Which is the most elite special forces in the military?

[DaHeezy]

I'm watching Stars Earn Stripes which is a show on different military divisions and stars pitted against eachother in combat training. This makes me wonder which is the most elite special forces? Field combat specifically

Army Rangers?
Delta Force?
Navy SEALS?
Green Berrets?
other?

[bmulls]

They all have different missions.

Rangers are elite light infantry and are deployed in greater numbers than the rest. Think targets that require a large assault force, like an air field or a fortified compound.

Green Berets/SEALS both deploy in small teams, but the Green Beret mission is typically more diplomatic than the SEALs. They negotiate with warlords, train local forces, etc. SEALs are the door kicking trigger pullers.

Delta is probably the most "elite" of the groups you listed. They draw the best from every branch of the military and focus on counter terrorism.

[CeltsGarlic]

ISH Delta Force.

[East_Stone_Ya]

is OP thinking about most elite special forces in the U.S military?

[LuppersGB]

They all have different missions.

Rangers are elite light infantry and are deployed in greater numbers than the rest. Think targets that require a large assault force, like an air field or a fortified compound.

Green Berets/SEALS both deploy in small teams, but the Green Beret mission is typically more diplomatic than the SEALs. They negotiate with warlords, train local forces, etc. SEALs are the door kicking trigger pullers.

Delta is probably the most "elite" of the groups you listed. They draw the best from every branch of the military and focus on counter terrorism.

I think you have the SEALs and Delta Force the Wrong way round. Delta does a lot of the CT stuff and often deploys in traditional ways within regular military units as an asset.

SEALs are the the top dogs, they are the only SF group to be attached to CIA/SAD who are the real guys who kick ass and take names. Hence why the SEALs took Bin Laden and not Delta.

Rangers are just Air-Assault troops and probably just as comparable to the USMC - A more versatile light infantry. A few green Beret guys have been killed in random ass Saharan African countries during War on Terror campaigns as "military advisers".

However the most elite is surely one than takes all the skills from the a fore mentioned and adds more skills to their repertoire? In which case the answer are the USAF SF Para-rescuers. Combat Medics who jump into anything to save lives. They have all the close combat training of Counter Terrorism, Elite infiltration techniques like HALO combat jumps, Amphibious ability due to SAR roles in the US(see the film Perfect Storm: the guys who jump into the storm) and to top it all off they are the highest qualified medics in the military. They have one rule save the target and will shoot anyone who attempts to stop them, including friendlies. These lads are the unsung heroes of the Special Forces

[Joshumitsu]

Well, according to Medal of Honor and other video games, SEAL Team Six (DEVGRU) and Delta Force (CAG) are Tier 1 units, meaning they are the most elite. The US Air Force's 24th Special Tactics Squadron is another Tier 1 unit that tends to get overlooked by mainstream media/pop culture. The Marines don't have a Tier 1 unit but from browsing around various sites and reading comments, they are expected to assemble one in the near future.

In terms of popular culture, Seal Team Six and Delta are the most popular units. Naturally, the average civilian will want to compare the two. The below site is run by former Rangers, SEALs, Special Forces (Green Berets), and various other former military affiliated personnel and attempts to compare the two units. The author is a former Ranger.

http://sofrep.com/5447/differences-d...d-seal-team-6/

Internationally, SAS, SBS, JTF2, GROM, Spetznas GRU and Alpha Group, Sayeret Matkal, and Shayetet 13 are pretty bad ass Tier One units too.

As for Tier 2, the Rangers currently (as of 2011-12) hold this aspect. I've read that this is because their role as an elite infantry battalion is deemed much more vital to the modern world than the missions that SEALs, Green Berets, and other Special Ops units have trained for. You want speed, precision, and firepower? You call the Rangers. There's also a good reason 70% of Delta Force consists of Rangers.

Tier 3 is composed of SEALS, Army Special Forces (SF/Green Berets), Air Force Pararescue, and I believe Marine Spec Ops units. Again, they're elite but their missions (underwater demolition/naval type warfare which SEALs specialize in is kind of moot in Afghanistan). That said, they are more than capable of handling missions in Afghanistan/Iraq. It's just that they're not as prioritized and have been moved from Tier 2 to Tier 3. Though, Special Forces/Green Berets' missions actually fit the profile of Afghanistan/Iraq more-so than any other group. They're trained in counterinsurgency, force multiplying (building an army of rebels), unconventional warfare, and are culturally sensitive to the indigenous population. From what I understand, they're being misused in Afghanistan. Why we didn't just rely on Army SF/Green Berets for Afghanistan rather than deploy thousands of troops and throwing away billions of dollars, I don't know.

Anyway, that's just my research of readily available information you can find on the net.

There's really no better. Just different units with different roles/lifestyles. In terms of eliteness and blowing sh*t up and killing thousands of bad guys, it's better to understand that real life isn't a video game and war is full of consequences.

[franchise#3]

I've heard North Korean special forces are pretty good. They're killing machines.

[magic chiongson]

I've heard North Korean special forces are pretty good. They're killing machines.

this, especially the one where the current kim is the team leader. rainbow six is only second to them

[HylianNightmare]

The ones we don't even know about

[Rolando]

I think the Israelis most likely have a very high level unit. They're always busy.

Edit: they are called Shayetet 13.

Here is a usefull link. According to this website they are rated #3 in Badassity

http://listverse.com/2010/01/11/top-...pecial-forces/

[DaHeezy]

is OP thinking about most elite special forces in the U.S military?

Yes

[East_Stone_Ya]

Yes

ok then i think DEVGRU units though information on them is highly classified.

[magictricked]

The CIA paramilitary guys are probably the most elite. They take the cream of the crop from all the other groups.

[Nick Young]

I think the Israelis most likely have a very high level unit. They're always busy.

Edit: they are called Shayetet 13.

Here is a usefull link. According to this website they are rated #3 in Badassity

http://listverse.com/2010/01/11/top-...pecial-forces/

hard to top these guys

[LuppersGB]

The CIA paramilitary guys are probably the most elite. They take the cream of the crop from all the other groups.

being the Military geek that I am the CIA is a 'civilian' organisation and as such "does not take part in military operations"
But the Special Activities Division take as you said the cream of the crop