The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the United States Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the United States Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main functions are conducting small-unit special operation missions in maritime, jungle, urban, arctic, mountainous, and desert environments. SEALs are typically ordered to capture or kill high-level targets, or to gather intelligence behind enemy lines. SEAL team personnel are hand-selected, highly trained, and possess a high degree of proficiency in unconventional warfare (UW), direct action (DA), and special reconnaissance (SR), among other tasks like sabotage, demolition, intelligence gathering, and hydrographic reconnaissance, training, and advising friendly militaries or other forces. All active SEALs are members of the U.S. Navy.
United States special operations forces (SOF) are the active and reserve component forces of the United States Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force within the US military, as designated by the Secretary of Defense and specifically organized, trained, and equipped to conduct and support special operations. All active and reserve special operations forces are assigned to the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).
The Underwater Demolition Team (UDT), or frogmen, were amphibious units created by the United States Navy during World War II with specialized missions. They were predecessors of the Navy's current SEAL teams.
The United States Naval Special Warfare Command (USNSWC), also known as NAVSPECWARCOM and WARCOM, is the naval component of United States Special Operations Command, the unified command that oversees and conducts the nation's special operations and missions.
The Naval Special Warfare Command, commonly known as the Royal Thai Navy SEALs, is an elite special operations force of the Royal Thai Navy.
The Kopaska is the premier frogman and underwater demolition unit of the Indonesian Navy. The unit's motto is Tan Hana Wighna Tan Sirna. The unit's main duties are underwater demolition, destroying main underwater installations, reconnaissance, prisoner snatches, preparing beaches for larger naval amphibious operations, and counter-terrorism. During peacetime, the unit also deploys a team to serve as security personnel for VIPs and VVIPs.
The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) is a naval infantry force under the command of the Philippine Navy. The PMC conducts amphibious, expeditionary, and special operations missions.
The Light Reaction Regiment is the only tier one special forces of the Philippine Army (PA). Formed in the Early 2000s, and was formerly known as the Light Reaction Battalion and Light Reaction Company. Due to its specialization in black operation, capture or kill high-value targets, counterterrorism and hostage rescue crisis management, direct action, executive protection, irregular warfare, and special operations that are extremely high-risk and dangerous. The formation of the unit is assisted by American advisers, the Light Reaction Regiment has been sometimes referred to as the Philippines' Delta Force.
Naval Amphibious Base Coronado is a US naval installation in San Diego, California. The base, situated on Silver Strand between San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean, is a major United States Navy shore command, supporting over 30 tenant commands, and is the West Coast focal point for special and expeditionary warfare training and operations. The on‑base population is 5,000 military personnel and 7,000 students and reservists. The base is one of the eight components of Naval Base Coronado (NBC).
Naval Special Warfare Group 3 (NSWG-3), based at the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in California, was one of six constituent formations of the United States Naval Special Warfare Command. Until 2008, NSWG-3 was composed of two SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams: SDVT-1 in Pearl Harbor and SDVT-2 in Little Creek. In 2008, SDVT-2 was disestablished and merged into SDVT-1, which was then now headquartered in Pearl Harbor and operated detachments in Pearl Harbor and Little Creek. SDV Teams are SEAL teams with an added underwater delivery capability. SDVT-2 was reactivated on 8 March 2019. NSWG-3 was deactivated alongside NSWG-10 in August 2021 and replaced by Naval Special Warfare Group 8 which took in all units previously under NSWG-3 and NSWG-10.
The US employs divers in several branches of the armed forces, including the navy, army, marines, air force and coast guard.
The Special Warfare Combat Crewmen (SWCC ) are United States Naval Special Warfare Command personnel who operate and maintain small craft for special operations missions, particularly those of U.S. Navy SEALs. Their rating is Special Warfare Boat Operator (SB).
The Marine Commandos are one of two tier one special forces of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). They are part of the Lebanese Special Operations Command (LSOCOM). Established with assistance from the United States Navy SEALs and the British Royal Marines Commandos, they are tasked with conducting a variety of missions, particularly in a maritime environment, which include: amphibious reconnaissance, anti-piracy, black operation, irregular warfare, ISTAR, maritime counter-sabotage, maritime counterterrorism and hostage rescue, naval boarding, naval special warfare, special operations behind enemy lines, and support maritime security. The Marine Commandos were established in 1997, then got their administrative independence in July 2001.
The Republic of Korea Navy Special Warfare Flotilla, name abbreviated NAVSPECWARFLOT or WARFLOT, is a special operations force of the Republic of Korea Navy. The WARFLOT is most commonly referred to as the Underwater Demolition Team or UDT, and sometimes as UDT/SEALs, coming from the fact UDTs are the most prominent branch of the flotilla and their close ties with US Navy SEALs respectively.
The average member of the United States Navy's Sea, Air, Land Teams (SEALs) spends over a year in a series of formal training environments before being awarded the Special Warfare Operator Naval Rating and the Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) O26A Combatant Swimmer (SEAL) or, in the case of commissioned naval officers, the designation 113X Special Warfare Officer. All Navy SEALs must attend and graduate from their rating's 24-week "A" School known as Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) school, a basic parachutist course and then the 26-week SEAL Qualification Training program.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines Special Operations Command (AFPSOCOM) is the unified special operations command of the AFP. It is responsible for planning, conducting, and supporting special operations.
The Cambodian Navy SEALs were the main elite Maritime Special Operations Force of the Khmer National Navy during the 1970-75 Cambodian Civil War.
Thomas R. Richards is a retired United States Navy rear admiral who commanded the Naval Special Warfare Command from 1996 to 1999.
Underwater Construction Teams (UCT) are the United States Navy Seabees' underwater construction units numbered 1 and 2 that were created in 1974. A team is composed of divers qualified in both underwater construction and underwater demolition. Possible tasks can be: battle damage repairs, structural inspections and assessments, demolition of waterline facilities or submerged obstructions, installation of submerged surveillance systems, or harbor and channel clearance. As needed, teams may test and or evaluate new or existing aquatic systems or equipment. Extending construction, whether vertical or horizontal, beyond the shoreline and waterline is their specialty. Reflecting Seabee tradition, teams are expected to execute underwater construction anywhere, anytime, under any conditions.
