and the SBS (Special Air Service and Special Boat Service), with an intention of landing them behind Rommel’s lines and destroying Luftwaffe airplanes on the ground. He needed boats for the landing part of his plan, hence the Special Boat Service was born.
US armed forces followed suit and founded Marine Raiders, a special force designed to storm and secure Pacific beaches prior to the arrival of the main landing force. Germans had Otto Skorzeny and his paratroopers, while Italian frogmen of the Decima Flottiglia MAS caused severe headaches to the British Mediterranean command by sneaking inside their ports and mining ships. Battleships Queen Victoria and Valiant were among their victims.
Today, almost every country in the world has some forms of elite units that fit the description of special forces. These special outfits can be very expensive, though and they are often included in Military Spending Facts that Will Blow Your Mind. Deciding which are 10 best, most elite hardest training special forces in the world is a very difficult assignment since these units are a great source of pride in their respective countries. So, we let the internet decide instead. We surveyed three previous lists we found and combine them to get the ultimate ranking of world’s best special forces. We used Business Insider, ABCNewspoint, and India Times as our sources. Here are the results:
10. MARCOS
Country: India
Branch: Indian Navy
Motto: The few, the fearless
We are continuing our list of best, most elite hardest training special forces in the world with MARCOS or Marine Commandos was founded in 1987 and is one of the youngest special forces on our list. Since then, it has taken part in more than a dozen operations, ranging from combat to hostage situations. During the Kargil War in 1999, they provided vital support to the Indian Army units during clashes with Pakistani forces. They keep a continuous presence in ongoing counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir, as well as in anti-piracy patrols of the Indian Navy.
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9. Shayetet 13
Country: Israel
Branch: Israeli Navy
Motto: n/a
Shayetet 13’s most notable achievement is the elimination of all members of the terrorist group responsible for the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre, which saw 11 Israeli athletes dead. In an operation aptly named the Wrath of God, Shayetet 13 operators, together with other Israeli special forces, executed a raid on Lebanon and killed several members of Black September terrorist group. That level of badassery is sure to secure them a spot on the list of best, most elite hardest training special forces in the world.
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8. The Special Services Group (SSG)
Country: Pakistan
Branch: Pakistani Army
Motto: I am valiant
When the Special Service Group, one of the best, most elite hardest training special forces in the world from our list was founded in 1956, it was intended for direct combat operations, which is witnessed by their strength of 5,600 active members, divided into eight battalions. Since then, they have added a variety of other skill to their repertoire, like resolving hostage situations. Still, for the most part, they are involved in counter-insurgency operations in border regions towards India and Afghanistan.
7. Fuerza de Guerra Naval Especial (FGNE)
Country: Spain
Branch: Spanish Navy
Motto: Enter those who can, not those who want
Next in line in the list of best, most elite hardest training special forces in the world is the entry that is really about Unidad de Operaciones Especiales (UOE) or Naval Special Warfare Force, the unit which was one of the three that formed FGNE in 2009. Since UOE doesn’t exist as an independent command, we had to use the official moniker of the FGNE. Their grueling training program is in line with their motto and often results in 70-80% drop rate and even 100% isn’t unheard of. The ratio of instructors to candidates of 3 to 1 at the end of the program is pretty common.
6. Alpha Group
Country: Russia
Branch: Ministry of the Interior (FSB)
Motto: n/a
Since its inception in the 1970s, Alpha Group, one of the best, most elite hardest training special forces in the world on our list has remained relatively unknown to the general public outside the Soviet Union, unlike their other comrades under the Spetznaz umbrella. They were heavily involved in all conflicts in the 1980s and 1990s, both outside and inside Russian borders. After the debacle in Moscow theater in 2003 which resulted in deaths of over 200 hostages, their reputation took a big hit among their colleagues around the globe.
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5. Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale (GIGN)
Country: France
Branch: National Gendarmerie
Motto: To enlist for life
Its place in National Gendarmerie order of battle makes GIGN dual purpose unit, which is engaged in both law enforcement and military operations. Groupe Islamique Armé, an Algerian terrorist group, had the misfortune of experiencing firsthand just how efficient GIGN is. In one of the most successful hostage operations ever, French special operators rescued 229 passengers from the hijacked Air France airliner on Marseille airport in 1984, killing all four terrorists on board in the process. Since its inception, GIGN rescued over 600 hostages, while only suffering two KIAs.
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4. Sayeret Matkal
Country: Israel
Branch: Military Intelligence Directorate
Motto: Who dares wins.
The original mission of Sayeret Matkal was field intelligence-gathering in the enemy’s rear. While that still remains their primary objective, they have picked up few more assignments since their creation in 1957. After the disastrous Ma’alot massacre, when the storming of the school with 115 hostages held by three gunmen resulted in the death of 25 hostages, Sayeret Matkal was confined to the operations abroad, while another unit, Yamam, was created for domestic counter-terrorism operations. Sayeret Matkal became known internationally after the Operation Entebbe, a rescue of 102 hostages from the Entebbe airport in Uganda.
3. Navy SEALs
Country: United States of America
Branch: US Navy
Motto: The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday
Number three on our list of best, most elite hardest training special forces in the world are United States Navy’s “Sea, Air, and Land” Teams, AKA Navy SEALs, that are one of the largest special force units in the world, with almost 9,000 authorized slots. The exact number is, of course, classified, but there aren’t many vacancies. They are one of the most respected and most feared outfits in the United States Armed Forces. Even before the elimination of Osama Bin Laden, SEALs had a stellar reputation and have taken part in the formation and training of several similar units around the world, like the India’s MARCOS.
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2. Delta Force
Country: United States of America
Branch: US Army
Motto: n/a
The full name of the Delta Force is 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta. They are the first unit to refer to its active members as operators, a term now commonly used by special forces worldwide. Most of their operations are classified and will remain so for a long time. The Department of Defense is very protective of Delta, allowing their members to wear civilian clothes on and off duty, and when they are in uniforms on an assignment they lack unit markings and surname patches.
1. SAS
Country: United Kingdom
Branch: British Army
Motto: Who dares wins
When David Stirling limped his way on crutches into General’s Richie’s office in Cairo in 1941, he couldn’t have possibly dreamt that the formation of the unit he was getting approved would one day become the best, most elite hardest training special forces in the world. SAS’s operations are the stuff of the legends among the special forces communities around the globe. Their training is copied almost to the dot by many armed forces and their members are held in the highest esteem by their brethren on all continents.
