Delta Force: The US Army Special Forces Squadron That’s Panicing Russia

The 3 main points: Founded in 1977, Delta Force is the United States Army’s elite special operations unit, specializing in counterterrorism, hostage rescue, and special reconnaissance. Created by Green Beret Charles Beckwith, who modeled himself after the British SAS, Delta Force became fully operational in 1979.

-Despite a disastrous first mission during the Iran hostage crisis, the unit has since become a highly effective and self-sufficient force. Delta Force recruits, often drawn from the U.S. Army Rangers, undergo a rigorous selection process, followed by extensive training in advanced combat, espionage, and demolitions.

-Today, Delta Force remains a key player in U.S. counterterrorism and global special operations.

Inside Delta Force: America’s Secret Counterterrorism Unit

When Americans think of U.S. special forces, it’s usually the Navy SEALs that come to mind. But the U.S. Army’s Delta Force can rightfully claim the title of the most elite special forces group in the country.

Founded in 1977, Delta Force conducts counterterrorism, hostage rescue and special reconnaissance operations, much like its SEAL counterparts, but without the emphasis on amphibious or underwater missions.

Creation of Delta Force

The persistence of Charles Beckwith, a Green Beret who had served in Vietnam, led to the creation of Delta Force. Beckwith was convinced that the lack of an equivalent to the British SAS, a small and flexible unconventional warfare unit, in the United States was a glaring deficiency.

Beckwith began advocating for the creation of self-contained special forces teams with a broad range of skills. At first, Beckwith met with pushback. But as the threat of international terrorism grew, senior leaders began to recognize the value of the kind of unit Beckwith described.

Delta Force was certified fully operational about two years after its creation in 1979, just in time for one of the most significant international incidents of the late 20th century.^th century: The Iran Hostage Crisis. When Iranian students took American citizens hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Delta Force was tasked with developing a rescue plan. The plan was dubbed Operation Eagle Claw.

Operation Eagle Claw is remembered as an operational disaster so profound that it destroyed Jimmy Carter’s re-election chances. The plan called for the forced rescue of the American hostages, with Delta Force arriving by helicopter at night.

Three of the eight helicopters failed, for various reasons, ending Delta Force’s efforts to rescue the hostages. The incident prompted an investigation. It eventually led to the creation of the Night Stalkers Special Forces Helicopter Squadron and a restructuring of Delta Force.

Delta Force Recruitment

The majority of Delta Force recruits come from the U.S. Army Rangers. The selection process lasts four weeks and takes place twice a year at Camp Dawson in West Virginia. During the selection process, recruits undergo a battery of grueling physical and psychological tests. The attrition rate often exceeds 90 percent. Recruits who successfully complete the selection challenge must complete an additional six months of Delta Force-specific training.

The skills that Delta Force members are expected to master are wide-ranging and mostly boil down to what might be expected of them: shooting, demolition, executive protection, espionage, counter-surveillance, etc. The end product of the training is an elite Special Forces operator who is granted a special degree of autonomy and is even allowed to follow less stringent training standards, a rarity in the U.S. military.

The Pentagon does not often comment on Delta Force operations, leaving the unit with an air of mystery perhaps unmatched in the American military community.

But we do know that Delta Force is a frequently deployed unit, the tip of the spear, that has seen constant action in both official and unofficial conflicts for nearly 50 years.

About the author

Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,000 articles in total on global affairs. A lawyer, pilot, guitarist, and minor professional hockey player, Harrison joined the U.S. Air Force as a pilot trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a bachelor’s degree from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and a master’s degree from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

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