Special Forces - who is the best?

[Ironside]

If two SF teams meets, who win? The defender, always the defender. Why?

Because even if the attacker wins, they failed their mission. All SF teams are close enough that the winning team will always take losses and be delayed enough that any close reinforcements will have time to respond.

And if you're talking about winning the hearts and minds of the population, the most important thing is attitude. Troops that feel genuine and caring is going to do much better than those with a strict military protocol attitude.

[Brenus]

The problem is your view of Special Forces is actually wrong. Special Forces are not going behind enemy lines in a killing 1000 a day. The Special Forces dropped from 3000 metres, buried themselves and report, undetected, what they see. For one sniper killing one person, the job of hundreds of teams is spying, and to do that, you avoid to kill at all cost as, for unknown reason, it may alarm the enemies.
I interviewed one of this “special” for my Doctorate on the French Indochina War. He was the LO of the Roger Vandenberghe’s commando, and he just confirm it: Infiltration, location on map, relay to artillery and job done.

Like the paratroopers, the Special Forces are Infantry on Amphetamine. Movies don’t help in understanding this.

The Special Forces have the same effect and for the same reason than a killer going in a cinema and killing 50 unarmed persons. They are ready; they are equipped, when the others are not. The difference of course is in war that the best way to do it: by night, fog and rain, when the enemies are in pyjamas and sleeping (or sleepy, cursing the weather, waiting to go back in a warmish barracks out of the weather).

[Sarmatian]

The problem is your view of Special Forces is actually wrong. Special Forces are not going behind enemy lines in a killing 1000 a day. The Special Forces dropped from 3000 metres, buried themselves and report, undetected, what they see. For one sniper killing one person, the job of hundreds of teams is spying, and to do that, you avoid to kill at all cost as, for unknown reason, it may alarm the enemies.
I interviewed one of this “special” for my Doctorate on the French Indochina War. He was the LO of the Roger Vandenberghe’s commando, and he just confirm it: Infiltration, location on map, relay to artillery and job done.

Like the paratroopers, the Special Forces are Infantry on Amphetamine. Movies don’t help in understanding this.

The Special Forces have the same effect and for the same reason than a killer going in a cinema and killing 50 unarmed persons. They are ready; they are equipped, when the others are not. The difference of course is in war that the best way to do it: by night, fog and rain, when the enemies are in pyjamas and sleeping (or sleepy, cursing the weather, waiting to go back in a warmish barracks out of the weather).

Why do you bring sanity to this madness? If you continue it's gonna stop being a peeing contest...

I do not think Spetsnaz would take losses when the Delta Force are defending their barn:

And, as every serious military strategist knows, if you lose the barn, you've lost the war.

[Husar]

Why do you bring sanity to this madness? If you continue it's gonna stop being a peeing contest...

What? All my posts are carefully crafted and well-reasoned and I even forgot to mention the Special Forces of my own country at first.
Just because some people cannot hold back from mentioning the overglorified special forces from their own monkeysphere that does not mean the entire thread is a urination contest.

And, as every serious military strategist knows, if you lose the barn, you've lost the war.

Indeed, ask the French about the Maginot line or the Belgians about losing their frontline barns in 1940.

[Kadagar_AV]

My vote would have to go to the Russians...

Spetnaz come through a training regiment completely different to western ones. They also have at least as much practical experience as the USAnians.

The Alpha Team have made it there through warfare within the Russian army, not training.

[Sigurd]

Marinejegerkommdandoen (MJK) is the best special forces in the world, hands down.

[Montmorency]

Marinejegerkommdandoen (MJK) is the best special forces in the world, hands down.

I see your Special Norses and raise you...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Husar]

If two SF teams meets, who win? The defender, always the defender. Why?

Because even if the attacker wins, they failed their mission. All SF teams are close enough that the winning team will always take losses and be delayed enough that any close reinforcements will have time to respond.

And if you're talking about winning the hearts and minds of the population, the most important thing is attitude. Troops that feel genuine and caring is going to do much better than those with a strict military protocol attitude.

I do not think Spetsnaz would take losses when the Delta Force are defending their barn:



Around 1:45 you can see a typical Marinejegerkommdandoen defensive position and what Spetsnaz would do to it.
600m is beyond the effective range of common Delta Force, SAS and SASR weaponry.

I also forgot that some special forces were not mentioned here, either because they do not send enough propaganda material to the military channel or because they are clearly not worth mentioning:

Germany: KSK - became really famous when some of them made a photograph of themselves next to a pile of bones from Afghans they had killed.
Kampfschwimmer - German Navy SEALS equivalent, even the DDR had such a special forces group:



Cuba: Desembarco de Granma - no idea what they have to do with your grandma

France: BSFT:



GCP-CRAP - probably not as bad as the name suggests:



Commandos Marine

Somalia: PIRATES - mostly known for their ability to board ships completely unnoticed, minor deficits in direct combat:



There is also a list sorted by countries on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...l_forces_units

[Sigurd]

Around 1:45 you can see a typical Marinejegerkommdandoen defensive position and what Spetsnaz would do to it.

Truth is... Spetsnaz would never know if MJK was close by. Countless examples for this has been confirmed in "joint" exercises. Especially the Brits and the Americans.

[Husar]

Truth is... Spetsnaz would never know if MJK was close by. Countless examples for this has been confirmed in "joint" exercises. Especially the Brits and the Americans.

I've said numerous times now that Spetsnaz are far superior to Americans and Brits, you cannot compare them. Americans also have "Marines" who can't swim according to anecdotal evidence from a trustworthy .org member...

[Sigurd]

I've said numerous times now that Spetsnaz are far superior to Americans and Brits, you cannot compare them. Americans also have "Marines" who can't swim according to anecdotal evidence from a trustworthy .org member...

That video you claim is Spetsnaz looks like ordinary troops on a Sunday trip compared to:

[Husar]

That video you claim is Spetsnaz looks like ordinary troops on a Sunday trip compared to:

Every Hollywood director can show off like that with a bunch of spoiled millionaire actors. Not to forget that the rap is from America, Spetsnaz can make their own rap.

[Sigurd]

Every Hollywood director can show off like that with a bunch of spoiled millionaire actors. Not to forget that the rap is from America, Spetsnaz can make their own rap.

Spoiled actors would never allow their face to be covered up for more than a few seconds in any film. Which incidentally in the Spetznas film, seems not to be an issue. I suspect the Spasmnaz film are filled with spoiled but poor actors (indicated by their horrible fake costumes and toy guns).