“Deadliest Warrior” – S01E06 – Green Beret vs Spetsnaz
Deadliest Warrior — Season 01, Episode 06 — Green Beret versus Spetsnaz
This episode of Deadliest Warrior jumps into modern warfare and puts the U.S. Army Special Forces against the Russian Spetsnaz. Considered to be the elite of the elite in both organizations, and at one time trained to conduct special forces operations behind the lines of the other’s country, both the Green Berets and Spetsnaz commandos are mobile killing machines.
Formed in the early 1950s, the U.S. Army Special Forces specialize in unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and counter-terrorism operations. The U.S. Army Special Forces have been involved in nearly every U.S. military conflict from Vietnam to Bosnia to Afghanistan to Iraq. They are capable of operating deep behind enemy lines and training a foreign country’s army, going as far as leading them in guerrilla warfare. President John F. Kennedy authorized the U.S. Army Special Forces to wear its famous green beret as part of their uniform back in 1962.
Tracing its roots to World War 2 and not officially forming until 1949, the Russian Spetsnaz commandos specialize in reconnaissance, direct action, assassination, sabotage, and capturing political leaders. The Spetsnaz go through a brutally tough training program. If all else fails while in combat, the Spetsnaz carried one last grenade to ensure that they would not be captured alive. The very name Spetsnaz can strike fear into the heart of the enemy.
Head-to-head, it’s tough to call which unit would win in simulated combat. The weapons are going to be fairly equal in comparison, and the difference maker could come down to the individual soldiers themselves. Either military would win when conducting an ambush on its counterpart, but head-to-head in a neutral situation, that’s a tough one.
I’d give a slight edge to the Russian Spetsnaz just because of their brutal training program. The American forces are extremely tough and have the latest high-tech weapons, but I would still give a slight edge to the Spetsnaz for their tough warrior mentality. Maybe that’s just from growing up in the 1980s and hearing the propaganda about the Soviet Union (a.k.a Russian Bear) and its military program.
VERSUS 
WEAPONS:
In this episode of Deadliest Warrior, the U.S. Army Green Berets are armed with a Mossberg Shotgun, M67 Grenade, E-Tool (folding shovel), M4A1 Carbine, M24 Sniper Rifle, and a Beretta Pistol. The Russian Spetsnaz are armed with a Saiga Shotgun, RGD-5 Grenade, Ballistic Knife, AK74 Carbine, Dragunov Sniper Rifle, and a Makarov Pistol. Both the Green Berets and Spetsnaz wear body armor, though it determined to be equal enough to not be included in the show.
medium-range weapons: Mossberg Shotgun versus Saiga Shotgun
Up first we saw the U.S. Army Special Forces and its Mossberg shotgun. The soldier used the 12-gauge, pump action weapon and fired four shots in four seconds against the pig target. As expected with a shotgun, the results from close range were devastating with massive entry and exit wounds on the target.
The Russian Saiga shotgun has a ten round magazine and is capable of firing the 12-gauge shells in semi-automatic mode and with a slightly longer range than the Mossberg shotgun. The assault demonstration against the four targets in a simulated bunker was nothing short of spectacular. We had a prime example of the speed and precision of Spetsnaz soldiers as the enemy targets were annihilated. And of course, the Russian soldier killed the four targets quicker than the American soldier firing against the pig.
Quick question here: Why didn’t the American also compete against the simulated bunker?
It feels like the TV show’s producers just went with the quick route since you know right off the bat that semi-automatic is going to be faster and deadlier than a pump action weapon every time. Through in a longer range for the Russian weapon and there you go.
Winner — Russian Saiga shotgun
explosive weapons: RGD-5 Grenade versus M67 Grenade
Having an instant kill zone of three yards and a total range of fifty yards, the Russian RGD-5 grenade packs a powerful punch. As we saw in the demonstration, the grenade was detonated inside of a washing machine which simulated an unarmored enemy vehicle. The enemy targets immediately surrounding the washing machine were leveled with the explosion, and even at forty feet away a target had a piece of shrapnel lodged in its head indicating a kill.
The American M67 grenade packs a bigger punch with an instant kill radius of five yards and total range of forty yards. The M67 was demonstrated inside an enclosed structure consisting of two human targets and a pig. As expected, when the targets AND explosives are within the same enclosed area the results are devastating. No surprise there.
Quick question: Why weren’t the grenades tested in the same method?
Grenades are versatile and can be used on the open battlefield, thrown into an enemy vehicle, or tossed into a room/cave/bunker to wipe out the enemy soldiers. Grenades can also be used to destroy enemy ordinance and machines.
Both of the grenades in the demonstrations did their jobs. It was ruled that the explosion with the M67 was slightly larger than that of the RGD-5 grenade, therefore making the M67 the deadlier of the grenades. This should have been a draw in this unscientific test.
Winner — American M67 grenade
special weapons: Entrenching Tool (E-Tool) versus Ballistic Knife
Instead of focusing on a fighting knife, this episode of Deadliest Warrior is showcasing the E-Tool as a special weapon of the U.S. Army Special Forces. Entrenching tools have been used as combat weapons for ages with notable occurrences between German and Russian troops in World War 2, and later with American forces in Korea. The modern fighting E-Tool is made out of steel and has a blade of sharpened edges, perfect for slicing skin and breaking bones.
In the demonstration against the gelled torso, the E-Tool cleanly shopped open the target’s skull as well as slicing open the abdomen and spilling its guts. One precise strike with the E-Tool and fatally kill an enemy soldier.
Going against the E-Tool, the Russian ballistic knife features a spring-loaded blade making it also a ranged weapon. In the demonstration, the knife flew threw the targets at 39 mph, impaling itself into the block of wood in the end.
It’s an interesting argument when determining which weapon is deadlier. E-Tools are very dangerous and can be lethal when struck against the head and neck. A hit anywhere else on the body is going to break a bone and possibly even slice open the body, causing a mortal wound. But it takes a lot of energy and if you don’t kill, disarm or seriously injure your opponent, it may leave you vulnerable for a counterattack.
Knives are always dangerous at close range, and the Russian’s ballistic knife has a hidden surprise of being a one-shot, ranged weapon. True, you’re losing your blade once you fire it at the enemy, but this won’t slow down a good soldier. The firing of the knife blade will temporarily throw off the enemy, giving you a quick opportunity to reach for a second weapon or close the distance and finish the enemy with your hands. That is, unless the blade impacts and kills the enemy.
The fact that the ballistic knife can fire its blade gives it a significant advantage over the E-Tool. Throw in the fact that most enemies don’t even know that the knife blade can be fired. He may let down his guard and even feel relax if he sees you holding just a knife, even if the tip of it is pointed directly at his chest. One shot and you win the fight.
Winner — Russian ballistic knife
long-range automatic weapons: M4A1 Carbine versus AK74 Carbine
The American M4A1 assault rifle has a thirty round magazine and can fire a 5.56mm round a distance of 660 yards. The demonstration against the gelled torso proved that the weapon was accurate and deadly. The simulated combat test confirmed the accuracy of the weapon with all four targets killed within the ten second window.
The Russian AK74 assault rifle also has a thirty round magazine, though its 5.45mm round is only fired a distance of about 550 yards. Despite the rifle not having the range of the American M4A1, in close quarters combat, the AK74 was just as deadly and accurate. All four targets were easily killed by the Spetsnaz soldier.
In the demonstration, neither weapon proved to have an edge over the other.
Winner — Tie between the M4A1 and AK74 assault rifles
long-range sniper rifles: Dragunov Rifle versus M24 Rifle
The Russian Dragunov sniper rifle was up first. Having a range of 1312 yards, the rifle fires a 7.62mm round and carries a ten round magazine. The sniper fatally killed all five targets, but it was noted that his aim was about an inch off target. Whether this was the soldier’s fault, or if it was a problem with the weapon was not discussed. All we know is that the soldier and his weapon were not perfectly accurate.
The American M24 sniper rifle has a range of 875 yards, and it fires a 7.62mm round. The rifle only has a five round magazine with a slower firing rate than the Dragunov. The soldier fatally shot all five targets, but it was mentioned that only three of them were hit between the eyes as planned.
The thing here is that both weapons hit and fatally killed their targets. A hit in the face next to the nose is going to be just as lethal as being hit right between the eyes. That same round is going to blast into the skull, tear its way through the brain, and make an even bigger hole on the opposite side of your head. Instant kill.
It’s splitting hairs to claim that the M24 is the deadlier of the two rifles when we only saw one demonstration and not even the full results. These are both lethal weapons, especially at not even half of the rifle’s range. When looking at a tactical advantage, I’d say that the Dragunov is deadlier because it carries twice as many rounds. While the M24 is being reloaded, the Dragunov can keep firing and killing enemy soldiers.
Winner — American M24 sniper rifle
short-range weapons: Marakov Pistol versus Beretta Pistol
The Russian Marakov pistol carries an eight round magazine and can fire a 9mm round a distance of 55 yards. Special consideration should be used when looking at the Marakov’s special holster.
Going against the Marakov is the American Beretta pistol. The Beretta has a fifteen round magazine and can fire the same 9mm round an equal distance of 55 yards.
A quick series of video clips show both pistols firing and striking a series of targets. I’m guessing that they both scored extremely well, so a different test was developed which really tests the soldier manning the weapon instead of the weapon itself. Indeed, the test that we see on TV has the soldiers in total darkness, wearing night vision goggles, and firing at specially marked targets.
It took the Russian soldier 17 seconds to make his way through the test (firing eleven shots) and kill all three Green Beret targets. The odd thing is that when I watch the video of him shooting, it looks like the Russian fired two shots at something besides a Green beret target. He also fired three shots at target number two, and we only saw one hit on the target. Just how accurate was this soldier when operating under total darkness?
The American soldier took twelve seconds to complete the shooting course, firing eleven shots along the way. But as we saw in the analysis, only one soldier was killed. Another soldier was wounded and still able to fight, and the other soldier barely grazed with a round. In other words, this guy’s shooting skills sucked ass.
I want to know if the night vision videos of the soldiers has been edited, or if it showed everything as it happened in real time. It’s kind of odd for the Russian soldier to fire eleven rounds from a magazine that normally holds only eight, and both soldiers fired two rounds at an unknown target. They both fired three times at each official target.
The Marakov was deemed to be the better of the two weapons because the Spetsnaz soldier managed to kill all three targets. Does this mean that the Beretta is any less deadly? Certainly not. All this proved was that this particular American soldier had a bad run in a shooting simulation. It’s not like the TV show broke down both weapons and looked for a technological advantage or something scientific to use with their logic.
Between the two I’d give the edge to the Beretta simply because of its larger magazine. Both pistols are extremely dangerous in the hands of a commando.
Winner — Russian Marakov pistol
OVERALL WINNER — SPETSNAZ
FINAL THOUGHTS
Because of this show we know that in theory, based on the views of Deadliest Warrior, should a squad of U.S. Army Special Forces and Russian Spetsnaz troops meet in a neutral situation, the Spetsnaz should win the following battle. And they should win nearly 52% of the time.
Sadly, the results of this episode of Deadliest Warrior don’t prove crap about either team of commandos because of the flawed testing of weapons. Both Green Berets and Spetsnaz are very dedicated, well trained, and battle hardened soldiers. The Americans have better technology and train their troops to use their brains, while the Russians go with old but reliable weapons, and their troops are brutal killing machines. While training to become a Spetsnaz commando, it may just kill the soldier. Their methods are that tough and brutal.
What is known is that both the Green Berets and Spetsnaz are extremely good at doing what they do. Both forces are fearsome killing machines. They can both operate deep behind enemy lines doing just about anything to attack and weaken their enemy’s forces. In addition, the U.S. Army Special Forces can work with local tribes and militias, training and leading them in guerrilla-style combat.
When it comes to just killing and sabotaging, I’d give the edge to the Spetsnaz. When it comes to unconventional warfare and guerrilla warfare, I’d give the edge to the Green Berets.
I’m glad that we have the U.S. Army Special Forces on our side, but the Russian Spetsnaz are some pretty awesome commandos.