List of military special forces units

This is a list of military special forces units, also known as special operations forces (SOF), currently active with countries around the world, that are specially organized, trained and equipped to conduct special operations.
These are distinct from special-purpose infantry units, such as the Royal Marine Commandos, found on the list of commando units, and also paratrooper units found on the list of paratrooper forces.
NATO currently defines "special operations" as:
In 2001, as part of efforts to create a framework for consultation and cooperation between NATO and Russia, the NATO-RUSSIA Glossary of Contemporary Political and Military Terms further defined special operations and special operations forces:
The United States definition of special operations is:
The Canadian definition of special operations forces is:
Albanian Armed Forces
Algerian Land Forces (CFT)
Algerian Navy (AN)
Algerian Republican Guard (GR)
Angolan Armed Forces
Argentine Army
Argentine Navy
Armenian Army
Australian Army
Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Navy
Austrian Army
Azerbaijani Armed Forces
Bangladesh Army
Bangladesh Navy
Bangladesh Air Force
Special Operations Forces Command
Belgian Land Component
Brazilian Army
Brazilian Air Force
Brazilian Navy
Special Operations Forces Command
Special Operations Command (Croatia)
Special forces
The Czech Republic Special Operations Forces
Land Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Special Operations Command (SOKOM)
Danish Home Guard
Ecuadorian Army
Special Operations Command (CFE)
Sa'ka Forces (Thunderbolt Forces)
Estonian Special Operations Force (ESTSOF)
Finnish Army
Finnish Navy
Special Operations Command (French Army)
French Navy
French Air and Space Force
Directorate-General for External Security
Defense Forces
German Special Forces
Ghana Armed Forces
Hellenic Army
Hellenic Air Force
Hellenic Navy
Armed Forces Special Operations Division
Special Operations Command
Indonesian Army
Indonesian Navy
Indonesian Air Force
Islamic Republic of Iran Army
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Irish Army
Military Intelligence Directorate
Israeli Army
Israeli Navy
Israeli Air and Space Force
Italian Army
Italian Navy
Italian Air Force
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Joint Special Operations Command
Kenya Special Forces
Latvian National Armed Forces
Special Operations Command
Lithuanian Special Operations Force
Lithuanian National Defence Volunteer Forces
Malaysian Army
Royal Malaysian Navy
Royal Malaysian Air Force
Mexican Army
Mexican Navy
Namibian Special Forces
Netherlands Special Operations Command (NLD SOCOM)
Special Operations Component Command
Armed Forces Special Forces (AFSF)
Nigerian Navy
Army of the Republic of Macedonia
Norwegian Special Operation Forces (NORSOF)
Paraguayan Armed Force
Peruvian Armed Forces
Special Operations Command (Philippines)
Wojska Specjalne
Portuguese Army
Portuguese Navy
Ministry of Defense
Rwanda Defence Force
Special Operations Forces Command
Special Forces of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (Special Forces of the GRU)
Royal Saudi Navy
Saudi Arabian Army
Seychelles People's Defence Force
Special Operations Task Force
Slovak Armed Forces
South African National Defence Force
Army
Navy
Air Force
Swedish Armed Forces
Swedish Army
Swedish Air Force
Swedish Navy
Special Forces Command (KSK)
Special Forces Command
Republic of China Army
Republic of China Marine Corps
Coast Guard Administration
Royal Thai Army
Royal Thai Navy
Royal Thai Air Force
Timor Leste Defence Force
Tunisian Army
Tunisian Air Force
Tunisian Navy
Turkish Armed Forces
Special Operations Forces – headquarters in Kyiv
Ukrainian Navy units
National Guard of Ukraine
United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)
Uruguayan Army
Venezuelan Army
Venezuelan Air Force
General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army
Special Forces of Zimbabwe
Miscellaneous Notes