Army reconnaissance units and formations

Regiment Battalion BN Association SFSG JSOC SAS SIS ISA Intelligence Support Activities

Spetsnaz () are special forces in the former Soviet Union and Russia. Historically, this term referred to the Soviet Union's Spetsnaz GRU, special operations units of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Soviet General Staff (GRU). Today it refers to special forces branches and task forces subordinate to ministries including defence, internal affairs, or emergency situations in countries that have inherited their special purpose units from the now-defunct Soviet security agencies.

special forces unit of the Israel Defense Forces

light infantry

thumb|Gebirgsjäger of the German Army during a climbing exercise

reconnaissance and raiding unit of the British Army

military unit - WWII

thumb|A 12th century turcopole, historical re-enactment During the Crusades, turcopoles (also "turcopoles" or "turcopoli"; from the , literally "sons of Turks"; singular: τουρκόπουλος) were locally recruited mounted archers and light cavalry employed by the Byzantine Empire and the Crusader states. A leader of these auxiliaries was designated as Turcopolier, a title subsequently given to a senior officer in the Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitaller in charge of the coastal defence and fortifications of Rhodes and Malta. In addition to the two Military Orders, the army of the Kingdom of J

German WWI shock troops

thumb|upright|Austrian pandur, , using a tree for cover while skirmishing thumb|upright=1.25|As with most other modern foot soldiers, the US 6th Marine Regiment, on patrol near [[Marjah, 2010, routinely uses skirmish formation.]]

right|thumb|220px|Medieval plate depicting Akritai, the frontiersmen or border guards of the Byzantine Empire, about which Acritic songs|epic songs were written.

thumb|upright|Inscription about a frumentarius from Legio VII Gemina.

Special forces unit of the Australian Army

provisional mountain formation of division size during World War I

military unit

elite military formation under the control of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces

The speculatores, also known as the speculatores augusti or the exploratores, were an ancient Roman reconnaissance agency. They were part of the consularis and were used by the Roman military. The speculatores were headquartered in the Castra Peregrina.

specialized element of the Canadian Army

Special operation forces regiment of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command

Irish Defence Forces special forces

military unit

regiment of the British Army

military unit

military unit

regiment of the British Army Reserve

18th century British Army unit

Small scale night-time surprise attacks in warfare