The personnel of which are specially selected, trained and equipped for air, sea and land infiltration, technical, logistical and medical support.

SOG combat operations are of great strategic importance that cannot be accomplished by conventional forces or weapon systems.

Combat missions can be to eliminate high-value targets or objects of great importance to the enemy, to conduct complex rescue operations of Swedish personnel held captive or hostage, or to gather time-critical intelligence through action.

SOG can also, if needed and requested, augment the police counter-terrorism assets to intervene during domestic terrorism and/or hostage crisis due to new legislation implemented in 2006.

The unit maintains a high degree of readiness and can be deployed on short notice within a 6,000 kilometres (3,700 mi) radius of Stockholm and can operate in any environment, for example, jungle, desert, mountain/alpine, sub-arctic and urban.

The SOG's predecessors, the SSG and SIG, participated in operations in the Balkans, Congo, Chad and the Central African Republic.

[10] Members of the unit also responded to the 2021 Kabul airport attack, where they provided immediate medical aid to wounded US personnel and civilians as well as donating blood.

Selection for SOG, however, is advertised on the Armed Forces website and at unit garrisons and is open for anyone who meets the basic requirements.

Operators train at their own compound at a secret location near Karlsborg, which, among shooting ranges, also features a large multi-story CQB-building, with bullet-absorbing lining in its walls.

Operators wear combat uniforms from Crye Precision or Arcteryx, a variety of different plate carriers and Ops Core FAST ballistic helmets.

The SOG coat of arms is blazoned thus: Upon a black shield is a six-pointed star in silver in the upper dexter corner.

The unit insignia, worn on the uniform by qualified operators consists of a winged Norse dagger Seax with an asymmetrically positioned six-pointed star.

It is normally worn in public only by the Director Special Forces, a brigadier general, since the identities of all the operatives are classified.