List of defunct special forces units

Afghanistan
*Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
**Afghan Army
***26th Airborne Battalion
***37th Commando Battalion
***38th Commando Battalion
***84th Commando Battalion
***85th Commando Battalion
***242nd Parachute Battalion
***444th Commando Battalion
***455th Commando Battalion
***466th Commando Battalion
***666th Commando Battalion
**Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Afghan Army (KhAD-e-Nezami)
***203rd Special Purpose Battalion (Kabul)
***212th Special Purpose Battalion (Kandahar)
***230th Special Purpose Battalion (Gardez)
ANA Special Operations Command
*National Mission Brigade (NMB)
**1st Ktah Khas Battalion (aka: Afghan Partner Unit (APU))
**6th Special Operations Kandak (SOK)
**1st SO Brigade at Gardez
Australia
*No. 200 Flight RAAF
*Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV)
*Australian commandos
*Combined Field Intelligence Service
*Far Eastern Liaison Office (FELO)
*M Special Unit
*Rose Force
*Royal Australian Navy Beach Commandos
*Services Reconnaissance Department
*Z Special Unit
*Bushveldt Carbineers
Austro-Hungarian Empire
*
Canada
*1st Special Service Force
*Special Air Service Company
Croatia
*Zrinski Battalion
*Frankopan Battalion
Cambodia
*Cambodian Airborne Brigade
*Cambodian Para-Commando Battalion
*Khmer Special Forces *Lake Brigade *Cambodian Marine Corps *Cambodian Navy SEALs
Ethiopia
*103rd Commando Division - Derg government, active 1988-89
Empire of Japan
Empire of Japan
;Japanese Special Attack Units
*Kamikaze ("divine wind")
;Imperial Japanese Army
*Teishin Shudan ("Raiding Group")
*Giretsu ("Heroic Paratroopers")
;Imperial Japanese Navy
*1st Yokosuka SNLF
*2nd Yokosuka SNLF
*3rd Yokosuka SNLF
;Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
*1st Raiding Group
*2nd Raiding Group
Germany
German Empire
* Sturmtruppen (17 battalions)
Nazi Germany
;Abwehr- units later reassigned to Wehrmacht after expanding to divisional size:
*Brandenburg Lehr und Bau Battalion zbV 800 - December 1939
** 1. Company - Baltic/ Russian
** 2. Company - English/ North and South Africa
** 3. Company - Sudeten German/ Balkans
** 4. Company - Volkdeutshe/ Eastern ethnic German
** Motorcycle platoon
** Parachute platoon
*Brandenburg Lehr-Regiment zbV 800 - 1941-1943
** 1st Battalion, at Brandenburg
** 2nd Battalion at Baden
** 3rd Battalion at Baden
** Intelligence Battalion
** Coastal Raiding Company
** Sonderverbrand 287 - Arab volunteers with brandenburg volunteer core
** Sonderverbrand 288 - All German
;Wehrmacht from 1943- 1945
HQ staff at Brandenburg an der Havel, Brandenburg
*Verband 801, based in Brandenburg an der Havel
** I. Battalion
** II. Battalion
** III. Battalion
*Verband 802 (Mountain), base in Admont, Steiermark
** I. Gebirgsjäger Battalion
** II. Gebirgsjäger Battalion
** III. Gebirgsjäger Battalion
*Verband 803, based in Düren, North Rhine-Westphalia
** I. Battalion
** II. Battalion
** III. Battalion
** 13. Legionärs Company
*Verband 804 (Legionärs), based in Langenargen, Bodensee
** I. Legionärs Battalion
** II. Legionärs Battalion
** III. Legionärs Bataillon
*Verband 805, based in Brandenburg an der Havel
*Intelligence Detachment 800
** 5X Company
*Intelligence Support Detachment 800
** 4X Company
*Coastal Rangers Detachment 800, based at Langenargen, Bodensee
** 4X Company (1, 2, 3 and 4)
*Signals Detachment 800
** 3X Company (1, 2 and 3)
*Training Unit, Gut „Quenzsee“ (or „Quenzgut“), based near Brandenburg
;Kriegsmarine
*Lehrkommandos 200, 250, 300, 350, and 700
;Luftwaffe
*Kampfgeschwader 200
*Jagdverband 44
;Waffen-SS
*Sonderlehrgang z.b.V. „Oranienburg“ (18 April 1943 - 16 June 1943)
*Sonderverband z. b. V. "Friedenthal" (16 June 1943 - 17 April 1944)
*500th SS Parachute Battalion
*502nd SS Jäger Battalion (17 April 1944 - 10 November 1944)
*500th SS Jäger Battalion
*600th SS Jäger Battalion
*SS-Jagdverband
**SS-Jagdverband Mitte
***150th SS Panzer Brigade (November 1944 - 25-28 December 1944)
***Division Schwedt Kampfgruppe/Sperrverband Skorzeny (31 January 1945 - 3 March 1945)
**SS-Jagdverband Nordwest
**SS-Jagdverband Ost
**SS-Jagdverband Südost
**SS-Jagdverband Südwest
German Democratic Republic
* Diensteinheit IX
* Fallschirmjägerbataillon 40 "Willi Sänger"
* Luftsturmregiment 40 "Willi Sänger"
Germany
*
Greece
* Sacred Band
*
Fiji
*Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit (1987-2000)
Indonesia
*Kopkamtib (1965-1988)
*Bakorstanas (1988-2000)
Ireland
*Free State Army Intelligence Department
Israel
*Palmach
*Unit 101
*Samson Unit
*Force 100
*Sayeret Haruv
*TAT'ZAM
*Sayeret Shaked
*Sayeret Rimon
Kingdom of Italy
;World War I
* Arditi
;World War II
*Regio Esercito : 10th Arditi Regiment (3 battalions, plus 1 combined parachutist battalion)
*Regia Aeronautica : A.D.R.A. Arditi Distruttori Regia Aeronautica (2 battalions)
*Blackshirts : Battaglioni M
Laos
*Royal Lao Army Airborne
*Military Region 5 Commandos *Commando Raiders
*SPECOM *Special Guerrilla Units
*Directorate of National Coordination
Netherlands
*Korps Speciale Troepen
Poland
Second Polish Republic
*Wawelberg Group
Polish government-in-exile
*Cichociemni
* Independent Grenadiers Company
* 1st Independent Commando Company - as No. 6 Troop of
Polish Underground State
*Parasol Battalion
Polish People's Republic
* Polish Independent Special Battalion
* 1st Assault Battalion
Portugal
*Caçadores Especiais
*Flechas
*Grupos Especiais
Philippine Republic
*Philippine Revolutionary Army
**Luna Sharpshooters
Rhodesia
*Selous Scouts
*Rhodesian Special Air Service
*Grey's Scouts
Serbia
* , MUP, merged into
* , SDB, disbanded
South Africa
*South African Special Forces
**1 Reconnaissance Commando
** 2 Reconnaissance Commando (Citizen Force)
** 3 Reconnaissance Commando (consisting of former Selous Scouts)
** 6 Reconnaissance Commando (consisting of former Rhodesian SAS)
* 31 Battalion "the Bushman Battalion" Originally "Alpha Group"
** 31 Battalion Recce Wing
*32 Battalion 'The Terrible Ones' Originally "Bravo Group"
** 32 Battalion Recce Wing
*Civil Cooperation Bureau (CCB)
* Hunter Group
*Koevoet
*44 Parachute Brigade Pathfinder Company 'The Philistines'
Syria
* Defense companies
* Struggle Companies
Turkey
* Special Warfare Department ()
United Kingdom
;British Army
*Army Commandos (1940 - 1946)
** No. 1 Commando
** No. 2 Commando
** No. 3 Commando
** No. 4 Commando
** No. 5 Commando
** No. 6 Commando
** No. 7 Commando
**
** No. 9 Commando
**
**
** No. 12 Commando
**
** No. 30 Commando
** No. 50 Commando
** No. 51 Commando
** No. 52 Commando
** No. 62 Commando
** Middle East Commando
*Long Range Penetration Group “The Chindits”
*Ferret Force
*Phantom
*Layforce
*Long Range Desert Group (LRDG)
*Popski's Private Army (PPA)
*
* Special Interrogation Group (SIG)
*T-Force
*V-Force
*Z Force
;Royal Air Force
*Royal Air Force Commandos
;Royal Marines
* Royal Marine Detachment 385 (Small Operations Group)
* Sea Reconnaissance Unit (SRU)
* Royal Marine Demolition Unit
;Royal Navy
*Royal Navy Commandos - 22 units each consisting of 10 officers and 65 ratings
;Combined Operations
*30 Assault Unit
*Combined Operations Pilotage Parties
* The “Cockleshell Heroes”
;Directorate of Military Intelligence
*Special Operations Executive
** Force 133
**Force 136
** Force 137
** Force 266
** Force 399
**Norwegian Independent Company 1
**Small Scale Raiding Force (SSRF) "62 Commando"
;Other
* UK and the Royal Navy Volunteer Group (Korean War unit)
* Special Reconnaissance Unit
* 14 Intelligence Company "The Det"
* The Increment
United States
;The Civil War
* Jessie Scouts
*
* Quantrill's Raiders
;World War II
* 1st Air Commando Group
*
* 2nd Air Commando Group
* 3rd Air Commando Group
* 6th Army Special Reconnaissance Unit "Alamo Scouts"
* Alaskan Scouts
* Army Ranger Battalions
*
* Marine Raiders
**1st and 2nd Raider Regiment
**1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Raider Battalions
* Observer Group
* Sino-American Cooperative Organization
** Naval Group, China (NGC)
* Naval Scouts and Raiders
* Navy Combat Demolition Units (NCDU)
* US Navy Beach Jumpers
* Office of Strategic Services (OSS)
** 2641st Special Group
** 2671st Special Reconnaissance Battalion
** 2677th Office of Strategic Services Regiment
** US Army Air Forces Carpetbaggers
** OSS Detachment 101
** OSS Detachment 202
** OSS Detachment 303
** OSS Detachment 404
** OSS Detachment 505
** OSS Jedburgh Teams
** OSS Operational Groups (OG)
**
*** OSS Maritime Unit, Operational Swimmer Group
** OSS Weather Observers
* Special Allied Airborne Reconnaissance Force (SAARF)
;Korean War
* Air Resupply And Communications Service (ARCS)
**580th Air Resupply and Communications Wing (580th ARCS)
**581st Air Resupply and Communications Wing (581st ARCS)
**582nd Air Resupply and Communications Wing
* Airborne Ranger Companies
* Combined Command Reconnaissance Activities, Korea (CCRAK)
** 6167th Air Base Group
***6167th Operations Squadron
***B Flight, 6167th ABG
* Detachment 1, 6160th ABG/22nd Crash Boat Rescue Squadron (CBRS), Korea Detachment
*
* Special Activities Group (SAG)
** GHQ 1st Raider Company (Provisional)/8227th Army Unit
* Unit 4 21st Troop Carrier Squadron (TCS), 5th AF/Special Air Missions (SAM) Detachment, 21st Troop Carrier Squadron (TCS), 5th AF
* United Nations Partisan Infantry Korea (UNPIK)
** BAKER Section
** Partisan Airborne Infantry Regiment (PAIR)
* US Navy Special Operations Group, Korea
;Vietnam War
* 46th Special Forces Company
* Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP)
* MIKE Force
* Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group(MACV-SOG)
* Phoenix Program
*Project 404/Palace Dog
* Project "Leaping Lena" (Vietnam War)
* Project DELTA
* Project GAMMA
* Project Sigma and Project Omega
* Raven Forward Air Controllers
* Tiger Force
* US Navy Boat Support Units (BSU)
;Other
* 1st Battalion, 245th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)
* 5th Force Reconnaissance Company
* 6th Special Forces Group
* 8th Special Forces Group
* 11th Special Forces Group
* 12th Special Forces Group
* 55th Special Operations Squadron
* 129th Air Commando Group
* 129th Special Operations Aviation Company (SOAC)
* 437th Combat Control Squadron
* 617th Special Operations Aviation Detachment
* 745th Special Operations Squadron
* 1730th Pararescue Squadron
* Army Aviation Support Element (AASE), US Special Operations Command
* Blue Light
* Green Light Teams
* Detachment A (DET A, 39th SFOD)
* HAL-3 "Sea Wolves"
* HAL-4 "Red Wolves"
* HAL-5 "Blue Hawks"
* (Operation Iraqi Freedom)
* Red Cell
* SEASPRAY
* Special Forces Groups Aviation Detachments
* Special Warfare Aviation Detachments (SWAD)
** 22d Aviation Detachment (Special Forces)
** 23d SWAD (Surveillance)
** 281st Aviation Company (Assault Helicopter)(Airmobile Light)
* Special Boat Unit 11 (SBU 11)
* Special Boat Unit 13 (SBU 13)
* Special Boat Unit 24 (SBU 24)
* Special Boat Unit 26 (SBU 26)
* Special Operations Reconnaissance
* Task Force 5 (forerunner of Task Force 11)
* Task Force 11 (Operation Enduring Freedom)
* Task Force 20 and Task Force 121 (Operation Iraqi Freedom)
* Task Force 98
* Task Force 157 (Covert USN Intelligence unit)
* Task Force Bayonet (Operation Just Cause)
* Task Force Ranger (Operation Gothic Serpent)
* Underwater Demolitions Teams (UDT)
* US Air Force Special Operations Weather Teams (SOWT)
* US Army Special Operations Agency
* US Army Special Operations Division
* USAF Special Operations Combat Control Team (SOCCT)
* US Coast Guard Drug Interdiction Assist Team (DIAT)
* Yellow Fruit
* Naval Interdiction Forces ((Rose Units))
Republic of Vietnam
At its peak there were 22 ARVN Ranger Battalions organized in 10 Groups.
*1st Ranger Group - Da Nang (I Corps/CTZ)
*2nd Ranger Group - Pleiku (II Corps/CTZ)
*3rd Ranger Group - Biên Hòa (III Corps/CTZ)
*4th Ranger Group - Chi Long (initially in the 44 Tactical Zone and later the IV Corps)
*5th Ranger Group - Biên Hòa (III Corps/CTZ)
*6th Ranger Group - Biên Hòa (III Corps/CTZ)
*7th Ranger Group - Saigon, attached to Airborne Division
*8th Ranger Group - Formed in 1974-75
*9th Ranger Group - Formed in 1974-75
*81st Ranger Group (Airborne) - Biên Hòa
Additionally, during the Vietnamization of the CIDG and MIKE Forces, former CIDG units were namely given Ranger status and organized into groups mostly of 3 battalions each, but they were largely local forces without any special forces capabilities.
*21st Ranger Group
*22nd Ranger Group
*23rd Ranger Group
*24th Ranger Group
*25th Ranger Group
*31st Ranger Group
*32nd Ranger Group
*33rd Ranger Group
*41st Ranger Border Defense Group - Chi Long HQ
*42nd Ranger Border Defense Group - Chi Long HQ
, later reformed as South Vietnamese Special Mission Service
* Project DELTA
* Project SIGMA
* Project OMEGA
* Project GAMMA
* Project CHERRY

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