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The 8 most elite special forces in the world
Business Insider ^ | 05/13/2015 | Tomas Hirst

Posted on 05/13/2015 7:45:03 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Elite special forces are some of the best-trained and most formidable units a country can boast.

They go where other soldiers fear to tread, scoping out potential threats, taking out strategic targets, and conducting daring rescue missions.

These really are the best of the best.

Although it's extremely difficult to rank these forces relative to one another, there are some units that rise above the rest in their track record and the fear they instill in their adversaries. These soldiers have been through rigorous training exercises designed to weed out those who can't hit their exacting standards.

In a world where the importance of the sheer size of a country's military forces is no longer a guide to their effectiveness, these soldiers are the ones state's look to in order to get the job done

8. The Special Services Group, SSG, in Pakistan is better known in the country as the "Black Storks" because of the commandos' unique headgear. Training reportedly includes a 36-mile march in 12 hours and a five-mile run in 20 minutes in full gear.

In October 2009, SSG commandos stormed an office building and rescued 39 people taken hostage by suspected Taliban militants after attack on the army's headquarters.

7. Spain's Unidad de Operaciones Especiales, or Naval Special Warfare Force as it has become since 2009, has long been one of Europe's best-respected special forces. Originally established as the volunteer Amphibious Climbing Company unit in 1952, it has since followed the SAS's example to become an elite fighting force.

Earning the UOE green beret, however, is a big ask with the failure rate of candidates averaging between 70% and 80%. It's not uncommon for 100% of new recruits to be rejected.

6. Russia's Alpha Group is one of the best-known special forces units in the world.

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: alfagroup; alphagroup; blackstorks; elite; france; fsb; gign; israel; kgb; marines; military; navyseals; pakistan; russia; sas; sayeretmatkal; sbs; spain; specialairservice; specialboatservice; specialforces; specialservicesgroup; ssg; unitedkingdom; uoe
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1 posted on 05/13/2015 7:45:03 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind
"Training reportedly includes a 36-mile march in 12 hours and a five-mile run in 20 minutes in full gear."

I'm not sure I buy the 5 miles in 20 minutes in full gear.

2 posted on 05/13/2015 7:49:01 AM PDT by circlecity
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To: circlecity

yea, that is a 4 minute mile


3 posted on 05/13/2015 7:50:42 AM PDT by Bruce Kurtz
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To: Bruce Kurtz
"yea, that is a 4 minute mile"

I just looked it up - 5 miles in 20 minutes would be close to if not THE world record for a 5 mile run.

4 posted on 05/13/2015 7:53:19 AM PDT by circlecity
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To: circlecity
Meanwhile the Army Rangers are force feeding gals into their special training operations with predicatable results...

 

No women able to finish first try at Ranger School
www.foxnews.com ^ | 5/8/15 | fox newa

5 posted on 05/13/2015 7:53:50 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (With Great Freedom comes Great Responsibility.)
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To: circlecity

I don’t buy the 5 miles in 20 Min. either!


6 posted on 05/13/2015 7:54:10 AM PDT by Red_Devil 232 ((VietVet - USMC All Ready On The Right? All Ready On The Left? All Ready On The Firing Line!))
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To: SeekAndFind
The US Navy SEALS might one-up even the Marines. To join their ranks, you have to be able to do a minimum of 42 push-ups in two minutes, 50 sit-ups in two minutes, and run 1.5 miles in 11 minutes. And that's before training starts.

Ummm, that's not that hard. Well when I was a young Troop anyway. Now as a 50 something retiree....

7 posted on 05/13/2015 7:57:20 AM PDT by Gamecock (Why do bad things happen to good people? That only happened once, and He volunteered. R.C. Sproul)
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To: circlecity

There are maybe, what, a handful of people in the entire world who can run a 4 minute mile under ideal conditions and the reporter claims these folks can do five 4 minute miles in succession with a full pack?


8 posted on 05/13/2015 7:58:31 AM PDT by Mr. Lucky
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To: Responsibility2nd
Ranger school is not 'special forces'. It is a TRADOC school, where numerous different 'mos' can attend.
9 posted on 05/13/2015 7:58:46 AM PDT by Theoria (I should never have surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive)
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To: SeekAndFind

-—Training reportedly includes a 36-mile march in 12 hours and a five-mile run in 20 minutes in full gear.——

Maybe he meant kilometers instead of miles...still a little hard to believe...


10 posted on 05/13/2015 8:02:23 AM PDT by Popman (Christ Alone: My Cornerstone...)
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To: circlecity

Miles = kilometers to many.


11 posted on 05/13/2015 8:02:33 AM PDT by WinMod70
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To: Responsibility2nd

12 posted on 05/13/2015 8:05:25 AM PDT by PROCON (I AM PAMELA GELLER.............(but in manly guy form :-))
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To: Bruce Kurtz
The Olympic record holder for the 5000 meter (3.1 mile) run keeps a pace of 4.2 minute per mile. So every SSG member can wear full gear and pass him easily. Yeah, right.

Maybe it's 5 kilometers in 20 minutes.

13 posted on 05/13/2015 8:09:36 AM PDT by KarlInOhio (Darth Obama on 529 plans: I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further.)
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To: Gamecock
Ummm, that's not that hard. Well when I was a young Troop anyway. Now as a 50 something retiree....

That's just to get in. Once training starts it's a whole lot harder than that.

14 posted on 05/13/2015 8:12:44 AM PDT by Lower Deck
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To: SeekAndFind

GROM should be on the list.

15 posted on 05/13/2015 8:12:59 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: circlecity
I'm not sure I buy the 5 miles in 20 minutes in full gear.

Maybe the full gear includes a bicycle.

16 posted on 05/13/2015 8:13:50 AM PDT by Leaning Right (Why am I holding this lantern? I am looking for the next Reagan.)
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To: Lower Deck

I’m pretty sure I know that.

My point is, I was expecting something like 80 push-ups in 2 minutes.


17 posted on 05/13/2015 8:20:00 AM PDT by Gamecock (Why do bad things happen to good people? That only happened once, and He volunteered. R.C. Sproul)
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To: SeekAndFind

There is such a fine line separating these teams in terms of ability it’d probably be safer to say that you have about four tied for first place and four tied for second.


18 posted on 05/13/2015 8:20:03 AM PDT by Lower Deck
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To: circlecity

Not buying that at all. 4 minute miles in full gear? Bullcrap.


19 posted on 05/13/2015 8:20:33 AM PDT by ameribbean expat
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To: circlecity

One of our employees tried out for Marine Force Recon. From what he told us, on day 1, they pushed out (actually kicked out) everyone from a boat 20 miles off shore and the instructor said “ OK, there’s the shore, I’ll see you later.”


20 posted on 05/13/2015 8:21:26 AM PDT by max americana (fired liberals in our company last election, and I laughed while they cried (true story))
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