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)
 * Special Missions Wing
 * Military Intelligence Battalion
 * National Strategic Reserve Operations Battalion
 * Afghan National Army Commando Corps
 * 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

 * Austro-Hungarian Stormtroopers

Canada

 * 1st Special Service Force
 * Special Air Service Company

Croatia

 * Zrinski Battalion
 * Frankopan Battalion

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

HQ staff at Brandenburg an der Havel, Brandenburg
 * Wehrmacht from 1943- 1945
 * 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
 * Kommandokompanien B1 (Kommando)

Greece

 * Sacred Band
 * 3rd Special Forces Division (Greece)

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

Netherlands

 * Korps Speciale Troepen

Poland
Second Polish Republic 🇵🇱 Polish government-in-exile Polish Underground State Polish People's Republic
 * Wawelberg Group
 * Cichociemni
 * Independent Grenadiers Company
 * Battalion Parasol
 * 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

 * Counter-Terrorist Unit (PTJ), MUP, merged into Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ)
 * Special Operations Unit (JSO), 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 (Özel Harp Dairesi)

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. 8 (Guards) Commando
 * No. 9 Commando
 * No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando
 * No. 11 (Scottish) Commando
 * No. 12 Commando
 * No. 14 (Arctic) 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)
 * Raiding Support Regiment (RSR)
 * 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
 * Royal Marine Boom Patrol Detachment (RMBPD) 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
 * Mosby's Rangers
 * Quantrill's Raiders


 * World War II
 * 1st Air Commando Group
 * 1st Special Service Force "Devil's Brigade"
 * 2nd Air Commando Group
 * 3rd Air Commando Group
 * 6th Army Special Reconnaissance Unit "Alamo Scouts"
 * Alaskan Scouts
 * Army Ranger Battalions
 * 5307th Composite Unit (provisional) "Merrill's Marauders"
 * 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 (MU)
 * 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
 * Joint Advisory Commission, Korea (JACK)
 * 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
 * Detachment A (DET A, 39th SFOD)
 * HAL-3 "Sea Wolves"
 * HAL-4 "Red Wolves"
 * HAL-5 "Blue Hawks"
 * Marine Corps Special Operations Command Detachment One (MCSOCOM-Det 1) (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
South Vietnamese Rangers 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

South Vietnamese Special Forces (LLDB), later reformed as South Vietnamese Special Mission Service
 * Project DELTA
 * Project SIGMA
 * Project OMEGA
 * Project GAMMA
 * Project CHERRY

Frogmen Team (LDNN)