Active 2001 - present Branch Mexican Navy Size 460 | Allegiance Mexico Type Naval Commando | |
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Motto(s) Fuerza, Espíritu, Sabiduría (Force, Spirit, Wisdom) | ||
The Fuerzas Especiales (Special Forces), also known as FES (the initials of their motto), is a special operations unit of the Mexican Navy officially established in late 2001. Its motto is "Fuerza, Espíritu, Sabiduría" (Strength, Spirit, Wisdom).
Its origin lies in the Marine Airborne Battalion of the early 1990s. The unit's mission is to carry out amphibious special operations in order to protect the nation's maritime interests. The group has 460 members divided in two groups of 230 members for each Naval Force (Pacific and Gulf). The special forces course lasts 53 weeks. These forces are capable of carrying out non-conventional warfare in the air, sea and land, by utilizing all means of infiltration available to develop the most variable operational incursions with the use of military diving techniques, parachuting, vertical descent, urban combat, sniping and use of explosives. They are units organized, trained and equipped to operate independently in maritime, lake, riverine or terrestrial scenarios.
To fulfill their mission and practice their attributes the unit's members receive specialized training in the following areas: