What Exactly Is Delta Force, the Highly Classified Military Unit?

How can a unit — trained as expert assassins and nearly operating like mercenaries — be controlled if the U.S. government refuses to even acknowledge its existence?

Such questions surround the Delta Force, the most elite tactical combat group in the United States. But what is Delta Force, really?

Imagine a highly trained special operations unit within the U.S. military, equipped with state-of-the-art weapons, generously funded, and reporting to a single authority. Would such a force enhance the safety of the United States or pose a potential risk?

What Is Delta Force?

Delta Force, officially known as Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, is a Tier One Special Mission Unit operating under the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). It is also referred to as the Combat Applications Group (CAG), the Unit, and Task Force Green.

Although it frequently recruits from the Army Special Forces (the Green Berets) and shares its Fort Bragg, North Carolina, base with them, it operates independently and is not a detachment of the Army Special Forces.

Members are not referred to as soldiers but as Delta operators, and they are known to reject conventional military traditions. They dress in civilian attire and are available for assignments across various agencies, including the Army, the FBI, and the CIA.

Covert Operations

The existence of Delta Force remains unconfirmed by both the U.S. government and the military. Consequently, nearly all details in this article lack official documentation or verification.

Only in recent times have subtle government acknowledgments of the group's existence been permitted without censorship. These mentions have surfaced in Congressional hearing transcripts and biographies of senior military officials.

However, maintaining complete secrecy about such a formidable and legendary force is nearly unattainable. Since its establishment in 1977, accounts of Delta Force's operations and achievements have gradually emerged, piecing together a rough outline of the unit's activities.

In 1993, Delta Force gained significant attention when its operators participated in a failed mission to capture a Somali warlord, resulting in casualties. Additionally, during Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada in 1983, reports of two Delta Force missions — one unsuccessful and one triumphant — have become widely recognized.

Security or Liability?

However, the group has faced criticism for engaging in missions that skirt the boundaries of standard military regulations. Delta Force is financed through covert government budgets, hidden from public scrutiny, and is thought to report directly to the president.

Others argue that its mission — upholding the United States' position as a dominant global power and acting as an international peacekeeper — justifies the absence of constraints and oversight over its operations.

Delta Force Origin, Recruitment and Structure

Delta Force is one of two U.S. military units tasked with counterterrorism missions. Similar to the other unit, the Navy's Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU), Delta Force can mobilize instantly. Yet, unlike DEVGRU, Delta Force's existence remains officially unacknowledged.

Origins of Delta Force

During the 1970s, the world witnessed a surge in extremist activities. Organizations such as Germany's Red Army Faction and the Palestinian Liberation Organization introduced terms like terrorism and hijacking into the global lexicon.

In reaction to the rapid and widespread rise of terrorist ideologies, U.S. Army Colonel Charles Beckwith suggested the formation of a small, highly trained tactical unit capable of swiftly and decisively countering terrorist threats.

In 1977, Beckwith, alongside Colonel Thomas Henry, established the unit by recruiting from the Green Berets, Army Rangers, and Airborne divisions. He designed an intense training program modeled after the British Special Air Service (SAS) — an elite commando group known for executing highly specialized operations.

Beckwith spent a year as an exchange officer with the SAS and used their framework as a blueprint. To this day, Delta Force and the SAS continue to collaborate and exchange personnel in joint training initiatives. In 1996, Delta Force operators and SAS members jointly raided the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, Peru, to rescue him from hostage-takers.

How to Join Delta Force

Delta Force selects operators from all military branches, prioritizing individuals with exceptional skills, such as outstanding marksmanship. It is said that recruits must demonstrate 100 percent accuracy at 600 yards and 90 percent accuracy at 1,000 yards [source: VFW Magazine].

Beckwith also introduced a 40-mile hike as an endurance challenge to distinguish the truly capable from those who merely survived the training. This approach is directly inspired by the SAS.

Delta Force conducts nationwide recruitment campaigns several times a year, culminating in two selection phases: one in spring and another in fall. After a month-long selection process, successful candidates proceed to a six-month operator training course.

Delta Force Organization

Delta Force is structured into A, B, and C squadrons, alongside a combat support squadron, signal squadron, aviation platoon, and a "funny platoon" — the intelligence unit of Delta Force.

The combat squadrons are divided into smaller units known as troops, specializing in airborne, ground, or water insertion, similar to the Green Berets. These troops can further break down into mission teams ranging from one to 12 members.

As counterterrorism specialists, Delta Force members are trained in hostage rescue operations in confined environments. During such rescues, hostage-takers are seldom left alive.

Beckwith established the straightforward two-tap method for handling terrorists — two shots per target [source: VFW Magazine]. Unlike portrayals in movies or TV, Delta Force operators do not spare individuals who might pose a future threat.

Delta Force Arsenal

At its training facility, often referred to as the "House of Horrors," Delta Force is said to train relentlessly, perfecting its techniques. The facility reportedly includes buses, trains, and even a passenger airliner for simulating hostage-rescue operations. The unit focuses on close-quarters combat and, given the requirement for exceptional marksmanship, regularly practices shooting.

The arsenal at Delta Force's disposal is rumored to be virtually unlimited. The unit has access to the finest weapons globally, many of which are heavily customized. However, high-performance submachine guns and advanced sniper rifles alone do not guarantee mission success.

Beyond its weaponry and rigorous training, Delta Force also depends on transportation. Often, operators utilize their squadron's aviation platoon, which consists of aircraft disguised as civilian helicopters, complete with fabricated civilian registration numbers.

In operations where U.S. government, military, or federal agency involvement must remain covert, the Delta Force aviation platoon proves invaluable to the combat squadrons.

Operators dressed in civilian attire, using what appears to be civilian aircraft, provide a high level of plausible deniability. These individuals could easily be mistaken for overly enthusiastic civilians or private security contractors — a common post-retirement career for many former Delta Force operators.

In specific missions, Delta Force enlists the assistance of the Night Stalkers. Officially known as the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), this elite group of pilots operates Black Hawk and Little Bird helicopters, flying at low altitudes to transport special operations forces, including Delta Force, to their target locations. The Night Stalkers utilize night vision technology, conducting missions in unlit black helicopters under the cover of darkness.

Delta Force Operations and Assignments

The unit's inaugural mission occurred shortly after its creation, providing security for the Pan-American Games in Puerto Rico in 1979 [source: SOC]. While this assignment reportedly proceeded without incident, its subsequent operation — Eagle Claw — ended in failure.

Iran Hostage Crisis

The mission of Operation Eagle Claw — to rescue 66 American hostages held at the U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran — was not accomplished.

A helicopter transporting Delta Force and other special operations personnel crashed, resulting in eight fatalities and the termination of the mission. Subsequently, oversight of Delta Force was removed from traditional special operations command [source: VFW Magazine]. However, its exact new chain of command remains undisclosed.

Hijacked Indonesian Passenger Plane

Delta Force executed at least one textbook operation, fulfilling its core purpose — rescuing hostages in confined environments. In 1980, the unit stormed a hijacked Indonesian passenger plane, successfully freeing the hostages and eliminating all four hijackers.

While its main focus is counterterrorism, Delta Force also undertakes a variety of other missions — essentially any task requiring rapid, precise action from a small, highly skilled team. The unit is known to conduct operations for other military branches and agencies, including the CIA's covert Special Activities Staff [source: SpecWarNet].

Operation Urgent Fury

Delta Force has openly participated in major U.S. military invasions. During Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada, it raided a prison to free hostages. In Panama, as part of Operation Just Cause, the unit rescued an American CIA operative and assisted in the capture of President Manuel Noriega.

Operation Desert Storm

One of its most renowned missions was the "Great Scud Hunt" during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Delta Force operatives penetrated deep into Iraq, locating Scud missiles, designating them as targets for U.S. fighter jets, and eliminating Scud-launching teams [source: Global Securty.net]. Additionally, members provided personal security for General Norman Schwarzkopf during the conflict in Iraq [source: SpecWarNet].

The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878

The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was established to draw a clear boundary between military and domestic law enforcement. It prohibits the U.S. military from directly engaging in domestic policing activities.

However, the act includes a clause permitting its temporary suspension under certain conditions. A presidential waiver can override the act's restrictions during emergencies, a measure that has been invoked at least twice since Delta Force's inception.

In 1987, a surge of Cuban refugees arrived in the United States. Faced with the challenge of managing a large number of immigrants from a nation hostile to the U.S., President Ronald Reagan directed that the refugees be detained in federal prisons until they could either be processed by immigration authorities or repatriated to Cuba.

At the federal prison in Atlanta, Georgia, a group of Cuban refugees initiated a riot. When federal agents failed to quell the uprising, Reagan suspended the Posse Comitatus Act and deployed Delta Force operators to restore order.

Delta Force was also deployed to provide security for visiting dignitaries during the 1999 World Trade Organization summit in Seattle, Washington. Large-scale protests near the summit venue raised concerns for Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. The Posse Comitatus Act was not waived in this instance, as Albright, not law enforcement, requested Delta Force's assistance.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton once again suspended the Posse Comitatus Act. In Waco, Texas, an armed religious group called the Branch Davidians engaged in a standoff with the FBI. Three Delta Force operators were permitted at the scene, with two providing training and technical advice on a classified surveillance device, while the third acted as an observer.

This was not the initial collaboration between Delta Force and the FBI. In 1978, the two organizations conducted joint training exercises in the Nevada desert near a former nuclear test site. Known as the Joshua Junction exercise, the training focused on hostage negotiation and rescue operations.

Since then, the FBI and its Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) have partnered with Delta Force on various missions, including security operations for Olympic Games hosted in U.S. cities — Los Angeles in 1984 and Atlanta in 1996.

Delta Force Scandals, Speculations and Rumors

Numerous individuals and groups attempt to track and document Delta Force's activities. Blogs, organizations, and websites are dedicated to uncovering what some claim to be illegal and unethical actions carried out by the unit.

However, verifying these claims is exceptionally challenging for external observers. Even when evidence points to Delta Force, reports often vanish from public view.

In 2004, mainstream media revealed the existence of a secret prison at Baghdad airport, allegedly run by Delta Force. This facility, reserved for insurgents and terrorists, was reportedly used for interrogation methods such as near-drowning, suffocation, and drug-induced questioning [source: NBC News].

In 1985, Time magazine reported that several Delta Force operators were investigated by the federal government for misusing funds from the group's secret "black fund" during a hostage rescue mission in Sicily. They were eventually cleared to leave the country [source: Time].

Another claim — proposed by Mark Bowden, author of "Black Hawk Down," in his book "Killing Pablo" — is that Delta Force operatives were responsible for the death of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.

Although Delta Force was present in Colombia when Escobar was killed, its role was limited to training an elite Colombian counter-narcotics unit known as the "Search Bloc." According to the Colombian government, it was the Search Bloc that ultimately shot and killed Escobar.