List of paratrooper forces

The following is an incomplete list of paratrooper forces from around the world.

Argentina

• Argentine Army
  • 4th Parachute Brigade (Brigada Paracaidista IV)^[1]

Australia

• Australian Army
  • Special Air Service Regiment
  • 1st Commando Regiment
  • 2nd Commando Regiment

Austria

• Austrian Federal Armed Forces
  • 7th Infantry Brigade
    • Jägerbataillon 25^[2][3]

Bangladesh

• Para-Commando Brigade(Bangladesh Army)
• 1st Para-Commando Battalion (Bangladesh Army)
• 16th Para Infantry battalion
• 17th Para Infantry Battalion
• Special Warfare Diving And Salvage
• 41 squadron of Bangladesh Air Force

Belgium

• Belgian Land Component
  • Light Brigade
    • 2nd Commando Battalion
    • 3rd Paratroop Battalion

Brazil

Brazilian Army

• Parachute Infantry Brigade (Brigada de Infantaria Pára-quedista)
• Special Operations Command (Comando de Operações Especiais)

Brazilian Air Force

• Airborne Rescue Squadron (Esquadrão Aeroterrestre de Salvamento (EAS))

Brazilian Navy

• Combat Divers Group (Grupamento de Mergulhadores de Combate), subordinated to Submarine Fleet Command
• Amphibious Commandos (Comandos Anfíbios), subordinated to Marine Corps General Command

Bulgaria

• Bulgarian Army
  • 68th Special Forces Brigade (68 Бригада Специални Сили)

Canada

• Canadian Army
  • B Company 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry^[4]
  • M Company 3rd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment
  • A Company 3rd Battalion Royal 22^e Régiment
  • Para Company The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada^[5]
  • E Troop, E Battery, 2 Royal Canadian Horse Artillery

Chile

• Chilean Army
  • 1st Parachute Battalion "Pelantaru" (1^o Batallón de Paracaidistas "Pelantaru")

China

• People's Liberation Army Ground Force
  • more than seven Special Operation Teams
• People's Liberation Army Air Force
  • 15th Airborne Corps Wuhan
    • Airborne Special Operation Team of 15th Corps
    • 43rd Airborne Division, Kaifeng
      • 127th, 128th, 129th Para regt and one light arty regt
    • 44th Airborne Division, Yingshan
      • 130th, 131st, 132nd Para regt and one light arty regt
    • 45th Airborne Division, Huangpi
      • 133rd, 134th, 135th Para regt and one light arty regt

Croatia

• Special Forces Command (Croatia)
  • 1st Special Forces Group (Croatia)
• Intelligence Center
• Special Military Police Company

Czech Republic

• Czech Army
  • 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade
    • 43rd Airborne Battalion in Chrudim

Egypt

• Egyptian Army
  • 222nd Airborne Brigade
  • 414th Airborne Brigade

Finland

• Finnish Army
  • Utti Jaeger Regiment

France

French Army (Armee de Terre):

• French Army Special Forces Brigade: Army component of Special Operations Command (France):
  • 1er RPIMa: SAS Regiment
  • 13e RDP: Long Range Recon.
• 11th Parachute Brigade:
  • Commando Parachute Group: Pathfinders and Recon Group.
• 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade (France):
  • Commando Mountain Group (Groupement de commandos de montagne): Recon. Group.
• Centre national d'entraînement commando (CNEC). National Commando training Center: Similar to US Ranger School.

French Foreign Legion (La Légion Etrangère) :

• 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment: Commando Parachute Group
• 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment : DINOPS
• 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment : DINOPS

French Navy (Marine Nationale):

• Commandos Marine: Navy component of Special Operations Command (France):
  • Commando Hubert (also named Commando d'Action Sous-Marine Hubert, CASM, "underwater operations commando"): Submarine action (combat divers).
  • Commando Jaubert: Assault at sea, exfiltration, close quarters battle at sea.
  • Commando Trepel: Assault at sea, exfiltration.
  • Commando de Penfentenyo: Reconnaissance, Intelligence Operations (recon swimmers)
  • Commando de Montfort: Long range neutralisation (missile launchers, light mortars, heavy sniper rifles), fire support designation
  • Commando Kieffer: C3I, military dogs

French Air Force (Armee de L'Air):

• Commando parachutiste de l'Air n°10 (CPA 10): Air Force component of Special Operations Command (France):
• Fusiliers Commandos de l'Air
  • (CPA 20): Bases Protection Squads
  • (CPA 30): RESCO

National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale):

• National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN): performs counter-terrorist and hostage rescue missions in France or anywhere else in the world

Directorate-General for External Security: Division Action:

• The Centre Parachutiste d'Entraînement Spécialisé (CPES, "Paratrooper Specialised Training Centre") in Cercottes for clandestine operations
• The Centre Parachutiste d'Instruction Spécialisée (CPIS, "Paratrooper Specialised Instruction Centre") in Perpignan for special commandos.
• The Centre Parachutiste d'Entraînement aux Opérations Maritimes (CPEOM, "Paratrooper Training Centre for Naval Operations") in Quelern, which instructs combat divers.

Gabon

• 1^er Régiment de Parachutistes Gabonais (1er RPG)

Germany

See article Fallschirmjager

• German Federal Army
  • 1st Airborne Brigade

Greece

• Hellenic Army
  • 1st Raider/Paratrooper Brigade (1η ΤΑΞΚΔ-ΑΛ), based at Rentina, Macedonia

Honduras

• 2do batallon de infanteria aerotransportada (2nd airborne battalion)

Hungary

• HDF 34th ’László Bercsényi’ Special Operations Battalion^[6]
• HDF 25/88th Light Mixed Battalion^[7]
• HDF 5/24th 'Gergely Bornemissza' Reconnaissance Battalion^[8]

India

• Indian Army
  • Parachute Regiment (India)
  • 50th Parachute Brigade (India)

Indonesia

• Indonesian Army
  • Grup 1 Para Komando Kopassus/Eka Wastu Baladhika (1st Army Special Forces Para Commando Group)
  • Grup 2 Para Komando Kopassus/Dwi Dharma Bhirawa Yudha (2nd Army Special Forces Para Commando Group)
  • Brigade Infanteri Lintas Udara 17/Kujang I (17th Airborne Infantry Brigade)
  • Brigade Infanteri Lintas Udara 18/Trisula (18th Airborne Infantry Brigade)
  • Brigade Infanteri Lintas Udara 3/Tri Budhi Sakti (3rd Airborne Infantry Brigade)
• Indonesian Air Force
  • Indonesian Air Force Special Forces (Paskhas)

Iran

Islamic Republic of Iran Army

• 65th Airborne Special Forces Brigade
• 55th Airborne Brigade of Shiraz

Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution (IRGC)

• 33rd Al-Mahdi Airborne Brigade
• 66th Airborne Brigade^[9]

Ireland

Defence Forces (Irish Army)

• Army Ranger Wing (ARW)^[10][11]

Israel

98th Paratroopers Division (Reserve and Regular)

• 35th Paratroopers Brigade (Regular) "Hativat HaTzanhanim"
• Oz Brigade (Regular) commonly known as "Hativat HaCommando"/"The Commando Brigade"
• 551st Paratroopers Brigade (Reserve) "Hetzei Ha-Esh"/"Arrows of Fire", Special Brigade
• 55th Paratroopers Brigade (Reserve) "The Central" "Hod Ha-Hanit"/"The tip of the Spear"

Other Brigades

• 226 Paratroopers Brigade (Reserve) "The Northern" "Otzvat Nesher"/"Eagle Formation" 319th Division, Northern Command (Israel)
• 646th Paratroopers Brigade (Reserve) "The Southern" "Shualei Marom"/"Sky Foxes", Sinai Division, Southern Command (Israel)

Commando Units

• Special Forces Deep Penetration Demolition Unit "Maglan"/"Ibis", Oz Brigade
• Guerilla Warfare Unit "Unit Egoz", Oz Brigade
• Desert Warfare Unit "Rimon", Oz Brigade
• Unit 7298 Special Forces Anti-Aircraft Parachuting Unit "YANMAM", Maglan, Oz Brigade

Elite Units

• Sayeret Matkal, Military Intelligence Directorate (Israel)
• Shaldag Unit, Aerial Commando, Israeli Air Force
• Shayetet 13, Naval Commando, Israeli Navy
• Unit 669, Combat search and rescue, Israeli Air Force

Jump School

• Airborne supply and training center
  • Airborne school

Italy

Italian paratroopers are called Paracadutisti.

• Carabinieri
  • 1st Carabinieri Parachute Regiment
  • Special Intervention Group - Special Forces
• Italian Army
  • Folgore Parachute Brigade
    • 183rd Parachute Regiment "Nembo"
    • 186th Parachute Regiment "Folgore"
    • 187th Parachute Regiment "Folgore"
    • 3rd Regiment "Savoia Cavalleria"
    • 8th Parachute Assault Engineer Regiment (Italy)
    • 185th Artillery Paratroopers Regiment "Folgore"
  • 9th Parachute Assault Regiment - Army Special Forces
  • 4th Alpini Parachutist Regiment (Ranger)
  • 185th Parachute Regiment reconnaissance acquisition targets "Folgore"
• Italian Navy
  • Undersea Raiders Group "Teseo Tesei" - Navy Special Forces. All personnel of its Operational Raiders Group are parachute-trained.
  • 1st San Marco Regiment - Special Operations Company (Compagnia Operazioni Speciali Andrea Bafile - Compagnia nuotatori paracadutisti)
• Italian Air Force
  • 17º Stormo Incursori - Air Force Special Forces. All personnel of its Operational Raiders Group are parachute-trained.

Japan

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force

• Central Readiness Force
  • 1st Airborne Brigade
  • Japanese Special Forces Group
  • Central Readiness Regiment

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force

• Special Boarding Unit

Jordan

• Joint Special Operations Command - JSOC
  • 81st Airborne Battalion
  • 91st Airborne Orientation Battalion

Royal Jordanian Army

• 30th Hussein Bin Ali Special Mission Brigade
  • 15th Khalid Bin Al-Waleed Special Mission Battalion (Para)
  • 16th King Faisal Special Mission Battalion (Para)
  • 20th Tariq Bin Zyad Special Mission Battalion (Para)

Malaysia

• Malaysian Army
  • 10th Brigade (Para)

Mongolia

• Mongolian Army
  • 084th Special Task Battalion
  • 337th Airborne Division

Mexico

• Mexican Air Force
  • Brigada de Fusileros Paracaidistas

Nepal

• Nepalese Army
  • Shree Bhairavnath Battalion 1910 - (Parachute Battalion)

Netherlands

• Royal Netherlands Army
  • 11 Luchtmobiele Brigade
• Royal Netherlands Marine Corps
  • 11 and 23 Raiding Squadrons

Poland

• Polish Land Forces
  • 1st Independent Parachute Brigade (World War 2)
  • 6th Paratrooper Brigade.

Philippines

Philippine Air Force

• 710th Special Operations Wing^[12]

Philippine Army Special Operations Command

• Special Forces Regiment (Airborne)^[13]

Philippine Marine Corps

• Philippine Marine Corps Force Recon Battalion^[14]

Portugal

Portuguese Army

• Paratrooper Battalions of the Portuguese Rapid Reaction Brigade.

Rhodesia

• Rhodesian Security Forces (disbanded 1980)
  • Rhodesian African Rifles (from 1977)
  • Rhodesian Light Infantry (from 1977)
  • Rhodesian Special Air Service

Russia

Russian armed forces

• Russian Airborne Troops
  • 45th Specnaz Brigade
  • 7th Guards Airborne Division
  • 76th Guards Air Assault Division
  • 98th Guards Airborne Division
  • 106th Guards Airborne Division
  • 11th Guards Airborne Brigade
  • 31st Guards Airborne Brigade
  • 56th Guards Airborne Brigade
  • 83rd Guards Airborne Brigade
  • 242nd Training Centre
  • 1182nd Guards Artillery Regiment
  • 38th Guards Communications Regiment
• Russian Navy
  • Russian Marines
    • 336th Guards Marine Brigade
      • 879th Desant Battalion
    • 61st Marine Brigade
      • 876th Desant Battalion
    • 810th Marine Brigade
      • 881st Desant Battalion

Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD)

• Dzerzhinsky Division (O.D.O.N.)
  • 604th Special Purpose Center

Various Specnaz units

Serbia

• Serbian Army
  • 63rd Paratroop Battalion

South Africa

• South African Army
  • South African Special Forces Brigade
  • 44 Parachute Brigade - Predecessor to 44 Parachute Regiment
    • 1 Parachute Battalion
    • 44 Pathfinder Platoon - Pathfinders
    • 18 Light Regiment (Airborne Artillery)
  • 44 Parachute Regiment - Current

Spain

• Spanish Army
  • BRIPAC
• Spanish Air Force
  • Escuadrón de Apoyo al Despliegue Aéreo - Air Deployment and Support Squadron (EADA)
  • Escuadrón de Zapadores Paracaidistas - Parachute Sapper Squadron (EZAPAC)

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Army

• Commando Regiment

Sri Lanka Air Force

• SLAF Regiment

Sweden

• Swedish Army
  • Fallskärmsjägarna (Parachute Rangers)
  • Särskilda operationsgruppen Special Operations Group

Switzerland

• Swiss Armed Forces
  • Special Forces Command
    • Army Reconnaissance Detachment 10
    • Parachute Reconnaissance Company 17

Syria

• 14th Special Forces Division
• 15th Special Forces Division

Taiwan (Republic of China)

• Republic of China Army
  • Aviation and Special Forces Command (航空特戰司令部)
    • 3 Air Cavalry/Airborne brigades

Thailand

• Royal Thai Police
  • Aviation Support Division
• Royal Thai Army
  • 31st Infantry Regiment (Thailand)

Turkey

• Turkish Army
  • 1. Kayseri Hava İndirme Tugayı
• Turkish Air Force
  • AKİP
• Turkish Navy
  • Su Altı Taarruz

Ukraine

• Ukrainian Ground Forces
  • Ukrainian Airmobile Forces^[15]
    • 25th Airborne Brigade (Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Operation Command South )
    • 95th Airmobile Brigade (Zhytomyr Oblast, Operation Command North)
    • 79th Airmobile Brigade (Mykolaiv Oblast, subordinated to Ukrainian General Staff directly)
    • 80th Airmobile Brigade (Lviv Oblast, Operation Command West)
    • 81st Airmobile Brigade
    • 28th Training Battalion (Chernihiv Oblast, 169th Ground Forces Training Center)
• Border Guard Service
  • Mobile Border Guard Detachment
    • 23rd Airmobile Detachment (disbanded)

United Kingdom

• Special Boat Service (Her Majesty's Naval Service)^[16]
• Submarine Parachute Assistance Group (Royal Navy, Her Majesty's Naval Service)^[17]
• Fleet Diving Unit 1 (Fleet Diving Group, Fleet Diving Squadron, Royal Navy, Her Majesty's Naval Service)^[18]
• Brigade Patrol Troop (3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marine Corps, Her Majesty's Naval Service)^[19]
• Reconnaissance Troop (40 Commando, 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marine Corps, Her Majesty's Naval Service)
• Reconnaissance Troop (42 Commando, 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marine Corps, Her Majesty's Naval Service)
• Reconnaissance Troop (45 Commando, 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marine Corps, Her Majesty's Naval Service)
• 22 Special Air Service Regiment (British Army)^[20]
• 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment (British Army)^[21]
• 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment (16 Air Assault Brigade, British Army)^[22]
  • Patrol Platoon, 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment^[23][24]
• 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment (16 Air Assault Brigade, British Army)^[22]
  • Patrol Platoon, 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment^[23][24]
• 4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment (16 Air Assault Brigade, British Army)^[22]
• Pathfinder Platoon (16 Air Assault Brigade, British Army)^[22]
• 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery (16 Air Assault Brigade, British Army)^[25]
• 148 Commando Battery (29 Commando Regiment, Royal Regiment of Artillery, British Army)^[26]
• 23 Engineer Regiment (Corps of Royal Engineers, British Army)^[27]
• 299 Parachute Squadron (Corps of Royal Engineers, British Army)^[27]
• 144 Parachute Medical Squadron (Royal Army Medical Corps)
• 216 Parachute Signal Squadron (Royal Corp of Signals)
• 264 SAS Signal Squadron (Royal Corp of Signals)
• LEWT troop 14 Signal regiment EW (Royal Corp of Signals)
• 2 Squadron (RAF Regiment, Royal Air Force)^[28]

United States

• United States Army
  • United States Army Special Forces
    • 1st Special Forces Group (United States)
    • 3rd Special Forces Group (United States)
    • 5th Special Forces Group (United States)
    • 7th Special Forces Group (United States)
    • 10th Special Forces Group (United States)
    • 19th Special Forces Group (United States)
    • 20th Special Forces Group (United States)
  • Special Operations Team-Alpha (SOT-A)
  • Military Information Support Command
    • 4th Psychological Operations Group (United States)
      • 6th Psychological Operations Battalion (USEUCOM)
      • 7th Psychological Operations Battalion (USAFRICOM)
      • 8th Psychological Operations Battalion (USCENTCOM)
    • 8th Psychological Operations Group (United States)
      • 1st Psychological Operations Battalion (USSOUTHCOM)
      • 5th Psychological Operations Battalion (USPACOM)
      • 9th Psychological Operations Battalion (Tactical)
  • 75th Ranger Regiment
  • XVIII Airborne Corps
    • 82nd Airborne Division
  • 101st Airborne Division
    • 20th Engineer Brigade
  • 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division
  • 1st Battalion (Airborne) 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment
  • 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team
  • US Army Long Range Surveillance Companies
  • US Army Pathfinders Companies
  • 28th Ordnance Company (EOD)(Airborne)
• United States Marine Corps
  • ANGLICO
  • Radio Recon Platoons
  • Division Reconnaissance Battalions
  • Force Reconnaissance Companies
  • MARSOC
• United States Air Force
  • Special Tactics Squadrons
  • 93d Air-Ground Operations Wing
    • 18th Air Support Operations Group This unit comprises five squadrons of which only the 14th Air Support Operations Squadron is airborne-trained.
      • 14th Air Support Operations Squadron (14th ASOS)
      • 15th Air Support Operations Squadron (15th ASOS)
      • 18th Weather Squadron (18th WS)
      • 19th Air Support Operations Squadron (19th ASOS)
      • 20th Air Support Operations Squadron (20th ASOS)
    • 820th Base Defense Group
  • 435th Security Forces Squadron
  • 820th Red Horse Squadrons [only RHS with this capability]
  • U.S. Air Force SERE Specialists
• United States Navy
  • United States Navy SEALs
  • United States Navy EOD

Joint Service Units

• Joint Communications Unit (JCU)
• Joint Communications Support Element (JCSE)
  • Headquarters Support Squadron (HSS)
  • Communications Support Detachment (CSD)
  • 1st Joint Communications Squadron (JCS)
  • 2nd Joint Communications Squadron (JCS)
  • 3rd Joint Communications Squadron (JCS)
  • 4th Joint Communications Squadron (JCS)
  • 224th Joint Communications Support Squadron (JCSS)
  • 290th Joint Communications Support Squadron (JCSS)

Venezuela

• Venezuelan Army
  • 42nd Infantry Paratrooper Brigade (42^a Brigada Paracaidista de Infanteria)

Vietnam

• Vietnam People's Air Force
  • Vietnamese Paratroops

References