Navy Seals vs Delta Force
Navy Seals and Delta Force are two of the most combative and highly skilled units of the armed forces of the United States that are trained in covert operations and antiterrorist operations. Of late, Delta Force has been lying in the shadows with Seals having garnered the limelight because of their Abbotabad mission where Seal 6 team killed Osama Bin Laden and his men. However, Delta Force soldiers are no less daring and elite than the Navy Seals. There are many who feel that there is no real difference between these two units of the US armed forces. This article attempts to find out the differences between Delta Force and Navy Seals.
Navy Seals
The motto of the Navy Seals, ‘The Only Easy Day was Yesterday’, is enough to tell the real story behind this combative special operations force of the United States Navy. Actually, the name of this force is navy’s Sea, Air, and Land Teams, but people commonly refer to the force as simply SEALs. This acronym reflects the capacity of this force to operate in all terrains, namely land, air, and sea. CIA has been conducting joint operations in foreign countries taking help of the Navy Seals for quite some time with the efforts of the SEALs during the Vietnam War being fresh in the memories of the people till today. SEALs were there in Afghanistan and Iraq too, and the latest example of the bravery and the ability of the Navy Seals to conduct stealth operations were in the limelight during their mission to kill Al Qaeda head Osama Bin Laden inside Pakistan.
It was the recognition of the needs of the United States army to counter guerrilla warfare in countries, in other continents that gave birth to the Navy SEALs. It was in 1961 that Kennedy spoke of the necessity for Special Forces of the US army to counter guerrilla warfare. This was the famous speech in which he also made mention of sending a man to the moon. The first two teams of the Navy SEALs were stationed on the coasts of the country. The SEAL’s were trained in hand to hand combat, parachuting, demolition, guerrilla warfare, and foreign languages. The first of the missions of these SEALs were to reconnaissance beaches in Cuba to prepare the ground for invasion of the island country.
Delta Force
Delta Force is a special operations unit that has born out of the US army. It was created in 1977 as a reaction to the many terrorist events that took place in the decade. Counter terrorism was at the focus of the 1st Delta unit created in 1977. Soldiers are drawn in to become a part of Delta Force from all branches of the army depending upon their skills and abilities. They are provided a 6 month intensive training to get ready to tackle dangerous and covert operations. Their training involves protection of executives, learning espionage, sharp shooting skills, dealing with explosives, dealing with conditions involving terrorists and hostages, and so on. They are not only given training to jump from high altitude but also scuba diving. The most famous of the operations carried out by Delta Force since their inception has been capturing Manuel Noriega, the dictator of Panama in 1983, and taking out the drug dealer Pablo Escobar from Columbia in 1993.
Navy Seals vs Delta Force
• Both Delta Force, as well as Navy Seals, are special operations forces of the US army that are trained to conduct clandestine operations and carry out antiterrorist activities.
• While Navy Seals are basking in the limelight with their recent successful killing of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan, Delta Force has played its role in bringing out Saddam Hussein from his hideout in Iraq.
• Navy Seals were set up in 1962 to let army have a special force skilled in guerilla warfare.
• Delta Force was set up in 1977 as a reaction to the many terrorist events that took place in the decade.