Who has the best Special Forces ?

Well we've been hearing many things about the US Special Forces, but are they really the best and which unit is the best ? Or does another country possess the best ?

Well who do you thinks the best ?

My vote is for the Australian SAS, recently combat proven in East Timor and Afghanistan. And now once more in Iraq



In July 25 1957 the 1st Special Air Service was raised, the Company had a raised strength of 16 Officers and 168 Other ranks, then went on to become a fully fledged regiment within a few years. By 1964, an additional two companies had been added and it was renamed the Special Air Service Regiment. The SASR saw action in Borneo just a year later where it engaged in a widespread counterinsurgency campaign. Not long after this, some of its members were sent to Vietnam (although records indicate some may have been present as early as 1962) to aid in training the Australian Army. the AATV [Aust Army Trgteam ] were sent to help the MACV-SOG and did a lot of "in the hills living and training the Montagnards They also started training the US Military and the "Recondo Jungle Course " they had , which were based on lessons learned in the Malayan Confrontation, in the 50's and Borneo [60's]. The US Army under Westmoreland ordered the Course mandatory for SF and Recon units . Members of the AATV included members of the SAS and [other specialists] and this small Unit won 4 Victoria Crosses, [the Equiv. Medal of Honor]. The AATV also were attached to US SF Mike -Force teams. They became the most highly decorated unit in the Australian Army, mind you some had also fought in Korea and even WW11. The SAS in Vietnam had a 500 to 1 kill ratio.

Cross-training with other countries is not uncommon; Australian officers are permanently assigned to both Fort Bragg and Little Creek, NAB. They also have a close relationship with the British SAS which has been shared since 1957. Cross training has also occurred with the New Zealand SAS, Germany's GSG-9 and others. Contrary to popular belief, the SASR is used in covert operations abroad, despite the rumors of a general governmental reluctance to conduct such operations. Another secretive Role is called SRO or Special Recovery Operations.

READ THIS !

[Edited on 12-12-2002 by mad scientist]

[Edited on 5-6-2003 by mad scientist]

The Israely Moussad is the best... That's what they thought my dad in the Dutch marines...

i thought the Mossad was an intelligence agency? whilst i agree that they are an exceptionally good agency (and mean little buggers to boot) i don't think they count.

personally, i think the british SAS is better than the Aussie SAS. but there you go ...

it also depends on what you class as a 'Force' and how you measure them. sure, the SAS is good, but that is partly down to their intel and back up. put them on their own and whilst they are good, they aren't that good.

- qo.

You would be surprised quiet one just how far the best SOF in the world can go when they are on their own. That's what makes them different from regular soldiers, their fitness, training and intellinge(IQ). All Aussie SAS have to study and become proficcient in the use of a second language ( usually an Asian one ).

yeah but we've got Bond.

Ahhh Lupe I beg to differ, we have Bond here at the moment. He was at the Opera House the other day.

It has to be the British SAS, no one else (well maybe the Aussies) can touch them.

So no one is able to defend US or other EU units ?

It really depends on where you are and what your doing.....

I mean say you crash a plane at the top of a huge mountain in Nepal.

do you want to survive with a well trained SAS dude or a nepalese Gurker who doesn't know a carrot from a kalashnikov but can hypnotise a mountain goat at 50 yards and fead a family of 4 for 8 years on berrys.

ROFLMAO

Good perspective

Originally posted by Lupe_101
It really depends on where you are and what your doing.....

I mean say you crash a plane at the top of a huge mountain in Nepal.

do you want to survive with a well trained SAS dude or a nepalese Gurker who doesn't know a carrot from a kalashnikov but can hypnotise a mountain goat at 50 yards and fead a family of 4 for 8 years on berrys.

I was thinking more along the lines of combat record, selection and training etc.
You can try and nit pick at specicfic situations Lupe, but broadly speaking.

I believe the Aussie SAS is the best because of it's combat record - Borneo, Vietnam, Gulf, Timor Afganistan. Because of the of the callibre of the personel and training methods etc.

I'm Belgian. So, the best SF are our ESR.

But if I'm honest, I'll say like M.S. Aussies S.A.S are the best, or perhaps British S.B.S or the US S.E.A.L.

Oh yeah, and the french C.R.A.P ( do not laugh, it doesn't mean crap ) aren't so bad.

What about Delta Force ?
From what I've read in the book 'Blackhawk Down \\', they are some hard men. The book describes their training it's a good read.

ya delta is chosen from the special forces i.e (rangers, seals, berets etc.,)

I vote ofr delta i know alot of those guys and there not playin around. I know soem other countries SF can boast the same thing but im stickin withthe US til i meet another SF camando that scares me more. They need to have like the SF olympics or sometin that would be so kool.

This is a tough one: so much depends upon support, intelligence, the nature of the terrain: operating in Europe in WWII with a friendly resistance movement will not be the same as operating with a largely hostile indigenous population.
And, there is the sort of mission: the Poor Bloody Infantry wins wars -always did, always will; but special forces can have great tactical influence.
Even "special" is a bit of puzzler: how "special" do you need to be? Are marines or paratroopers/airborne special: they're selective and tough. I would imagine military fighter-pilots are about as "special" as you can get; but I guess they wouldn't count.
And it depends upon the opposition: fighting Argentinian conscripts in the Falklands is arguably not as hard as fighting Afghan taliban in Afghan mountains.
Purely on history, I'd guess the laurels go to the UK SAS/SBS or the Aussies; but I'm sure that -as individuals-Delta', Spetsnaz are as tough.
And none are immortal: the helicopter's hit or the boat's hit (SAS in Falklands) and they're just as dead as Army clerks and cooks would be.
I would however correct one apparent misapprehension here: do not dismiss the Gurkhas -if there is one breed of soldier you do not want to be fighting against -it is the Gurkhas: they put the fear of God into the Imperial Japanese (no mean feat) and just about anyone else they've fought since.

US Navy SeALs and The Delta Force....

who exactly are the Gurkhas do they work for a specific country?

On that note Estragon, my old man fought w/ some ROKs (Koreans) in 'nam. Tough and disciplined - on one such occasion had it not been for them good 'ol bob88 wouldn�t have born.

isnt it the spetnaz the german SF if not what is it