Throughout its modern military history Erusea has operated a number of Special Operations Forces. As Erusea has experienced frequent regime change throughout the 20th Century this article will focus on historically significant units and those still existing as of 2026. The Forsvarets Spesialstrykar is absent as it warrants its own article.
Haerens Jegerstrykar
An HJS-operated Hind
When Bruun's regime created the Forsvarets Spesialstrykar they were intended to provoke a fearful response from enemies abroad and domestic, but the civilian government realized that an elite military unit that the populace could take pride in was necessary to inspire nationalism. The Haerens Jegerstrykar (Western: Army Ranger Forces) (HJS) began in 1994 as a unit of elite airborne light infantry created by consolidating several preexisting airborne units. They served in this role for almost a decade, but the buildup to the Continental War expanded their scope to include mechanized infantry, armor, and rotary wing aviation assets. Their hardware was extensively upgraded and painted black for night operations, but being an effective tool of propaganda, they frequently battled alongside regular forces during the war to boost morale and as a psychological warfare asset against ISAF.
The HJS enjoyed great success in the early days of the Continental War as all ISAF air assets were grounded by Stonehenge; they are widely believed to have played an instrumental role in Erusea's quick capture of the Usean mainland. The regime recognized the massive psychological effect that HJS presence had on allied and enemy troops, and by the time Usea was conquered it had grown to become an entire field army, the Erusean 8th Army. As a result of such growth standards were lowered and HJS defenders took heavy losses when ISAF launched its counterattack. After their failure to hold both beachheads from the ISAF assault the HJS was downsized into a corps and units were deployed heterogeneously along the frontline. Though they performed well compared with Erusean regulars, they found themselves to be at the whim of the FEAF's air support after Stonehenge was lost, with their helicopters and tanks proving particularly vulnerable to ISAF close air support. Regardless of this tactical deficiency the HJS was still respected by its Erusean comrades, ISAF enemies, and the general Erusean population as a formidable unit up until the end of the war.
ISAF retained the HJS as an Erusean Army unit subordinate to ARSOC during its occupational period, as did the Fourth Republic that was established upon the drafting of a new constitution. The new HJS was focused on counter-terrorism and self-sustaining operations in low-intensity conflicts and won many tactical successes in the Delarussian Secession Crisis.
Marine Spesialkommando
MSS operators in 2008
The Marine Spesialkommando (Western: Navy Special Forces Command) (MSK) was one of Erusea's first special operations forces units with a history dating back to naval sabotage raids during the Great Usean War. At that time they were known as the Marine Spesialstrykar (MSS). Erusea's defeat in the war proved to naval planners that asymmetric warfare would be required for future naval victories as well as boosting naval power projection, and in 1952 the MSS became the MSK.
The Continental War gave the MSK a chance to prove its strategic value in conventional warfare, and they successfully carried out a number of raids on ISAF port facilities during the retreat to North Point. MSK commanders then planned an ambitious strike on the ISAF fleet moored at Comona just prior to its invasion of the mainland, but Bruun himself rejected their plan. Trusting only the FSS to carry out such an attack, he sent a much smaller FSS force to destroy ISAF ships. While successful, the attacking force's small size limited the damage dealt and had little effect on the invasion force's strength. The MSK faded from prominence as the war's naval theater became less relevant after the invasion.
During ISAF's occupation and the Erusean military's subsequent reorganization the MSK was replaced with NAVSOC, intended to provide better joint operation compatibility with other branches. The MSS name is retained, however, as NAVSOC's infantry SOF division.
Irusk Marineinfanteri
An FEMC Hornet in 2009
The Irusk Marineinfanteri (literally Erusean Naval Infantry but officially translated into Western as the Free/Federal Erusean Marine Corps) (FEMC) is a corps-strength unit of the Erusean Navy capable of self-sustained expeditionary amphibious operations. Although the Erusean Navy operated limited amphibious assets up until the Good Friday War, the Third Republic found that amphibious infantry and armor with integrated rotary-wing aviation assets would be necessary to dislodge TIRF strongholds during the Twinkle Islands campaign. Bruun greatly expanded the Naval Infantry into a Corps-sized unit including fixed-wing aviation onboard aircraft carriers, and even more forces were dedicated to the Marines in anticipation of the invasion of North Point until they were approximately the strength of a field army. Many Marine assets including the majority of Erusea's amphibious assault ships were destroyed along with the Aegir Fleet in late 2004, however, and the invasion was delayed. Marine forces spent the remainder of the Continental War on the ground alongside army assets. ISAF disbanded the Marines during the occupation following Erusea's surrender.
The FEMC was reactivated in 2008 amidst protests from the FCU, fearing they would excessively add to Erusea's maritime power projection capabilities. The government felt it necessary to rebuild Erusea's military to inspire confidence from its people, having faced a strong insurgency and coup in the previous three years, and as a matter of having a rapid reaction force should any domestic strife threaten Erusea's integrity. When the Delarussian Secession Crisis occurred in 2009 the FEMC was the first branch to respond but was unable to topple the province's government before the civilian federal government reached a peace agreement and recognized its independence.
AFSOC
A 201th SOW Osprey
The FEAF lacked special operations assets throughout most of its history, with regular transport units working in conjunction with Army and Navy special operations whenever necessary. The reformed FEAF in the wake of the Continental War activated Air Force Special Operations Command as a MAJCOM subordinate to JSOC, with the component 201st Special Operations Wing at Spitsbergen AB. Operating MH-9 Chippewas and CV-22 Ospreys they can support SOF insertions and extractions. Furthermore, AFRES's 160th Rescue Wing's UH-9s and HC-130s can be utilized for special operations as can the 154th Airlift Wing's C-17s.