Country Mexico Branch Mexican army Size 150 Operators | Allegiance Mexico Type Special Mission Unit | |
 | ||
Role Primary tasks:
Direct action
Special reconnaissance
Counter-terrorism
Covert operations
Clandestine operations
Asymmetric engagement | ||
The Fuerza Especial de Reacción (Reaction Special Force) is the principal Mexican Army Tier 1 Special Mission Unit for counter-terrorist operations . It's a group with no more than 150 operators, most of their operators come from the Mexican Army Special Forces Corps and the Special Forces Group of the Rifle Parachute Brigade, After the selection process are specially trained in counter-terrorist tactics, advance force operations and personal security detail operations. The unit's principal mission is carry out the most delicate national security operations ordered directly by the President and the Secretary of National Defense.
Due to the secrecy that surrounds the Reaction Special Force, is very unknown for the public at the moment. They are operationally analogous in operations, training capabilities and specialization to other Tier 1 Special Mission Units like the US Army Delta Force, British 22nd SAS, French 1er RPIMa and the Canada's JTF2.
One of the few times its operators were seen in public was hours after the successful capture of Osiel Cardenas in 2003, one of the most wanted drug cartel leaders in Mexico and the United States, as they arrived in Mexico City. Is not well known by the public but the Reaction Special Force is the only Tier 1 unit in Latin America, and the only one who is able to do AFO's (Adavance Force Operations) like the US JSOC Units and other coalition SOF.
A known mission carried out by the RSF was the capture of drug cartel leader Javier Torres Félix aka El JT in Culiacan, Sinaloa, January 27 of 2004. The commandos left Mexico City for Culiacan at 9:00 a.m. and returned with Félix at 6:00 p.m. that same day. Commanders had scheduled the arrest for another day but the Secretary told reporters that immediate capture was necessary. One of Félix's hitmen had killed a soldier from the Third military region while the soldier was on patrol at the outskirts of the town of El Tule.