SEALS: US Special Forces Elite. "Navy SEALs" and Russian special forces: who is better prepared? The history of the creation and activities of the US Navy SEALs
SEALs are an elite special forces unit that participates in operations conducted in any terrain. Particular emphasis is placed on the training and equipping of the detachment for operations in coastal and sea conditions. The name "SEAL" ("Seals") is an abbreviation of the names of the areas in which the detachment is trained: Sea - Air - Land (sea - air - land). Their small, well-trained detachment silently conducts night operations of national importance. "Seals" are deployed around the world in order to protect state interests. The SEALs and their high-speed boats, operated by their counterparts in the Special Small Combat Vessel Service, form the US Navy's Special Forces units, which are led by the US Naval Special Operations Forces Command.
1. "Seals" - Divers. (Photos are accompanied by lines from the SEAL credo.) During the years of war or unrest, there is a special kind of warrior who is ready to come to the aid of his nation. An ordinary person with an extraordinary drive to succeed. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
2. "Navy SEALs" - "Notorious scoundrels." Hardened by hardship, he stands in the ranks of America's best special forces military to protect the country, America's citizens, and their way of life. I am that person. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
3. Soldier of the SEAL squad. My "trident" is a symbol of my dignity and honor. Given to me by heroes who have gone before me, it embodies the trust of those I am called to protect. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
4. "Navy SEALs", these fighters will overcome any terrain. By accepting the Trident, I accept responsibility for my own choice of profession and lifestyle. This is an honor that I have to justify every day. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
5. "Seals" - Jumping frog. My devotion to the Fatherland and the team is impeccable. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
6. "Navy SEALs" - Fighters, rushing to the limit. I humbly serve as the guardian of my fellow citizens and am always ready to stand up for those who are not able to protect themselves. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
7. "Navy SEALs" - Fighters who can not be stopped. I do not extol the nature of my service, nor do I seek recognition for my service. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
8. "Seals" - Night exercise. I willingly accepted the dangers of my profession, placing the welfare and safety of others above my own. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
9. "Navy SEALs" - Fighters on a boat. I serve with honor both on and off the battlefield. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
10. "Navy SEALs" - Graduates. The ability to control my emotions and actions regardless of the circumstances distinguishes me from other people. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
11. "Navy SEALs" - Paratroopers. Uncompromising purity is my standard. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
12. "Navy Seals" - Red smoke. My character and honor are firm. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
13. "Navy SEALs" - Divers and a submarine. My word is my pledge. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
14. "Seals" - The appearance of fighters from the water. We are ready to lead and be led. In the absence of command, I will take charge, lead my comrades and complete the operation. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
15. "Navy SEALs" - Fighters on a submarine. I lead by example in every situation. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
16. "Navy SEALs" - Army ninjas. I will never leave the service. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
17. "Navy SEALs" - Marine fighters. I persevere and thrive in adversity. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
18. "Navy Seals" - Smoke against the sunset. My people expect me to be physically and mentally superior to my enemies. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
19. Sniper detachment "Fur seals". I will rise again every time I get knocked down. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
20. "Navy Seals" - Red Flash. I will do my best to protect my comrades and carry out the operation. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
21. "Navy SEALs" - Sentry in the rays of sunset. I am always on alert. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
22. Detachment "Navy SEALs". We demand discipline. We are open to innovation. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
23. "Seals" - Silhouettes of fighters. The lives of my comrades and the success of the mission depend on me - my technical, tactical skill and attention to detail. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
24. "Navy SEALs" - Elite troops. My training will never end. We prepare for war and fight to win. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
25. "Seals" - Silhouettes of fighters. I am ready to fight at full strength to complete the operation and achieve the goals set by my country. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
26. "Navy SEALs" - Landing fighters ashore. The execution of my duty will be swift and cruel if necessary, but will always be guided by the very principles I serve. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
27. "Navy SEALs" - Fighters in a halo of sunlight. Brave warriors have fought and died for the lofty principles and fearsome reputation that I must uphold. (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
28. Soldier of the SEAL squad. Under the worst conditions, the example of my comrades will strengthen my resolve and silently guide me through my every undertaking. I won't lose. (End of the SEAL creed.) (Photo credit: Navy SEAL & SWCC)
The activities of Russian special forces, a well-known adversary of the SEALs, have always been shrouded in a thick veil of secrecy during the Cold War. Despite this, the debate about which parts are better prepared does not subside. ABC (Spain) writes about the special forces of different countries and tries to understand who has stronger fighters.
There is often debate about which special forces units are best prepared. No wonder the fighters of the Delta Force (USA) and SAS (UK) are trained in similar programs.
On Friday, April 29, 2011, Barack Obama ordered the most important operation in modern US history: to storm the house in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, where Osama bin Laden was hiding. To carry out such a difficult task, fraught with the most unpredictable episodes, the American president chose a small group from the tactical unit of the Navy "Navy Seals" (Navy Seals), which, during a shootout, destroyed the leader of Al-Qaeda (a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation - approx. ed.) on the night of May 1.
Two years later, information was leaked that only two of the members of Team 6, that is, the same fighters from the SEALs who finished with terrorist number 1, survived after the death of 22 out of 25 in a plane crash in Afghanistan -ty of its members. According to the newspaper Corriere della Sera, in April last year, another fighter died during an unsuccessful parachute jump. The high death rate proves once again that this group, consisting of the toughest selection of fighters, is at constant risk.
The SEAL tactical unit was created after one of the biggest US military setbacks. In 1962, after the failed landing of Cuban mercenaries in the Bay of Pigs, Cuba, President Kennedy approved the creation of a select amphibious assault force capable of raiding deep into enemy territory. They had their baptism of fire in Vietnam, where the nature of the terrain and the lack of a clearly defined front line required the participation of special forces. Modeled on the British Navy's Special Operations Group, the SEALs were tasked with, among other things, monitoring and patrolling the Mekong River in their speedboats.
It was then that the United States began to use them for the most complex operations that had to be carried out with almost surgical precision. Among the most famous successes should be mentioned the liberation of the transatlantic liner "Achille Lauro", as well as the captain Richard Phillips, kidnapped by Somali pirates, participation in the landing on Granada in 1983, and also participation in the Iraq war in 2003, the largest in the history of this unit . Information was also leaked about some of the failures of the SEALs, in particular, an attempt to capture the President of Panama, Manuel Antonio Noriega, during the invasion of this country, as well as a failed hostage rescue operation at the US Embassy in Tehran in 1980.
When selecting candidates for this kind of tasks, candidates from the male Navy servicemen not older than 28 years are considered. The training process lasts six months, and its culmination is a training called "A Week in Hell": for five days, future commandos are constantly cold, hungry and unable to sleep. This "Week in Hell" is taking place at Base Coronado, California, where half of the 2,500 members of the SEALs currently in service have been trained. The rest trained at Little Creek Base in Virginia, with the exception of 300 troops believed to be part of Team 6 stationed at Dam Neck, also in Virginia.
During selection, it screens out up to 90% of candidates. During the tests, it is necessary to run 24 kilometers, swim three kilometers in open-air reservoirs and endure great physical exertion. In general, the training lasts a year and a half, then another year already as part of the unit, after which the fighters go on their first combat mission.
SEALs usually operate in a platoon of eight, although depending on the nature of the operation, they can work in pairs or in full force, where each has his own specialization: demolition, electronics, route planning, medical assistance and so on.
The mysterious and formidable Russian "special forces"
The activities of the Russian special forces, the eternal enemy of the Navy Seals during the Cold War, have always been shrouded in a dense veil of secrecy, which turned it into a kind of myth. Although the very concept of "special forces" refers to all parts of the special forces of the Soviet and Russian era, two of them are especially distinguished by the level of training: the GRU special forces, which is structurally part of the military intelligence service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and the FSB special forces, which is engaged in countering terrorism.
Despite numerous videos posted on the Internet and telling about how the special forces operate, the details of its training are still classified. These units were created in the 50s of the last century, at the height of the Cold War. Initially, they were trained to perform various covert operations, including infiltration, as well as to conduct reconnaissance and sabotage activities. But after the invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, the special forces emerged from the shadows and became actively involved in the fighting.
According to the few information that we know, the special forces pay great attention to hand-to-hand combat. They mainly use the sambo wrestling techniques developed in the Soviet Union. In addition, much of the training takes place with the use of live ammunition and explosives, resulting in one of the highest death rates among special forces units in the world.
Nevertheless, in their structure they are similar to other parts of the special purpose. Each special forces unit consists of 8-10 fighters operating under the command of an officer. They are trained in handling explosives, aimed shooting, radio communications and reconnaissance on the ground.
Among the failures of the special forces and, above all, the FSB special forces, in conducting anti-terrorist operations, one should mention the storming of a secondary school in Beslan on September 3, 2004, two days earlier captured by Islamist militants. It all ended in a chaotic assault, which was launched by the anti-terrorist unit "Alpha". Subsequently, servicemen of the Armed Forces and Internal Troops joined him. The result - 370 dead.
As well as SAS and Delta Force
The Russian special forces and the Navy SEALs are well known in the world, and especially in the media, but there are other elite units undergoing similar training. In particular, the Special Air Service (SAS) and the Marine Special Forces (SBS) of the Royal Armed Forces of Great Britain were created during the Second World War and became a kind of prototype for the special forces units that appeared later. Among other tests, candidates must pass through the mountain ranges of Wales, carrying 25 kilograms of cargo, and live for a month in the rainforest.
In the same United States, there are other well-trained special forces, for example, the 75th Ranger Regiment, the Green Berets (fighting insurgents, guerrillas, training foreign military personnel), and, of course, the 1st Operational Detachment of the Delta Special Purpose » (Delta Force). It was created in 1977 by Colonel Charles Beckwith, who had previously trained SAS fighters in Great Britain for a long time. Delta Squad accepts men with the rank of sergeant over 21 who have served at least two and a half years in the military and successfully passed the tests, no different from those that are candidates for the SAS and the Navy SEALs.
Unlike the aforementioned Special Forces forces, the Delta Squad tends to operate covertly on more sensitive missions. On military bases, they wear civilian clothes, and their area of \u200b\u200boperation includes the United States.
Although officially the SEAL teams (SEa, Air, Land - sea, air, land; the abbreviation reads “seal” - “fur seal”) were created on January 1, 1962 by order of President Kennedy, the history of these units dates back to 1942, when the military -The US Navy formed a group of 17 fighters to clear coastal waters and the coastline at landing sites, called the Navy Demolition Team (Navy Combat DemoUtion Unit; NCDU).The baptism of fire occurred on November 11, 1942, when 16 divers from the Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) opened the way for the Allied landings in Africa. Other teams were operating at the same time in the Pacific, and in June 1944 UDT men were clearing beaches and harbors before landing in Normandy.
Most of the teams were disbanded at the end of the Second World War, but the few remaining in the ranks took part in the Korean War and in sabotage and reconnaissance operations in the ports of communist China. In 1955, the Submarine Demolition Teams, formerly based on the Tai Chun Islands in Taiwanese territory, were transferred to the Subic Bay base in the Philippines. At the same time, the command came to the conclusion that the combat missions of the teams needed to be expanded, taking as a model the scouts of the Marine Corps, who, after landing on the shore, enter the battle.
The Vietnam War allowed the SEALs to show themselves. In five years, they successfully conducted 153 combat operations, destroying more than 1,000 Viet Cong, capturing the same number and losing one fighter. After returning to the United States after Vietnam, SEAL teams took part in many NATO exercises. Gradually, all UDT teams were converted to SEAL teams. In 1983, the SEALs took part in Operation Just Cause in Grenada, in 1989 they captured a military airport in the capital of Panama, and in February 1991 they became the first soldiers of the anti-Iraq coalition to enter the capital of Kuwait.
SEAL teams are part of two US Navy Special Operations Groups (Naval Special Warfare Groupe) - 1st (Pacific, based in Coronado, California) and 2nd (Atlantic, based in Little Creek, Virginia) - and reporting directly to the High Command of the Fleet (USSCOM). Each group consists of three SEAL teams, three special boat fleets, one supply detachment, and one light attack helicopter squadron. The 6th SEAL team specializes in counter-terrorist operations; she is permanently assigned to Delta Force and Joint Special Operations Command Control. In addition, separate SEAL teams are stationed in Scotland, Portugal and the Philippines. The total strength of all SEAL units is about 2900 people. The SEAL combat team consists of 27 officers and 156 soldiers, divided into five platoons.
The SEAL training and selection program is rigorous. Only half of those 20% of candidates who passed the initial selection manage to overcome it. The course requires iron endurance and willpower. During the infamous "hell week" (sixth week of the course), fighters can sleep four hours in six days! SEAL fighters have been trained for several years and during this time master all the intricacies of coastal reconnaissance, organizing combat raids and landing from the air with parachute opening at high and low altitudes. The American SEALs are the true elite of the amphibious assault and enjoy well-deserved respect from the fighters of other special forces.
After the publication of the American "Green Berets", numerous requests fell to me to tell about similar structures in the American army. Especially often asked to talk about the detachment "Delta". However, it seemed to me more appropriate to talk about the naval counterpart of the Delta, known to most readers under the name SEALs. More precisely, about the elite "fur seals" codenamed SEAL Team 6.
It's not even that there are much more materials on "Delta", and those who are really interested in this topic will be able to "dig up" the necessary information on their own. An army unit that lives by army laws is more predictable than one that is a "ghost". The level of secrecy of Team 6 is such that even in the American press there is not much material. Most Americans talk about "seals" on the basis of knowledge gained from feature films and interviews of former "seals" that sometimes slip through the press. And the very existence of this detachment can always be called into question.
Publicly, the Pentagon denies the existence of such a unit. SEAL Team 6, as the name of this top-secret unit sounds, is shrouded in such a veil of secrecy that it is sometimes surprising that there are messages on this topic at all. There is no division, but, for example, there is an interview with a fighter from this division, who "personally killed Osama bin Laden." Therefore, if you look at media reports over the past 10-15 years, it becomes clear that the veil of secrecy is torn. The desire to earn money on PR of their exploits and talk about their own heroic life takes precedence over promises to remain silent.
And the increase in the number of units does not contribute to the preservation of secrets. What two people know, the pig knows. And according to the estimates of the same American, and our experts, today the number of Team 6 has grown to 300 commandos and up to 1,500 service personnel. True, the "seals" themselves do not call themselves commandos. Moreover, they do not like this name in principle. Among themselves and in the documents that sometimes "emerge", the fighters of the detachment are called operatives.
From here, a competent analyst will already be able to conclude that Team 6 is not a purely naval structure. It is rather a symbiosis of naval intelligence and the CIA. With the right attitude. I mean not only the restrictions imposed by military orders and regulations, but also the opportunity to act "at one's own discretion" that belongs to the CIA.
The detachment started not so long ago. First of all, the name SEAL itself is interesting. It comes from a combination of three English words - Sea, Air, Land. This is what a team of divers was called during the Second World War. However, it is impossible to consider the diving team as the prototype of the described unit. This is rather one of the methods of disguise adopted in reconnaissance and sabotage units during the Cold War.
By the way, Team 6 (Team 6) from the same song. Already during the formation of the detachment, the Americans understood that Soviet intelligence officers would soon find out about the "seals". In fact, at the time Team 6 was created, there were only two SEAL units in the US. Therefore, it would be logical to call the squad Team 3.
When did cats appear? According to some information from open sources, the detachment was formed immediately after the failure of a special operation to rescue 53 hostages at the American embassy in Tehran (Operation Eagle Claw). Remember, this was in 1980. And the operation of the elite special forces of the US Army then ended in complete collapse. A military helicopter with commandos collided with a plane on the ground and exploded. 8 commandos were killed. The Pentagon was then placed in a very delicate position.
The naval commanders thought the same way. It was necessary to urgently create a structure that could quickly and by any means solve the issues of combating terrorism. The goal, as you can see, is good, but it was entrusted to a rather ambiguous person - commander (corresponding to the Russian naval rank of captain of the second rank) Richard Marcinko. During the Vietnam War, Marcinko earned a reputation as a rather cruel and merciless officer. (By the way, for those who are interested in his biography: Marcinko wrote the book "The Rogue Warrior".)
Team 6 is headquartered at the Dam Neck branch at Oceana Naval Air Station, south of Virginia Beach. It is there that most of the fur seals are located today. Other army units are also located there to cover the base.
The commander did not particularly care about the observance of army regulations and orders. The first detachment was formed on the principle of personal courage (especially in the Vietnam War), friendship between the fighters and ... readiness to fulfill any command order.
How do you become members of Team 6? Typically, the selection procedure is as follows. In SEAL units that perform regular tasks, after several years of service, a casting is held for those wishing to go to Team 6. There are three such places in the United States. They are perfectly "tracked" by numbers. The Even Numbers are located in Virginia Beach. Base "odd numbers" in San Diego. Third place - Hawaii. There is another "secret" of the US Navy - a mini-submarine base. Typically, the dropout rate for passing tests is 50 or higher.
The officers of the Team usually come for one or two terms of the contract. And it changes quite often. Although, according to some reports, there are cases of returning to the Team several times. This practice somewhat reduces the importance of the officer corps, but raises the importance of sergeants.
According to the memoirs of the officers of the unit, many soldiers, and especially sergeants, tend to exaggerate their own role. Marcinko laid down just such a style of service. Everyone can be everyone.
But on the other hand, this style of service gives rise to some bravado of Team 6. All other SEAL units for them are "white" or "standard". Although, in fairness, it should be said that they perform the same tasks. However, any operative on the Team will always say: "If you need to take the atomic bomb away from the bad guys, or save the prisoners in the war zone, then only we can do it..."
This is how the two detachments (assault groups) of Team 6 were created. They received their names from the colors of the American fleet. Blue and gold. By the way, at the same time, fighters from the "blue" ones "lit up". The fact is that the "Blue" group chose the "Jolly Roger" as their symbol. It is clear that the "pirates" soon became quite well known. They even got the unofficial name "Bad Boys in Blue".
In order for you to understand the squad training system, it is enough to give a couple of examples known from open sources. The state police retained several hundred protocols for members of the Team for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. And in the database of accidents there are a lot of acts on writing off the equipment that the operatives smashed during their training.
Former Team member and now Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke recalls one of the drills he took part in in preparation for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Then he accompanied the commander of the exercise, an American admiral.
"When we opened the door, what I saw was reminiscent of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Is this my fleet? Are these guys my fleet? the admiral asked me.
Indeed, for the naval admiral what he saw was a shock. The top-secret, most trained naval special forces unit looked like bandits from a Hollywood movie. Long hair, earrings in the ears, beards ... And the appropriate attitude to the form of clothing. Each of the fighters dressed to perform "his" task.
After this episode, the detachment underwent a severe reorganization. The command structure of Team 6 was "thinned out" thoroughly. And at all levels. Many officers and even admirals were transferred to other units or dismissed from military service. This also affected the sergeants. These reorganizations created SEAL Team 6 in its present form.
Today, a lot is known about the detachment. Everything you read above is just the tip of the iceberg. The fact that some fighters of the detachment "opened their mouths", especially after the operation to eliminate bin Laden, became the basis for initiating many criminal cases on charges of treason. Readers probably remember two names: Matt Bissonnet (author of two books about his time in the Team) and Robert O'Neill (the one who claims that it was he who killed bin Laden). Both are charged under this article today.
After some digression into history, we should probably talk about the features of the actions of this unit in a combat situation. What is the difference between the Team and the "white fur seals"? And they really are. And quite substantial.
The strongest SEAL Team 6 "inherited" in Afghanistan. Therefore, the analysis of actions in this country, in my opinion, will be most indicative for understanding the work of this special unit.
First of all, about the principles of the work itself. Those that were laid down by the founder. The first, which is fundamental for operatives from SEAL Team 6, is the words of one of the former officers of this unit: "If you feel threatened even for a second, then you will kill someone."
This principle is unwavering. As, however, in other special forces. "If in doubt, shoot." Moreover, none of the commandos will pass by an already killed enemy without a control shot. For a formal report on the operation, the feeling of threat is enough to justify any losses.
True, in official papers, when it comes to the killing of civilians, the picture is absolutely perfect. For example, I will quote the words of one of the commanders of the Team: "Do I think that something bad happened? Do I think that there were more killings than necessary? Naturally. I think that the natural reaction to the threat was to eliminate it; and only Have you wondered, "Did I overestimate her?" Do I think that the guys deliberately killed those who did not deserve it? No, I somehow find it hard to believe."
The second principle of the Team's work was best expressed by retired admiral, former Supreme Allied Commander James Stavridis: "If you want the detachment to sometimes conduct activities that violate international law, you definitely do not need publicity."
William Banks, a national security expert at Syracuse University, wrote more specifically about this: "If you are not on the battlefield, then you are not responsible."
It was not in vain that I cited these two principles as the basis on which all further actions of the detachment are superimposed. The Americans often use the latest advances in technology to create a picture of an "honest" war for the whole world. Remember TV reports about the use of precision bombs. When the entire flight of the bomb is broadcast live on television. Think of the drone footage showing the effective work of American units anywhere in the world.
This cup has not passed and SEAL Team 6. Some operations are controlled by the headquarters in "Dam Neck" or the center for coordinating overseas operations using drones. And they usually end in disaster. But those that are carried out according to a well-established scheme are often successful.
Operations are usually carried out at night. Not only pistols and rifles with silencers are used, but also cold. Operatives sneak into places of concentration or residence (which was done much more often in Afghanistan) and simply cut everyone out.
I think it is necessary to tell here about one scandalous operation "Bad Boys in Blue", which was carried out at the very end of their stay in Afghanistan in 2008. And entered the history of the detachment under the code name "Panther".
"Bad guys" were then in the Afghan province of Helmand. One of the most difficult militarily and is still considered the backbone of the Taliban. The main population of the province are Pashtuns. It is in this province that the largest plantations of opium poppy are located. The southern border province, which has always caused a lot of trouble to everyone.
So, in early 2008, the elders of one of the Pashtun villages turned to the commander of the coalition forces with a complaint that the “seals” had killed several peaceful farmers. Just like that, without any reason. The complaint was referred to Captain Scott Moore, who commanded the SEAL unit.
Moore demanded an explanation from the commander of the unit that directly conducted the Panther, Captain Peter Vailly. As always happens in such cases, "civilians were not killed." I am not me, and the horse is not mine. To which Moore demanded that the Operations Center conduct its own investigation.
The results of the investigation were shocking facts for ordinary Americans. "Seals" destroyed all the men in the village! Base? They had weapons at home. In addition, another unpleasant episode "surfaced". It became known that one of the Team cut the throat of the killed Afghan. As Captain Slabinski, one of the commanders of the Blue, commented on this episode, "he seemed to mutilate a corpse"... By the way, the interrogators also had questions about Slabinsky himself. The fact is that, according to the testimony of some operatives, it was this commander who ordered the killing of all men indiscriminately.
The case was eventually hushed up. Slabinsky did not give any commands. And the operative who cut the corpse, it turns out, simply removed the equipment from the dead. But, until now, there is no exact information either about the number of dead Afghans, or about the goals of the operation, or about the exact burial place of the corpses.
Up to this point, I have been writing about the well-known episodes of the activities of SEAL Team 6. And now it is time to touch on another side of the work of this detachment. The fact is that, in addition to the "Blue" and "Gold" companies, the Team includes one more unit - the "Black" company.
The history of the appearance of this unit in Team 6 is quite interesting. Initially, it was a team of high-class snipers. And the task of this team was to provide the actions of the operatives with fire support. Accordingly, the members of the team were assigned to the "Blue" or "Gold" companies to perform specific tasks.
The Saudis "contributed" to the transformation of the sniper team into the "Black" company. More precisely, those who organized and carried out the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11th. Immediately after these events, it was decided that SEAL Team 6 should have a purely reconnaissance unit. The preparation of future operations of the Command not only does not exclude, but also fully justifies the conduct of reconnaissance.
Today, operatives from the Black Company are scattered around the world. They are in American embassies not only in Africa, Latin America or Asia, they are also in European embassies. It is possible that we also have such specialists.
According to some former members of the Team, Black Hundred operatives make extensive use of diplomatic channels not only to collect and send intelligence, but also to deliver weapons and equipment to the right countries. In addition to the official "roof", the operatives of the "Black" company work under the guise of local residents. In the same Afghanistan, local media reports often appear about the capture and destruction of unknown intelligence officers.
In addition to operative agents, the "Black" company uses technical reconnaissance equipment. From specially equipped cars to yachts and other ostensibly civilian vessels that are actually floating spy stations. UAVs have become commonplace.
Only a few cases are known when operatives from the "Black" company used weapons. According to internal orders, the use of weapons by the operatives of this unit is possible only in cases of emergency. And any such case is considered in detail by the command as a serious emergency.
But there is something in the "Black" company that is not found anywhere else and that causes the undisguised envy of the rest of the operatives. There are women in this squad! Moreover, female operatives work not only on their own, but, most often, together with men. The tandem raises fewer questions from the special services of the state where the couples are. And in case of detection of interest in one of the operatives, the work is done by another. The first one "plays the fool". In the US intelligence agencies, this tactic is called "softening."
Today, the "Black" company is a fairly serious intelligence structure. The coming to power of Donald Trump has made the work of some US intelligence agencies quite problematic. And most American politicians understand that this is only the beginning. It is doubtful that the President will simply back down. His positions are too strong. The security service has worked and is working too well. Too little compromising material is stored in the "repositories".
And Trump's proclaimed policy of focusing on domestic affairs speaks for itself. The American army will gradually curtail its operations abroad. However, no one canceled American interests outside the United States. Business, and hence politicians, will demand operations to ensure the "negotiability" of the leaders of other states. Whether Trump wants it or not. America wants to advertise its presence, or does not want to.
Be that as it may, but today the "Black" company is already quite numerous. Over a hundred operatives. Unfortunately, there is no information on the number of support units yet. And the company is constantly growing.
In general, the detachment of SEAL Team 6 continues its activities in all corners of the world. With their problems, victories and defeats. And you can't discount it. Ryan Zinke, the Congressman from Montana I mentioned above, once said an interesting phrase: "When I was in business, we were always looking for wars. And these guys found them." I don't think you can say it better.
A study of the experience of recent military conflicts involving the United States shows that the army of this country is increasingly using a completely new tactics of warfare: seizing air supremacy with subsequent suppression of enemy military targets by aircraft and tactical missiles. Analysts have already called such tactics "war of the sixth generation", when there is no clearly defined front line, and ground army units are mainly guard and blocking functions. At the same time, operations on enemy territory are most often assigned to special forces units that can perform a variety of tasks - from the destruction of key military installations to the capture or elimination of political and military leaders.
It is very interesting to consider the structure of the special forces of the United States as the country that was the first to use the tactics of "sixth generation warfare." Back in 1987, the United States Special Operations Command (US SOCOM - United States Special Operations Command) was created in the structure of the US armed forces, to which the special operations commands of the army, air force and navy, as well as the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC - Joint Special Operations Command) were subordinated, which, presumably, is entrusted with the organization and conduct of anti-terrorist actions and control over weapons of mass destruction. In the same 1987, the position of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflicts was also established. The Special Operations Command is entrusted with the management of special forces units in the United States, as well as the solution of all financial and organizational issues. If a special forces unit operates outside the territory of the United States, it is transferred to the command of the "zone of responsibility" commander or, in the case of hostilities, to the commander of the theater of operations. Such an organization of leadership avoids most of the problems with the coordination of the actions of the detachments and the distribution of powers.
SEAL - special forces of the US Navy (US Navy), designed to conduct reconnaissance and sabotage operations from the sea. Literally translated, "seal" (also "fur seal") is an abbreviation for Sea - Air - Land (Sea - Air - Earth). Photo and video under the cut
The Seals trace their history back to the Civil War in 1861, when Northerners used combat swimmers to find and clear mines.
The current body of "seals" was formed in 1962, President Kennedy is also considered their "godfather". "Seals" took an active part in the war in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.
For individual special forces units, the United States has chosen an extensive path of development - to grow in breadth. In addition to several large divisions, a large number of small, highly specialized ones have been created. For example, even the Department of Energy has its own special forces - Special Rapid Response Teams (SRT - Special Response Teams), involved in the protection of nuclear materials. Such a development strategy allows you to create units that specialize in performing very specific tasks.
SEa, Air, Land (SEAL) - Sea, Air, Land
SEAL - this is the name of the special forces of the US Navy (US Navy), designed to conduct reconnaissance and sabotage operations from the sea. In the press, this unit is often referred to as "seals" or "fur seals". The abbreviation SEAL is consonant with the English word "seal" - a seal.
The history of the unit began with the creation in 1942 as part of the Navy of special submarine demolition teams (UDT - Underwater Demolition Team), designed to clear coastal waters and the coastline at landing sites. During the Second World War, these teams did without scuba gear - they were just well-trained and trained swimmers. By 1948, four such teams remained in the US Navy and began teaching the use of diving equipment. Even the famous Jacques Yves Cousteau was indirectly involved in this work, from whom in 1949 a batch of scuba gear and breathing apparatus was purchased. And by July 1950, the training and equipment of UDT combat swimmers were sufficient to use them in the war with Korea. They were entrusted with reconnaissance and cleaning of coastal waters from mines. A little later, UDT groups began to be used for sabotage on enemy territory. The actions of the UDT fighters in Korea were so successful that by 1952 it was decided to create another, fifth group of combat swimmers. And ten years later, on January 1, 1962, US President John F. Kennedy signed an order to create the SEAL naval special forces.
Initially, SEAL consisted of two squads: SEAL Team 1 in the Pacific Fleet and SEAL Team 2 in the Atlantic. But by 1963, all the reconnaissance and sabotage units of the fleet began to unite into two naval operations support groups (NOSG - Naval Operation Support Group), which included the SEAL, UDT groups, as well as auxiliary units such as a detachment of boats. In the same 1963, the first units from the SEAL fighters.
NOSG went to Vietnam. And in 1966, SEAL fighters also arrived there. The territory of Vietnam is replete with rivers, along which SEAL fighters on light boats went to the place of the proposed operation. During the entire Vietnam campaign, SEAL units lost only one fighter. The losses of their opponents were much higher.
By 1983, after the end of the operation in Grenada, the UDT groups were transferred to the SEAL, and in 1988 the Special Operations Command of the Naval Forces was created subordinate to the Special Operations Command. All special forces of the Navy, including SEALs, were directly subordinate to him.
Today SEAL consists of seven squads. The 1st, 3rd and 5th detachments are part of the 1st Special Forces Group with headquarters in Coronado (the group is intended for special operations as part of the Pacific Fleet). The 2nd, 4th and 8th detachments are part of the 2nd Special Forces Group with headquarters in Little Creek (intended for special operations as part of the Atlantic Fleet). As part of the 1st and 2nd special forces groups, in addition to SEAL detachments, there is a detachment of special transportation vehicles (SDVU - SEAL Delivery Vehicle Unit), designed for covert transportation and evacuation of divers, and a squadron of special purpose boats (SBS - Special Boat Squadron) - for operations in the coastal and river zones.
The 4th (Norfolk) and 5th (Point Mugu) Special Forces Helicopter Squadrons may be requested for air support. In addition, Coronado has a Recruit Training Center and Little Creek has a research and development team responsible for SEAL technical support. Finally, there is also the 6th SEAL detachment (SEAL Team 6), seconded to the Joint Special Operations Command and responsible for conducting anti-terrorist operations at sea. Only the President or Secretary of Defense of the United States can order the use of the 6th SEAL. It should also be noted that the legendary Richard Marsisco, one of the best anti-terrorist specialists in the United States, stood at the origins of the 6th SEAL detachment.
A SEAL squad usually consists of its own headquarters, ten combat platoons, and one maintenance platoon. Each combat platoon has 16 people in two squads. The departments are divided into groups of four people, who, if necessary, can disperse into pairs. The service platoon consists of 20 people. A SEAL squad consists of 200-210 people, with the exception of the 6th squad, which consists of five platoons, divided into four groups of eight fighters. The total number of SEALs, together with additional units, is, according to various estimates, from 2000 to 2900 people.
Any volunteer in the rank of sailor to lieutenant under the age of 28 with at least 28 months of experience in the Navy can become a SEAL candidate. Particular attention in the selection of candidates is drawn to the track record, recommendations from commanders, as well as the results of interviews with a commission of psychologists and an instructor.
The entrance physical fitness test is easy enough: swim 400 meters in 690 seconds, run a mile and a half in the same time, pull up on the bar eight times and push up from the floor at least 42 times in 120 seconds. However, the ease of the physical fitness test is redeemed by the complexity of the physical exercises in training. The training program that recruits go through in Coronado consists of three main stages.
The first stage, called "Basic Conditioning" (basic re-examination), lasts nine weeks. The first five weeks continue testing the physical and volitional qualities of recruits. Simply put, they are taken "to starve". The training day lasts at least 15 hours, during which, with the help of various tests, the physical condition and endurance of beginners are checked. Every day the missions get more difficult - as they say in SEAL, "the only easy day was yesterday." In addition to physical condition, they also test the desire of a recruit to serve in the SEAL, constantly provoking him to show dissatisfaction with training methods or commanders. For example, for this, incorrect or unreasonable orders are often given, which, nevertheless, the fighter must carry out. Training and tests are interrupted only to give the recruits a short lecture or give them food.
Special attention deserves the sixth week of preparation, called "hellish". According to tradition, it starts at night, with explosions of warheads right in the barracks, lasts about five days, during which recruits are unlikely to be able to sleep more than 4-6 hours, and ends with the most difficult training for landing at night under difficult weather conditions and under dense fire of the "enemy". During the "hellish" week, the candidates are subjected to powerful psychological pressure, they are subjected to constant physical exercises with short breaks. No wonder most applicants are weeded out within the first six weeks...
The last three weeks of the first phase, in addition to ongoing physical training, are used to train candidates in the basics of hydrographic surveying, depth-gauging and mapping techniques.
The second stage of training, called "Diving" (diving, immersion), lasts seven weeks. Candidates learn how to use diving equipment and perform various tasks with it. This stage is characterized by rapidly increasing requirements for fighters. If during the first week mainly short descents are carried out using the simplest equipment, then the cycle ends with swims of several kilometers under the most difficult weather conditions (storm, cold water, etc.).
The third stage of training - "Land Warfare" (methods of ground warfare) - lasts nine weeks. Soldiers learn to conduct reconnaissance, sabotage and combat operations, study weapons and auxiliary equipment, practice actions in groups.
The third stage is followed by an "examination" in the form of tests in physical and tactical training. After that, all recruits who successfully passed the exam are sent for three weeks to Fort Benning, where they undergo parachute training.
To improve the skills of fighters, they are sent to SEAL groups, where they undergo a six-month internship. And only at the end of the internship, more than a year after the application is submitted, the candidate signs a contract and is a member of one of the SEAL groups. However, for another three years, he is required to undergo an inspection by a special commission every six months, and in the SEAL unit he will not be allowed to serious operations, using only on the sidelines. And only after the signing of the second contract, the recruit becomes a full-fledged SEAL fighter.
The 6th SEAL detachment also goes through all the above stages of training, which allows, if necessary, to use this detachment in the specialization of the rest of the SEAL detachments - for reconnaissance and sabotage. The anti-terrorist training in the 6th SEAL detachment is one of the best in US special forces, which allows this detachment to fight terrorists not only at sea, but also on land.
In virtually every conflict involving the US military, SEALs have been in the thick of the fighting. Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, the Persian Gulf - this is not a complete list of places where the guys from SEAL have worked. And almost always the fighters of this unit performed their tasks perfectly, proving over and over again their right to the reputation of one of the strongest US special forces units. According to some information, SEAL fighters had to meet with combat swimmers of the USSR and Russia more than once. How such "meetings" ended is unknown, since the data from both sides are under strict confidence. However, it is known that it was SEAL fighters who in 1967 stole two new mines from a training ground in Peter the Great Bay.
Some sources believe that it was the SEAL unit that was behind the partially successful action in the Angolan port of Namib, when the Cuban cargo ship Havana was sunk and the Soviet transport ships Kapitan Vislobokov and Kapitan Chirkov were damaged.
Green Berets - "Green Berets"
Despite the existing misconception, the "Green Berets" is not the name of one of the US special forces, but the general name of the US Army special forces. The history of the Green Berets began on June 19, 1952, when the 10th Special Forces Group (10th SFG - 10th Special Forces Group) was created, based at Fort Bragg in North Carolina and consisted of 2500 people. The main task of the special forces in those days was to penetrate deep into the territory of a potential enemy and create partisan centers of resistance. By the time the unit was created, only ten of its members had training sufficient for a special forces soldier - they were volunteers selected from among the best soldiers in the army: paratroopers, rangers and former special forces soldiers who participated in World War II. Almost all of them spoke at least two languages, had serious combat and parachute training and reached the rank of sergeant. The 10th Special Forces Group was led by Colonel Aaron Bank, a former member of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), an experienced World War II veteran.
Bank and his associates took up the preparation of their subordinates in earnest. In addition to creating pockets of resistance on enemy territory, special forces were trained for "deep penetration" missions, when long actions were planned on enemy territory, and the fight against enemy partisans. For the training of special forces, the most advanced methods of that time were used. All recruits had already been trained in the airborne or ranger units, but these skills were not enough. Future "Green Berets" were taught to stay in enemy territory for several months, sometimes without support from the base. For this, special attention was paid to the study of the languages and customs of the country where penetration was supposed. In preparing the Green Berets, the United States actively cooperated with Great Britain. In particular, the soldiers of the American special forces were frequent guests of their colleagues from the famous British Special Air Service (SAS - Special Air Service).
"Green Berets" in Afghanistan:
The history of the origin of the name "green berets" is interesting. The green beret was not provided for in the form of special forces. A batch of these hats was bought by soldiers from a Munich tailor, and they wore them as a sign of belonging to one of the best units. The commandant of Fort Bragg, General Paul Adams, even issued an order forbidding commandos to wear green berets that were not part of the uniform. However, after this order, the special forces began to put on their "insignia" with double zeal and showed them to everyone they met.
Some time later, US President John F. Kennedy arrived at Fort Bragg. The president's entourage, which consisted of several high-ranking generals, was furious that some special forces soldiers marched in the parade in banned green berets. One of them - Captain William Yarborough - was even going to be put on trial. However, President Kennedy was so impressed with the new Special Forces that he issued an executive order approving the green beret as the official headgear of the US Army Special Forces.
On November 11, 1953, the 10th Special Forces Group was transferred to the Federal Republic of Germany for operations in Eastern Europe. At Fort Bragg, meanwhile, they began to create the 77th Special Forces Group (77th SFG). On April 1, 1956, the 14th Special Forces Operational Detachment (14th SFOD - 14th Special Forces Operational Detachment), based in Hawaii (and later in Thailand and Taiwan), was separated from this group. The detachment specialized in operations in the Far East. Members of the 14th separate detachment were the first army special forces soldiers to set foot on the territory of South Vietnam - they were sent there in June 1956 to train fighters of the South Vietnamese army. Following the 14th separate special forces detachment, the 12th, 13th and 16th detachments were created, also designed for operations in the Far East. On June 17, 1957, all these detachments were merged into the 1st Special Forces Group (1st SFG) based in Okinawa, Japan.
In the 60s, the pace of deployment of army special forces accelerated significantly due to the positive assessment of this type of troops by President Kennedy. On June 6, the 77th Special Forces Group was redesignated the 7th Special Forces Group (7th SFG). On September 21, 1961, the 5th Special Forces Group (5th SFG) was created. In 1963, three special forces groups were created at once: April 1 - 8th group (8th SFG), May 1 - 6th group (6th SFG) and December 3 - 3rd group (3rd SFG).
Soldiers of the "Green Berets" in the 60s actively worked in the Vietnam War. Small groups operated in Bolivia, Venezuela, Guatemala, Colombia and the Dominican Republic. In 1967, "green berets" were used to track down and capture the famous Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara.
The 70s turned out to be quite difficult for the Green Berets. In 1971, parts of the army special forces were withdrawn from South Vietnam (according to some reports, small units of the "green berets" continued to operate in Vietnam until the end of the war in 1975). In the United States, meanwhile, was the peak of anti-war sentiment. The "Green Berets" have undergone a significant reduction - from a third to a half of the fighters left them.
The revival of army special forces began in the 80s. To date, the US Army is believed to have seven complete special forces groups. Of these, five groups are combat, one specializes in psychological warfare and one in non-military operations. The groups and their subunits are stationed at NATO bases around the world, which allows the army special forces to quickly respond to a threat anywhere in the world.
The basic unit of the "Green Berets" is the so-called team-A (A-Team), consisting of 12 people. The A-team consists of two officers and ten sergeants, among whom are specialists in weapons, medicine, technology and communications. At the same time, there are at least two specialists of each specialization in the group, which allows, if necessary, to divide the A-team into two independent groups. Six A-Teams make up a Special Forces Company. Four companies and one support squadron usually make up a Special Forces Group (SFG).
Candidates for the "Green Berets" go through a 17-week selection process, during which 30-40% of candidates are eliminated. After that, all those who passed the selection begin to study at courses in the chosen specialty. All fighters of the "green berets" are assigned a rank not lower than sergeant.
1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - DeltaThe 1st Special Operations Force Delta, better known to the press simply as the Delta Force, is arguably one of the most secret US Special Forces units. Evidence of this can be the fact that the US government has not yet officially recognized the existence of "Delta" - the name of this unit has never appeared in official government documents. Even in Mark Bowden's book Black Hawk Down, the term "commandos" is used (however, in the later film of the same name, the Delta Force is already mentioned). Naturally, with this level of secrecy, almost all information comes from unofficial sources - mainly from former members of the "Delta" and from people who worked together with this unit. At the same time, information from different sources often contradicts each other.
It is known for sure that Delta was created on the basis of the Green Berets in 1977. Delta was founded by Colonel Charles Beckwith, a former Green Beret veteran of the Vietnam War. In 1962, Beckwith was sent under the exchange program for a year of internship in the Special Air Service (SAS). In addition to the excellent training of the British commandos, Beckwith was impressed with the order established in the SAS. Outwardly, the unit did not look like a military organization at all - rather, it was a large detachment of friends doing the same thing. Warm, relaxed relations reigned between subordinates and commanders. At the same time, the sergeant could always point out to the officer the mistake he had made and be sure that the officer would take the remark seriously. In addition, a subordinate could even object to the commander if the order given by him looked unreasonable. The SAS did not even have the traditional drill for many army units.
Delta Special Forces in the Afghan caves of Tora Bora in 2001.
A veteran of the "Green Berets" - units with strict discipline - could not even imagine such relations within the detachment. However, this freedom did not negatively affect the combat training of the unit. Beckwith was so captivated by the SAS that, upon returning to the United States, he decided to create a similar unit in the structure of the American army. Beckwith's dream came true only a decade and a half later, when the increased threat of terrorism forced the American army command to start creating units capable of effectively combating the new threat.
Today, Delta is believed to be one of the two main anti-terrorist units of the Joint Special Operations Command (the other unit is the famous 6th SEAL Detachment). Unfortunately, it is not known how duties are distributed between Delta and the 6th SEAL squad, which is also involved in anti-terrorist operations on land. According to some information, "Delta" and the 6th detachment often operate together, as, for example, in Bosnia.
There is also an opinion that the anti-terrorist orientation of the Delta is just a front, but in fact the unit is a secret reconnaissance and sabotage elite of the US Army special forces. It is impossible to confirm or refute this assumption in the absence of official data.
The personnel of the Delta is recruited mainly from army special forces and rangers. Delta's first mission was Operation Eagle Claw to liberate the US embassy in Tehran, Iran (1980). Due to a helicopter crash, the operation had to be curtailed. After that, "Delta" was involved in anti-terrorist operations several more times. Also, the unit actively participated in almost all US military operations, from Grenada to Afghanistan.
The Pentagon closely monitors the publication of any information about the Delta Force and refuses to comment on its secret missions. Delta operators are guaranteed seamless mobility, flexibility and automation. They are unlikely to wear any conventional camouflage, and civilian clothing is normal outside of missions. This is done in order to hide the similarities between the classified fighters. When they have a single camouflage, then there is no marking, no name, no rank. The style of hair on the head and face is allowed to be informal, appropriate to civilian standards, so that the operator will not be recognized as a military person when intruding.