Which Country has the world's best Spec Ops unit?

Question

Alot of people on Yahoo are debating this point. Most experts from around the world often say that American, British, and Israeli Spec Ops units are equal to one another, and set the standard for counter-terrorisim, counter-guerilla warfare. The idea that one or the other is better because the others "shoot their own" is idiotic and has no basis in reality. Statistically "SNAFU's" and Friendly Fire" have occured equally in Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon, involving all of the above countries' Special Forces. So if you are going by the general concenses All three countries Spec Ops units are equal in training, skill, discipline and overall lethality...the only edge most often cited for America is that we have the best training facilities and weapons and technologies, because we simply have the most money, other then that it's a dead even tie.

I am interested in what other people think.

Answer 1

That's a tough call...

I'd have to go with British SAS, but not by much.

Answer 2

I would personally have to say it is the British SAS. This is not because i am Bias. It is a fact that the regular British Army soldier receives training which is comparable to your Rangers or some even say equal to Delta.

It is true that America have the most money but this does not necessarily mean they are the best. (have you never seen Rocky when he is training...lol). I wouldlove to see a Training Exercise with all three.

My Results are as Thus:-
#1 SAS
#2 Delta
#3 IDF

Anyway make up your own mind. there are a couple of links for each below.

Sorry just wanted to add the following. In My defence.

SAS rescue on Iranian Embassy
Five of the six terrorists were killed and nineteen hostages were saved. One hostage was killed by a terrorist during the attack.

Delta Operations in Mogadishu
Somalis loyal to Aidid ambushed the peacekeepers and killed 24 Pakistanis. Although the mission was successful, five American army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters were shot down during the battle (two in the city [Durant's "Super 64" and Wolcot's "Super 61"] and 3 at a safe area), causing about 100 United States Army Rangers and Delta Force operators to be pinned down in the city, trying to rescue survivors and recover the dead. In this Battle of Mogadishu, the Somalis killed 18, one soldier three days later in a mortar strike and 1 Malaysian soldier and injured several dozen.

IDF raid on Entebbe
Wel the less said about that the better really. I think they refer to it as a massive c*ck-up.

Now i know these are slightly different circumstances but they were all doing the job they were trained for.Nuff said. And all respect to the 22nd and 23rd.

Answer 3

I have answered this on many occassions also and would still say the SAS.

They are the best trained, have the ability to work anywhere on earth, in any situation, are capable of working with little of no firepower and only a knife, are trained to complete missions without ever being noticed and in total stealth. Survive in the harshest enviorments whilst living off the land aswell as being the basis for every special forces unit on earth.

Sure every countries special forces will be very good ( they wouldnt be special forces if the wernt ) but when very little is known about them how can anyone else come close?


Goodtimes put the crack pipe down. i think you will find the SAS trained the US and Isreal as we have been fighting terrorism and urban warfare longer than any of you. Northern Ireland is where the SAS devoloped there skills and now teaches them to the rest in order to fight against islamic terrorists

Answer 4

You will struggle to find enough evidence to answer this one properly. I have worked with US and UKSF but never the Israelis. The common theme is the tough selection process to employ only the cream of the crop, the intense and varied training and the "can do, will do, must do the best" attitude. I think the Brits have a more resourceful attitude - due to less resources - which gives UKSF the edge. Throw a problem to any of the Sqns at Poole or H and you will get an inventive solution. Do the same to a US unit and they will give you a solution based upon the awesome technology they have.

Answer 5

Overall, man to man, the Israelis have the best spec ops mainly because of them constantly conducting operations. I do think that The Brits and Americans are really good and suspect that both are getting better all the time mainly because of constant operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Also, the Polish Grom units are excellent and have helped in operations in Iraq. The Aussies are underrated. They are excellent units as well. As I was told, they are more, "woodsy", i guess meaning that they taught a person I know (former SEAL) to survive in the woods like gutting deer and using the carcass as a sleeping bag for example.

Answer 6

The modern concept of special ops was created by the British in North Africa during WWII, the SAS is the original and is still considered the standard that others are judged by. They are very good....... The navy SEALs were created from the underwater demolition teams(UDT) of WWII and have become America's main commando style unit (go in, do the job, get out, type of mission) They do train regularly with SAS units.........U.S.Army Delta Force was modeled after the SAS and does train regularly with them, they are the military SWAT team, they're mission is similar to the SEALs but in Army operations.They are very good........U.S.Army Special Forces(Green Berets) have more of a long term mission, they are deployed behind enemy lines to train local populations in guerrilla warfare, carry out surveillance of enemy activity, etc., they try to keep a very low profile. They're training is different because thier mission is different. They are very good..........U.S.Army Rangers are more of a light infantry shock force, their mission to capture and hold key positions in the early stages of an operation( airfields, bridges, crossroads, etc.). Different training for different missions , they are also very good..........Don't know about the Israelis, I've heard they're good......I guess I would give a slight edge to the SAS, although if I were an enemy I would not want any of them coming after me........btw,the Canadians have a Special Ops force that is considered just as good as the SAS or SEALs,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I have to ask Rgrahamz,,,,,,,,,,,,,,how can you compare a hostage rescue at an embassy in London with a mission into hostile territory, what the SAS did in London is the same thing any one of a hundred different american police force SWAT teams do.

Answer 7

goodtimefriend I find it hard to believe that you think the Yanks trained SAS...I could do the history lesson but can't be bothered and as your are on Yahoo why not look up History of the Special Air Service. The SAS are and will always be the best everyone else just looks up to older Bro...In Gulf 1 we went in almost totally blind and seriously under equipped we were informed that weather would be moderate so we packed for moderate the fact was the temp dropped below freezing at night. You must remember that we trained most in the UK as the cold war was our main objective so desert warfare came out of the blue although our training catered for any theatre,we carried a lot of kit that you could say at the time was very dated very heavy so ammo was kept to a minimum and we were recon and not there for the fight so enemy contact was to be avoided at all costs so not really a problem. Intel was a problem but was overcome all in all for under equipped we did well...


.After reading the Crap that's on this board I am wondering why did I bother as most of the answers on here are judged by some sh*te book someone read....It's like asking a 5 year old to judge a beauty contest who on here as done it, who on here deserves the right to say......I know The Special Air Service are the Best Because I Proudly Served with that Unit, the rest over rated or quessed about....Don't want to rain on your parade Boys and Girls But I was that Soldier.....


Kenneth C, Sorry don't remember you or was you Delta because you seem to know a lot about my Regiment...Oh sorry my mistake you read it somwhere was it bravo20 or the one that got away or just some other crap on the book shelf..

Answer 8

The British SAS and SBS are the original SF group and only matched by the Aussie Special Forces.

The American Delta Force was created in 1977 by Charles Beckwith after he had spent some time with the SAS. Beckwith was so impressed, he begged the US military to copy the UK.

The US SF groups are quite good, but their track record isn't a patch on the SAS/SBS. In Iraq, the SAS and SBS are seen as the elite forces.

Israel is unproven in my opinion and can't hold a candle to either Delta Force, Navy Seals, SBS or SAS. The Entebbe rescue was a fraud and was acted out, so Israeli forces have much to prove.

Answer 9

Delta Force uses invite only they invite the best. They even take people from the famous Force Recon and Navy Seals. However from what I understand they are tied with the US Army. But the US Goverment will not admit that they exist.


SAS is very cool too they know how to put up a fight.

Another one I kind of like is the French Foregin Legion but they really are not special op but more of a elite fighting force(tough in training)

Answer 10

Among the world's elite special operations forces few match the secretive nature of Canada's Joint Task Force Two aka JTF2. Deployed around the globe to rugged and dangerous war zones - Afghanistan, Nepal, Zaire, Haiti, Rwanda, Tanzania and the Central African Republic - JTF2 commandos conduct their operations under a veil of secrecy that rivals the British SAS or America's Delta Force.And JTF2 consists of only 250 members.

Answer 11

Canada has the world's best Special Ops Unit simply because most of you don't even know who they are or what they are called. Secrecy is a big part of Special Ops and if everybody knows about you, you're not all that "special" are you? Who provides snipers for US Special Ops in Afghanistan? The US Army sure doesn't.