Australia has two main Commando regiments, the 1st Commando Regiment (Reserve) with about 450 personnel and the 2nd Commando Regiment (Full-time), both under Special Operations Command (SOCOMD), but exact total numbers for all commando roles (including reserves) aren't precise, though SOCOMD's total strength (including SASR and support) was around 2,050 active personnel in 2014, with Commandos forming a significant part of this.
In the 2020s, the Australian Army possesses a number of units that perform more conventional direct-action type commando roles, as well as counter-terrorism response, long-range patrolling, and clandestine deep-penetration operations.
The SASR and Australian Commandos are sometimes referred to as 'Tier 1' SF units because they are the units usually tasked with direct action. Other special operations forces are referred to as 'Tier 2' units as they, usually, fulfil a supporting role for the Tier 1 units.
Special Air Service Regiment (SASR), Australian special forces unit that exists within Australia's Special Operations Command. The unit was formed in July 1957 as the 1st Special Air Service Company, Royal Australian Infantry, and it was modeled on the British Special Air Service.
10 of the Best Special Forces in the World
The U.S. continues to dominate as the world's most powerful military. With a budget nearing $900 billion, it invests heavily in advanced warfare systems, from cyber capabilities to space defense. It fields the largest air force globally with over 13,000 aircraft, including stealth fighters like the F-22 and F-35.
Neither SAS nor SBS is definitively "more elite"; they are equally elite but specialized, with the SAS focusing on land/air and the SBS on maritime/amphibious roles, both part of the UK's UK Special Forces (UKSF) and sharing the same rigorous Joint Special Forces Selection process, with SBS adding extra maritime training like swimmer-canoeist skills. Think of them as the Army's and Navy's top-tier counterparts within the same elite special forces framework.
It is jointly operated by Australia and the United States, and since 1988 it has been officially called the Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap (JDFPG); previously, it was known as Joint Defence Space Research Facility.
The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR though commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army.
Australia has received its full fleet of 72 F-35A Lightning II fighter jets, with the final aircraft delivered in late 2024, forming the backbone of the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) air combat capability alongside Super Hornets and Growlers. While the current fleet is 72, there are discussions and potential plans to acquire more, possibly increasing the total to 100 aircraft in the future.
The Aussie Navy Special Operations team—Australia's SEAL equivalent. Sydney, Australia, 2001. These Operators were amazing and incredible to work with. 🇦🇺⚓
Average Australian Army Special Forces Operator yearly pay in Australia is approximately $89,450, which meets the national average. Salary estimated from 9 past and present job postings on Indeed. Please note that all salary figures are approximations based upon third party submissions to Indeed.
With the motto “who dares wins”, the New Zealand SAS are one of the fittest regiments of the New Zealand armed forces. They're an elite, tier 1 special forces group like the US Army Delta force and British SAS.
Field Marshal Erwin Rommel held great respect for Australian soldiers, viewing them as tough, skilled, and formidable fighters, especially in attack, famously stating he'd use Australians to take hell and New Zealanders to hold it, though some historians question the exact phrasing while confirming his admiration for their fighting prowess in North Africa, documented in his letters.
Australia doesn't have a single "SWAT" but rather specialized police tactical units at federal and state levels, like the Australian Federal Police (AFP) Tactical Response Team (TRT), Victoria Police Special Operations Group (SOG), and NSW Police State Protection Group (SPG), with similar units in other states often called Police Tactical Groups (PTG) or specialized teams (STAR, TRG), handling high-risk situations like terrorism, sieges, and armed offenders.
The unit's first combat missions were conducted during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war in which they undertook raids against Pakistan's military. Since the 1990s, the Para (Commando) have been deployed on counter-terrorism operations in the Kashmir region against insurgents. These operations include raids and ambushes.
In October 2018, recruitment policy changed to allow women to become members of the SAS for the first time. In August 2021, two women became the first to pass the pre-selection course, making them eligible for the full course.
Australia's most elite military unit is widely considered to be the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR), often referred to as Australia's Tier 1 Special Forces, alongside the 2nd Commando Regiment, both operating under the Special Operations Command (SOCOMD). The SASR specializes in long-range reconnaissance, direct action, and counter-terrorism, while the 2nd Commando Regiment focuses on strike and recovery operations, with both units handling the most demanding missions.
There are about 500 active SAS soldiers. Special Air Service insignia. The SAS is a secret organisation. Its members often do not tell anyone except close family that they are in it.
The CIA listening station at Pine Gap was officially called the Joint Defence Space Research Facility, but it had nothing to do with research and was joint in name only: Australians were hired as cooks and janitors but the first spies were all American.
The 2nd Commando Regiment (2 Cdo Regt) is a special forces unit of the Australian Army and is part of Special Operations Command. The regiment was established on 19 June 2009 when the 4th Battalion RAR (Commando) was renamed. It is based at Holsworthy, New South Wales.
After lying in state in King's Hall in Old Parliament House, the Unknown Australian Soldier was interred in the Hall of Memory on 11 November 1993. He was buried in a Tasmanian blackwood coffin, on which were placed a bayonet and a sprig of wattle.
Paddy Mayne's reputation in the SAS: how his legend was born
Paddy Mayne went on to lead a series of successful desert raids in Africa, helping to build the SAS's reputation as an ever-present threat to the enemy's tail, while becoming an inspiration to the tough ex-commandos serving under him.
BEAR GRYLLS OBE, has become known worldwide as one of the most recognized faces of survival and outdoor adventure. Trained from a young age in martial arts, Grylls went on to spend three years as a soldier in the British Special Forces, as part of 21 SAS Regiment.
The idea is that when your mind tells you you're done and can't go any further, you are only at about 40% of your actual capacity. Push for that extra 60% when your mind is telling you to quit, that you're “at your limit.” Because you're most likely not.