Seals. The US Navy's Elite Fighting Force

In the 25 years since the US Navy SEALs came into existence, they have become famous for their daring missions, advanced and unconventional tactics, hard training and hard fought successes. Formed out to all of the Underwater Demolition Teams on May 1, 1983 as a response to US failures in special operations missions during the 1970s, their role has become invaluable. SEALs have taken part in numerous conflicts ranging from Grenada in 1983, the invasion of Panama and operations in Somalia, Bosnia, Haiti, and Liberia. Most recently, SEAL units have participated in the ongoing missions of Operation "Enduring Freedom" in Afghanistan and Operation "Iraqi Freedom" in Iraq. This book introduces the development and history of the SEALs, from their origins during World War II through to today. The bulk of the book focuses primarily on modern combat operations between 1983 and 2006 as Mir Bahmanyar and Chris Osman examine various combat operations, the SEALs' intense training regimes, the development of tactics and weapons and analyzes the effectiveness of the SEALs in view of the wider outcome of conflicts. It includes first-hand accounts from SEALs on the ground - including revealing account from those currently involved in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, this is an eye-opening insight into the shadowy world of the SEALs.