List of reconnaissance units

The following is a list, albeit incomplete, of reconnaissance units from around the world. This list concentrates on ground units, but includes a few air force units.

Belgium

• Bataillon ISTAR
• Pathfinders
• ACOS IS
• SF Gp

Brazil

• • Parachute Infantry Brigade (Brigada de Infantaria Pára-quedista)
  • Special Operations Command (Comando de Operações Especiais)
  • Marine Special Operations Battalion (Batalhão de Operações Especiais de Fuzileiros Navais, Batalhão Tonelero)

Canada

• Pathfinders
• The Royal Canadian Dragoons (Armoured Reconnaissance)
• (12^e Régiment blindé du Canada) Recce Squadron
• Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) Recce Squadron
• (3rd Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment) (Peloton Fantassin de Reconnaissance)
• (3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment) Infantry Recce Platoon
• (2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry) Infantry Recce Platoon
• 1st Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Recon Platoon
• 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Recon Platoon
• Kings Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC) Armoured recce - Primary reserve unit

Denmark

Royal Guard Hussars

• 3rd Recce Battalions
  • 1st Light Recce Squadron
  • 2nd Light Recce Squadron

France

• 13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment, a regiment of the French Army Special Forces Brigade; its primary mission is long range reconnaissance.
• 2nd Hussard Regiment, a regiment of the brigade de Renseignement intel brigade; it performs similar missions to the benefit of local units.

Naval Commando "De Penfentenyo": specialized in recon

Germany

• Fernspählehrkompanie 200
• Kommando Spezialkräfte
• Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 (Luftwaffe tactical reconnaissance wing, formerly designated as Aufklärungsgeschwader 51)

Greece

• ETA and Z' MAK of the Hellenic Army's 1st Raider/Paratrooper Brigade (LRRP and amphibious reconnaissance, respectively)

India

Indian Army

• Para Commandos (India)
• Ghatak Force
• Parachute Regiment

Indian Air Force

• Garud Commando Force

Indian Navy

• MARCOS

Paramilitary Forces

• Special Frontier Force
• Commando Battalion for Resolute Action

Indonesia

• Group Sandhi Yudha (Sandha) Komando Pasukan Khusus (Kopassus) TNI-AD
• Detasemen Operasi Khusus (Den 2) Komando Pasukan Katak (Kopaska) TNI-AL
• Batalyon Intai Amfibi (Yontaifib) Korps Marinir, formerly Kompi Intai Para Amfibi Korps Komando Operasi (Kipam KKO)
• Kompi Kavaleri Intai (Kikavtai) Korps Kavaleri TNI-AD.

The words "sandhi yudha" (Sanskrit) = combat intelligence, "intai" (Bahasa Indonesia) = reconnaissance, "operasi khusus" (Bahasa Indonesia) = special operation.

• Kompi Intai Tempur (Kitaipur), formerly Peleton Intai Tempur (Tontaipur), Batalyon Intelijen Kostrad TNI-AD.

In the year 2001, Indonesian army (TNI-AD)'s Kostrad established Tontaipur, which is basically infantry soldiers specially trained to mimic the capability of the marines' Yontaifib. The special training is conducted by Kopassus and Indonesian navy (TNI-AL)'s frogmen (Kopaska). The sailors teach the soldiers how to combat swim, operate a boat, do beach reconnaissance and other seamen capabilities.

Whereas the army's Kopassus already has similar capabilities with the marines' Yontaifib, Kostrad needs Tontaipur since it doesn't have authority to use Kopassus personnel at will. Kitaipur/Tontaipur personnel are recruited from combat units under Kostrad only. The words "intai tempur" (Bahasa Indonesia) = combat reconnaissance.

Batalyon Intelijen Kostrad is headquartered at Lenteng Agung, Jakarta Selatan.

Kostrad is a sub-organization within the army which is corps level command, similar to Korps Marinir in both organizational structure and strength (Kostrad has 2 divisions, the same with Korps Marinir, although Korps Marinir chooses to use the word "pasukan" or force instead of division). The main difference of the two is their main "core competence"; obviously Korps Marinir excel in amphibious operation while Kostrad excel in airborne operation. Both forces have fought in most Indonesian military operations since their formation, including operations beyond Indonesia's borders. Kostrad and Korps Marinir compete for reputation which is good for improving performance of both.

Whereas Kostrad has top-notch pandu udara (paratrooper's pathfinders) from its 9 para raider battalions, it doesn't have authority to use Kopassus personnel at will to match Korps Marinir amphibious reconnaissance capability with its Yontaifib. Hence, in the year 2001, Kostrad's Commander Lieutenant General Ryamizard Ryacudu developed Tontaipur with special combat intelligence training from Kopassus and the navy's frogmen, Kopaska. Thanks to the sailors, the paratroopers can now be masters in operating in trimedia (trimatra): sea-air-land and become Taipur.

Israel

• Sayeret Matkal
• Maglan
• Egoz Reconnaissance Unit
• Sayeret Tzanchanim

Kenya

Military

• The 'd' company.

Police

• General service unit Recce company.

Netherlands

• 42 BVE, 43 BVE (brigade reconnaissance squadrons)
• 103 GGVE, 104 GGVE (Ground Based Recce Squadrons), 103 ISTAR Battalion
• Pathfinders (Airmobile)
• Korps Commando Troepen
• Mountain Leader Reconnaissance Platoon, Korps Mariniers ("Dutch Marines")

Philippines

• Philippine Marine Corps Force Recon Battalion
• Philippine Army 1st Scout Ranger Regiment

Portugal

• Companhia de Precursores Aeroterrestres
• Destacamento de Acções Especiais
• Grupo de Operações Especiais
• Operações Especiais aka Rangers

Russia

• Federal Security Service "FSB"
  • Alpha Group Directorate "A" of the FSB Special Purpose Center (TsSN FSB), is an elite, stand-alone sub-unit of Russia's special forces.
  • Vympel Group Directorate "B" Vympel Group is an elite Russian spetsnaz unit under the command of the FSB. (TsSN FSB)
• Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
  • Spetsnaz GRU: 2nd, 3rd, 10th, 14th, 16th, 24th, 25th Spetsnaz Brigade (obrSpN)
  • 45th Detached Reconnaissance Regiment Specnaz VDV (orpSpN)
  • Russian commando frogmen: 42nd, 420th, 431th, 561th Naval Reconnaissance Spetsnaz Point (omrpSpN)
  • Voennaa Razvedka (Razvedchiki Scouts) "Military intelligence" personnel/units within larger formations in ground troops, airborne troops and marines. Intelligence battalion in the division, reconnaissance company in the brigade, a reconnaissance platoon in the regiment. The level of training is the same as Spetsnaz GRU but not controlled by the GRU. Mascot: bat.^[1]

Serbia

• 72nd Reconnaissance-Commando Battalion

South Korea

Republic of Korea Army

• 1st Infantry division, Reconnaissance Battalion (Marching)
• 3rd Infantry division, Reconnaissance Battalion (White Skeleton)
• 5th Infantry division, Reconnaissance Battalion (keys)
• 6th Infantry division, Reconnaissance Battalion (Blue Stars)
• 7th Infantry division, Reconnaissance Battalion (seven stars)
• 12th Infantry division, Reconnaissance Battalion (Eulji)
• 15th Infantry division, Reconnaissance Battalion (victory)
• 22nd Infantry division reconnaissance Battalion (Gold Dragon)
• 25th Infantry division, Reconnaissance Battalion (Biryong)
• 28th Infantry division, Reconnaissance Battalion (Storm)

Republic of Korean Marine Corps

• 1st Marine division, 1st Recon Battalion (Green Beret 1)
• 2nd Marine division, 2nd Recon Battalion (Green Beret 2)

Sweden

• Livregementets husarer (Life hussars regiment), 32. intelligence battalion (ISTAR)
• Norrlands dragonregemente (I19), Army Ranger Battalion
• Swedish Amphibious Corps (Amf1), Coastal Ranger company
• Swedish Air Force, Swedish Air Force Rangers
• Swedish Homeguard (Hemvärnet), Home Guard reconnaissance companies

United Kingdom

British Army

• Formation reconnaissance regiments
  • Household Cavalry Regiment
  • 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards
  • 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's)
  • The Light Dragoons
  • The Queen's Royal Lancers
  • Queen's Own Yeomanry - Territorial Army unit
• Royal Yeomanry
• 4/73 (Sphinx) Special Observation Post Battery RA
• Honourable Artillery Company
• Pathfinder Platoon, 16 Air Assault Brigade
• Patrol Platoon, 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment^[2][3]
• Patrol Platoon, 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment^[4][5]
• Special Air Service
• Special Reconnaissance Regiment

Royal Navy

• Brigade Reconnaissance Force, Royal Marines
• 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)
• Mountain Leader Training Cadre
• Special Boat Service

Royal Air Force

• No. 5 Squadron RAF
• No. 51 Squadron RAF

United States

United States Army

• Army Cavalry Scouts
• United States Army Special Operations Command
  • United States Army Special Forces (Green Berets)
  • 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Delta Force)
  • 75th Ranger Regiment
• U.S. Army Infantrymen Long Range Surveillance
• U.S. Army Infantry Battalion Reconnaissance Platoons
• U.S. Army Field Artillery Advance Party Teams^[6]

United States Marine Corps
(MOS 0321 Reconnaissance Man)

• United States Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC)
  • Marine Force Reconnaissance
  • Marine Division Reconnaissance
  • Surveillance and Target Acquisition (STA) Platoon
  • Scout-Sniper Platoon
  • Light Armored Reconnaissance
• United States Marine Corps Field Artillery Advance Party Teams

United States Air Force

• United States Air Force Special Tactics

United States Navy

• United States Navy SEALs
• Seabee Engineer Reconnaissance Team

Vietnam

General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army

• Vietnam Military Reconnaissance ^[7]

References