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Spain has a long history of combating domestic and international violence and of training units for special warfare or intervention. The following military and police units currently operate under a Special Operations mandate:
The Grupo Especial de Operaciones, is the police tactical unit of Spain's National Police Corps. The GEO has response capabilities and is responsible for VIP protection duties, as well as countering and responding to terrorism. Organized along the lines of many other police tactical units throughout Europe, the GEOs is focused on dealing with terrorist attacks, including aircraft hijackings as well as maritime threats and hostage taking. The GEO can also be used in a support role for Spanish Police operations outside the realm of terrorism, and is active in protecting visiting heads of state and providing security for high-profile events such as the 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona. The GEO is a member of the ATLAS Network, that includes all the national police tactical units of European Union countries and some countries outside the European Union.
The Unidad Especial de Intervención (UEI) is the only tier one police tactical unit of the Spanish Civil Guard that specialized in counterterrorism and hostage rescue crisis management, high-risk tactical special operations, quick raid to capture or kill high-value targets, and VIP protection.
The National Police Corps is the national civilian police force of Spain. The CNP is mainly responsible for policing urban areas, whilst rural policing is generally the responsibility of the Civil Guard, the Spanish national gendarmerie force. The CNP operates under the authority of Spain's Ministry of the Interior. They mostly handle criminal investigation, judicial, terrorism and immigration matters. The powers of the National Police Corps varies according to the autonomous community. For example, the Ertzaintza and the Mossos d'Esquadra are the primary police agencies in the Basque Country and Catalonia, respectively. In Navarre they share some duties jointly with Policía Foral (Foruzaingoa).
The Special Forces Corps are the special forces battalions of the Mexican Army. Formerly the Special Forces Airmobile Group (Spanish: Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales) or GAFE, the SF corps has six regular battalions; plus four specialized units, one of those units is the Fuerza Especial de Reaccion, the other three remain secretive for the public; the motto of the SF Corps is Todo por México.
Special Operations Group may refer to:
The Marine Infantry is the naval infantry branch of the Spanish Navy responsible for conducting amphibious warfare. Fully integrated into the Spanish Navy's structure, the branch's history dates back to 1537 when Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor formed the Compañías Viejas del Mar de Nápoles, making it the oldest marine unit in existence.
The Brigada Especial Operativa Halcón is a special operations division of the Buenos Aires Provincial Police in Argentina.
GOE or Goe may refer to:
The Unidad de Operaciones Especiales was the elite special operations force of the Spanish Navy and marines from 1967 to 2009. In June 2009, the unit was absorbed into the newly formed Special Naval Warfare Force, which inherited the reputation and which continues the record of the UOE. The UOE was formerly garrisoned in the Tercio de Armada in San Fernando, Cádiz and operated under the direct control of the Admiralty and Special Naval Warfare Command. It was thought to comprise approximately 100 men organized into three Operational Teams as well as command and support personnel. The unit has long been one of Europe's most respected special forces.
In Mexico, both the army and navy have special forces groups or elite units.
The Grupo de Operaciones Especiales (GOPES) was the police tactical unit of the Federal Police of Mexico.
The Special Operations Groups are the special operations forces of the Spanish Army.
Colombian National Police Special Operations Command is a subdivision of the Colombian National Police under the Directorate for Citizens Security. This Special Operations unit functions as a Quick reaction force (QRF) for Police operations and as a permanent training field for personnel.
The Special Operations Command is the command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Groups of the Spanish Army.
The Grupo de Operaciones Policiales Especiales (GOPE) is the police tactical unit of Carabineros de Chile which carries out high-risk police operations throughout the country, including location and tracking of bombs and explosives, bomb disposal, rescuing people or bodies from places of difficult access, anti-crime raids, and clashes. GOPE is a special force of military uniformed police, as stipulated in the Constitutional Act of Carabineros.
The 19th Special Operations Group "Caballero Legionario Maderal Oleaga", GOE XIX, is one of the three currently existing Special Operations Groups and so is subordinated to the Special Operations Command. It was the former Special Forces unit of the Spanish Legion and was known as Bandera de Operaciones Especiales de la Legión, BOEL.
The Special Naval Warfare Force (FGNE) is the special forces unit of the Spanish Navy. It was created on June 10, 2009 through the fusion of the Special Operations Unit (UOE) of the Spanish Navy Marines and the Special Combat Divers Unit (UEBC) of the Navy Diving Center. Before the merger, between 2004 and 2009, the two units operated under a single Special Naval Warfare Command. Between 1967 and 2009, the special operations of the Spanish Navy were conducted by the UOE, whose many traditions the FGNE adopted – including the use of the special forces "green beret", the Capacitación selection course, and the organization of operational units into Estoles. Inheriting the reputation and continuing the record of the UOE, the FGNE "has long been one of Europe's most respected special forces."