Delta Force vs DEVGRU (SEAL Team 6): What's the Difference?

Delta Force and DEVGRU are separate units with the same broad job. Both are U.S. special-mission units that focus on counterterrorism, hostage rescue, and direct-action raids. Both report to the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC).

The clearest difference is the parent service. Delta Force grew out of the U.S. Army and recruits mainly from Army units. DEVGRU grew out of the Navy SEAL community and recruits SEALs. DEVGRU also carries a maritime specialty, a reflection of its naval heritage.

In open-source and media usage, both are often labeled "Tier 1" units. That term is an informal, non-DoD classification used by journalists and writers, not an official Department of Defense ranking.

For the full unit records, see Delta Force on GovCharts and DEVGRU on GovCharts.

Delta Force was established in 1977 by Colonel Charles Beckwith. Beckwith had served as an exchange officer with Britain's Special Air Service (SAS) and modeled the new unit on that organization. Rising international terrorism in the 1970s, including the 1972 Munich Olympics attack, drove the decision to stand up a dedicated U.S. counterterrorism unit. Delta Force is based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and has also been publicly referred to as the Combat Applications Group (CAG).

DEVGRU traces back to the aftermath of Operation Eagle Claw, the failed 1980 attempt to rescue American hostages held in Iran. Commander Richard Marcinko was selected to build a dedicated Navy counterterrorism unit and named it "SEAL Team Six." At the time only two SEAL Teams were active. The "six" designation was reportedly chosen to make foreign intelligence overestimate the size of the SEAL community. In 1987 the unit was reorganized and redesignated the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. It is based at the Dam Neck Annex near Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The two units share the same core missions: counterterrorism, hostage rescue, and direct action against high-value targets. The difference is emphasis, which follows from each unit's parent service.

• Delta Force is associated with versatility across land environments, including urban, desert, and other terrain.
• DEVGRU carries additional emphasis on maritime operations, a reflection of its SEAL heritage.

Public reporting describes these general roles. Specific operations, current deployments, and tactics are not publicly detailed, and this page does not cover them.

The selection pipelines differ in both source and structure.

• Delta Force draws primarily from Army units but can consider candidates from across the services. Its selection course has historically run twice a year and is known for a low pass rate.
• DEVGRU selects from already-qualified Navy SEALs through a screening and training pipeline often referred to as "Green Team."

Both pipelines are highly selective. Beyond that, detailed selection standards are not officially published.

Both units sit under the Joint Special Operations Command, a subordinate command of U.S. Special Operations Command. You can see where each unit fits and track which units are in the news on the GovCharts military tracker, and watch broader federal activity on the trending view. For the parent department, see the Department of Defense page.

Is Delta Force better than DEVGRU?
Neither unit is officially ranked above the other. Delta Force and DEVGRU are separate special-mission units under JSOC with the same core missions: counterterrorism, hostage rescue, and direct action. The main difference is service branch, Army versus Navy, and DEVGRU's added maritime focus.

Are Delta Force and SEAL Team 6 the same?
No. They are different units. SEAL Team Six is the former name of DEVGRU, a Navy unit founded in 1980. Delta Force, officially 1st SFOD-D, is a separate Army unit founded in 1977. Both report to the Joint Special Operations Command but recruit from different services.

Who is more elite, Delta or DEVGRU?
There is no official ranking between them. Both are highly selective special-mission units under JSOC, and both are informally labeled "Tier 1" in media coverage, a non-DoD term. They differ by branch and emphasis: Delta is Army with broad land focus, DEVGRU is Navy with a maritime specialty.