List of special reconnaissance units

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The following list of organizations possess the capability to conduct special reconnaissance (SR) and other special operations roles, with SR often by specialists within them. Certain organizations are tasked for response involving areas contaminated by chemicals, biological agents, or radioactivity.

Contents

Current

Albania

Algeria

Australia

Brazil

Bulgaria

Canada

China (People’s Republic of China)

  • People's Liberation Army Special Operations Forces
    • Guangzhou Military Region Special Forces Unit - Established in 1988 as the PLA’s first special reconnaissance group, and was later expanded in 2000 to become the first PLA special operations unit to be capable of air, sea, and land operations.
    • Chengdu Military Region Special Forces Unit – Nickname “Falcon”. Established in 1992, this unit is specialised in target locating and indicating, airborne insertion, sabotage and offensive strike, and emergency evacuation. The unit was also used by Chengdu MR to experiment with various new concept equipment and tactics, including the digitised army soldier system and high-mobility land weapon platforms.
    • Beijing Military Region Special Forces Unit - Established in the early 1990s, this unit is equipped with various “high-tech” equipment including unmanned aerial reconnaissance vehicle (UARV), individual explosion device, handheld laser dazzling weapon, etc.
    • Shenyang Military Region Special Forces Unit
    • Nanjing Military Region Special Forces Unit - Nickname “Flying Dragon”
    • Nanjing Military Region Special Forces Unit - Nickname “Eagle”
    • Lanzhou Military Region Special Forces Unit

Czech Republic

Denmark

Finland

  • Special Operations Detachment (SOD)

France

India

Indonesia

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

Russia

  • Spetsnaz
  • Federal Security Service "FSB"
    • Alpha Group Directorate "A" of the FSB Special Purpose Center (TsSN FSB) is an elite, stand-alone sub-unit of Russia's special forces.
    • Vympel Group Directorate "B" Vympel Group is an elite Russian spetsnaz unit under the command of the FSB. (TsSN FSB)
  • Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
    • Spetsnaz GRU 2nd, 3rd, 10th, 14th, 16th, 24th, and 25th Spetsnaz Brigade (obrSpN)
    • 45th Detached Reconnaissance Regiment Spetsnaz VDV (orpSpN)
    • Russian commando frogmen 42nd, 420th, 431st, and 561st Naval Reconnaissance Spetsnaz Point (omrpSpN)
    • Voennaya Razvedka "Military intelligence" personnel/units within larger formations in ground troops, airborne troops and marines. Intelligence battalion in the divisions, reconnaissance company in the brigade, a reconnaissance platoon in the regiment. The same level of training as Spetsnaz GRU but not controlled by the GRU. A bat is their mascot.

Sri Lanka

Sweden

Thailand

Ukraine

United Kingdom

United States

Historical

Nazi Germany

United Kingdom

United States

Australia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special reconnaissance</span> Intelligence gathering discipline

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spetsnaz GRU</span> Russian and Soviet special forces unit

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">3rd Guards Spetsnaz Brigade</span> Military unit

The 3rd Guards Separate 'Warsaw-Berlin Red Banner Order of Suvorov 3rd degree' Spetsnaz Brigade is a special forces brigade of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) and thus the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation based at Tolyatti since 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special forces of Algeria</span>

The Algerian People's National Armed Forces (ANP) has several special forces regiments as well as several specialized regiments.

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