List of reconnaissance units

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (February 2021)

The following is a list of notable military reconnaissance units from around the world.

Australia

Australian Army

Royal Australian Air Force

Royal Australian Navy

  • Clearance Diving Branch

Brazil

Brazilian Army

  • Amazon Military Command (CMA)
    • 3rd Special Forces Company
    • 4th Army Aviation Battalion
    • 12th Mechanized Cavalry Squadron
  • Eastern Military Command (CML)
    • 2nd Guard Cavalry Regiment
    • 4th Mechanized Cavalry Squadron
    • 11th Mountain Infantry Battalion
    • Paratroopers Brigade
      • Pathfinders Company
  • Northern Military Command (CMN)
    • 22nd Jungle Cavalry Squadron
    • 23rd Jungle Cavalry Squadron
    • 24th Light Infantry Battalion
  • Northeastern Military Command (CMNE)
    • 10th Mechanized Cavalry Squadron
    • 16th Mechanized Cavalry Regiment
    • 19th Hunters Battalion
    • 28th Hunters Battalion
    • 23rd Hunters Battalion
    • 25th Hunters Battalion
  • Planalto Military Command (CMP)
  • Southern Military Command (CMS)
    • 3rd Guard Cavalry Regiment
    • 5th Mechanized Cavalry Squadron
    • 6th Mechanized Cavalry Squadron
    • 8th Mechanized Cavalry Squadron
    • 16th Mechanized Cavalry Squadron
  • Southeastern Military Command (CMSE)
    • 1st Army Aviation Battalion
    • 2nd Army Aviation Battalion
    • 1st Light Cavalry Squadron
    • 13th Mechanized Cavalry Regiment
  • Western Military Command (CMO)
    • 3rd Army Aviation Battalion
    • 10th Mechanized Cavalry Regiment
    • 11th Mechanized Cavalry Regiment
    • 17th Mechanized Cavalry Regiment
    • 20th Armored Cavalry Regiment

Brazilian Navy

  • Brazilian Marine Corps (CFN)
    • 1st Riverine Operations Battalion
      • Special Operation Platoon (Pelopesp)
    • COMANF
      • 1st Special Operations Company
    • Marines Infantry Reconnaissace and Surveillance Platoons (Pelotões de Reconhecimento e Vigilância da Infantaria de fuzileiros navais)
  • GRUMEC

Brazilian Air Force

  • 1º/6º GAv
  • 1º/10º GAv
  • 1º/12º GAv
  • 1º/14º GAv
  • 2º/6º GAv
  • 2º/7º GAv
  • 3º/10º GAv
  • 7º/8º GAv
  • Para-SAR

Cambodia

  • 911th Special Forces Regiment

Canada

Denmark

  • Guard Hussar Regiment
    • 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion
      • 1st Light Reconnaissance Squadron
      • 2nd Light Reconnaissance Squadron
      • 3rd Light Reconnaissance Squadron (inactive until 2023)
  • Danish Home Guard
    • Home Guard Command
      • Special Support and Reconnaissance

Finland

France

Georgia

Germany

Greece

  • Hellenic Army
    • 1st Armored Cavalry Battalion
    • 1st Army Aviation Brigade "Kilkis-Lachanas"
    • 1st Raider–Paratrooper Brigade "El Alamein"
    • 32nd Marines Brigade
      • 32nd Medium Tank Squadron
  • Hellenic Navy
  • Hellenic Air Force
    • 31st Search and Rescue Operations Squadron (31st SAROS)

Ireland

Italy

India

Indian Army

Indian Navy

Indian Air Force

Paramilitary forces

Indonesia

Israel

Japan

  • Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF)
    • Ground Component Command (GCC)
      • Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB)
        • Reconnaissance Battalion
      • Central Army
        • 3rd Division
          • 3rd Reconnaissance Combat Battalion
        • 10th Division
          • 10th Reconnaissance Combat Battalion
        • 13th Brigade
          • 13th Reconnaissance Combat Battalion
        • 14th Brigade
          • 14th Reconnaissance Company
        • Central Army Aviation Group
          • Central Army Helicopter Battalion
      • Eastern Army
        • 1st Division
          • 1st Reconnaissance Combat Battalion
        • 12th Brigade
          • 12th Reconnaissance Company
        • Eastern Army Aviation Group
          • Eastern Army Helicopter Battalion
      • Northern Army
        • 1st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Brigade
          • 101st Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Battery
        • 2nd Division
          • 2nd Reconnaissance Company
        • 5th Brigade
          • 5th Reconnaissance Company
        • 7th Division
          • 7th Reconnaissance Company
        • 11th Brigade
          • 11th Reconnaissance Company
        • Northern Army Aviation Group
          • Northern Army Helicopter Battalion
      • North Eastern Army
        • 6th Division
          • 6th Reconnaissance Company
        • 9th Division
          • 9th Reconnaissance Combat Battalion
        • North Eastern Army Aviation Group
          • North Eastern Army Helicopter Battalion
      • Western Army
        • 4th Division
          • 4th Reconnaissance Combat Battalion
        • 8th Division
          • 8th Reconnaissance Company
        • 15th Brigade
          • 15th Reconnaissance Company
        • Western Army Aviation Group
          • Western Army Helicopter Battalion
  • Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF)

Laos

  • 426th Special Forces Company

Myanmar

  • Myanmar Army
    • Armoured Reconnaissance Battalions
    • Light Infantry Reconnaissance Company
    • Pathfinders Company
    • Special Forces Brigades
  • Myanmar Navy
    • Myanmar Navy SEALs

Netherlands

New Zealand

North Korea

Philippines

Portugal

  • 3rd Cavalry Regiment (RC3)
    • 1st Reconnaissance Platoon (1PelRec)
    • 2nd Reconnaissance Platoon (2PelRec)
  • 5th Artillery Regiment (RA5)
    • Information, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance Surveillance Systems Company
  • 6th Cavalry Regiment (RC6)
    • Recognition Group (GRec)
  • Air-Land Pathfinders Company (Precs)
  • Commando Regiment
  • Core of Tactical Operations of Protection (NOTP)
  • CTOE
  • DAE
  • GOE
  • Mechanized Brigade Command
    • Reconnaissance Squadron (ERec)
  • Navy's Helicopter Squadron

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

South Africa

South Korea

  • Republic of Korea Army (ROKA)
    • Army Aviation Command (AAC)
      • 1st Combat Aviation Brigade
        • 111th Aviation Battalion
        • 502nd Aviation Battalion
    • Army Capital Defense Command (ACDC)
      • 35th Special Mission Battalion
      • 52nd Infantry Division
        • Reconnaissance Battalion
      • 56th Infantry Division
        • Reconnaissance Battalion
    • Army Mobilization Force Command (AMFC)
      • 60th Infantry Division
        • Reconnaissance Battalion
      • 66th Infantry Division
        • Reconnaissance Battalion
      • 72nd Infantry Division
        • Reconnaissance Battalion
      • 73rd Infantry Division
        • Reconnaissance Battalion
      • 75th Infantry Division
        • Reconnaissance Battalion
    • Ground Operations Command (GOC)
      • 36th Infantry Division
        • Reconnaissance Battalion
      • 55th Infantry Division
        • Reconnaissance Battalion
      • Capital Corps
        • 700th Commando Regiment
      • I Corps
        • 1st Infantry Division
          • Reconnaissance Battalion
        • 2nd Armored Brigade
          • Armored Reconnaissance Company
        • 9th Infantry Division
          • Reconnaissance Battalion
        • 25th Infantry Division
          • Reconnaissance Battalion
        • 30th Armored Brigade
          • Armored Reconnaissance Company
        • 701st Commando Regiment
      • II Corps
        • 7th Infantry Division
          • Reconnaissance Battalion
        • 15th Infantry Division
          • Reconnaissance Battalion
        • 702nd Commando Regiment
      • III Corps
        • 1st Mountain Brigade
          • Reconnaissance Company
        • 12th Infantry Division
          • Reconnaissance Battalion
        • 20th Armored Brigade
          • Armored Reconnaissance Company
        • 21st Infantry Division
          • Reconnaissance Battalion
        • 22nd Infantry Division
          • Reconnaissance Battalion
        • 102nd Armored Brigade
          • Armored Reconnaissance Company
        • 703rd Commando Regiment
      • VII Maneuver Corps
    • Army 2nd Operations Command
      • 31st Infantry Division
        • Reconnaissance Battalion
      • 32nd Infantry Division
        • Reconnaissance Battalion
      • 35th Infantry Division
        • Reconnaissance Battalion
      • 37th Infantry Division
        • Reconnaissance Battalion
  • Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN)
  • Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF)
    • Air Mobility & Reconnaissance Command (AMRC)
      • 39th Reconnaissance Wing
    • Combat Control Team (CCT)
    • Special Air Force Rescue Team (SAFRT)

Sweden

Thailand

  • Royal Thai Army (RTA)
    • 3rd Reconnaissance Cavalry Company (3rd RCC)
    • 4th Reconnaissance Cavalry Company (4th RCC)
    • 5th Reconnaissance Cavalry Company (5th RCC)
    • 6th Reconnaissance Cavalry Company (6th RCC)
    • 30th Cavalry Squadron, 2nd Infantry Division, Queen Sirikit's Guard
    • 31st Infantry Regiment, King Bhumibol's Guard
      • Reconnaissance Patrol Company (RPC)
    • Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols Company (LRRP)
  • Royal Thai Navy (RTN)
  • Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF)
    • 402 Elint Reconnaissance Squadron (402 ERS)
    • Special Operations Regiment (SOR)

Turkey

United Kingdom

British Army

Royal Navy

Royal Air Force

United States

United States Army

United States Marine Corps

United States Air Force

United States Navy

Vietnam

Vietnam People's Army

Each Corps and Military Region in VPA have 1 Recon Battalion. In each Battalion have 2 Land Recon Companies or 2 Mechanical Recon Companies and 1 Special Recon Company.

  • 701st Special Recon Battalion[5] of 1st Corps
  • 1st Special Recon Battalion[6] of 2nd Corps
  • 28th Special Recon Battalion[7] of 3rd Corps
  • 46th Special Recon Battalion[8] of 4th Corps
  • 20th Recon Battalion[9] of High Command of Capital Hanoi
  • 31st Recon Battalion[10] of 1st Military Region
  • 20th Recon Battalion[11] of 2nd Military Region
  • 31st Recon Battalion[12] of 3rd Military Region
  • 12th Recon Battalion[13] of 4th Military Region
  • 32nd Recon Battalion[14] of 5th Military Region
  • 47th Recon Battalion[15] of 7th Military Region
  • Recon Battalion under the staff HQ[16] of 9th Military Region

Beside, each Army Division, independent Regiment, Commando Brigade and provincial military command also have 1 Recon Company.

References

  1. ^ Spetsnaz: Russia's Special Forces by Mark Galeotti
  2. ^ a b "PARA All you ever needed to know about joining the Paras - MilitaryForums.co.uk".
  3. ^ a b "Patrols Platoon | Parachute Regiment".
  4. ^ "FM 6-50 CHPTR 2 Reconnaissance, Selection, and Occuption of a Position".
  5. ^ "Lực lượng thiện chiến của Binh đoàn Quyết Thắng". www.qdnd.vn.
  6. ^ "Quân đoàn 2: Đồng lòng xung phong diệt "giặc Covid-19"". www.qdnd.vn.
  7. ^ "TIỀU ĐOÀN TRINH SÁT 28 - QUÂN ĐOÀN 3". masothue.com.
  8. ^ "Trinh sát đặc nhiệm 46 - cánh chim đầu đàn của Binh đoàn Cửu Long". www.vietnamplus.vn.
  9. ^ "Tuổi trẻ Tiểu đoàn Trinh sát 20". quocphongthudo.vn. 14 March 2020.
  10. ^ "Luyện ý chí, rèn kỹ năng ở Tiểu đoàn 31". baoquankhu1.vn.
  11. ^ "Ở đơn vị trinh sát đặc nhiệm". quankhu2.vn.
  12. ^ "Lính trinh sát "khổ luyện"". www.quankhu3.vn.
  13. ^ "Tiểu đoàn Trinh sát 12 QK4 kỷ niệm 40 năm thành lập". truyenhinhnghean.vn.
  14. ^ "Luyện quân trong nắng lửa miền Trung". www.qdnd.vn.
  15. ^ "Tiểu đoàn Trinh sát 47 - Bí mật bất ngờ, luồn sâu đánh giỏi". baoquankhu7.vn.
  16. ^ "Lính trinh sát khổ luyện". www.qdnd.vn.