**Delta Force**, officially the **1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D)**, is the U.S. Army's elite Tier 1 special operations unit under Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), specializing in counterterrorism, hostage rescue, direct action raids, and special reconnaissance against high-value targets.[1][2][3] Founded in 1977 at Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty), North Carolina, Delta Force emerged from post-1970s terrorist threats, inspired by the British SAS to counter non-state actors with agile, lethal teams.[5][6] Its existence remains unconfirmed by the U.S. government, earning nicknames like **Combat Applications Group (CAG)**, **Task Force Green**, "The Unit," or Army Compartmented Elements (ACE).[2][3][4] Operators, drawn mainly from the 75th Ranger Regiment and Special Forces (Green Berets), undergo grueling selection; only 300-400 of roughly 1,000-2,000 personnel are combat "operators" excelling in close-quarters battle, sniping, explosives, and vehicle takedowns.[1][4][5] Structured into assault squadrons (A-D) with direct action and recon/sniper troops, plus aviation (E), clandestine ops (G), combat support, signals, and a cyber squadron (CNOS) for digital warfare—Delta adapts to any environment, from aircraft to urban chaos.[1][3][4][6][7] Key achievements include the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu (inspiring *Black Hawk Down*), capturing drug lord El Chapo in Operation Black Swan, and killing ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Operation Kayla Mueller (2019), often partnering with CIA and DEVGRU.[3][5] Today, Delta executes the military's most classified, president-directed missions, blending physical prowess with cyber expertise in an era o