If there were a hijacked Boeing 747 being held by terrorists along with its passengers and crew and an counter-terrorism unit formed either by the Rangers or the Special Forces was given a Rescue & Recovery Mission; what would you expect to happen?

The Ranger Option

Forces/Equipment Committed: If the Rangers went in, they would send a Ranger company of 120 men with standard army issue equipment.

Mission Preparation: The Ranger Company First Sergeant would conduct a Hair Cut and Boots Inspection.

Infiltration Technique: The Rangers would insist on double timing, in company formation, wearing their combat equipment, and singing cadence all the way to the site of the hijacked aircraft.

Actions in the Objective Area: Once they arrived, the Ranger company would establish their ORP, put out security elements, conduct a leaders recon, reapply their face cammo, and conduct final preparations for Actions on the objective.

Results of Operation: The Rescue & Hostage Recovery Operation would be completed within one hour; all of the terrorists and most of the passengers would have been killed, the Rangers would have sustained light casualties and the 747 would be worthless to anyone except a scrap dealer.

Special Forces Option

Forces/Equipment Committed: If Special Forces went in, they would send only a 12 man team (all SF units are divisible by 12 for some arcane historical reason). However, due to the exotic nature of their equipment, the 12-man SF Team would cost more to deploy than the 120-man Ranger Company.

Mission Preparation: The SF Team Sergeant would request relaxed grooming standards for the team.

Infiltration Technique: The team members would insist on separate travel orders with Max Per Diem, and each ODA team member would get to the site of the hijacking by his own means. At least one third of the team would insist on "jumping in".

Actions in the Objective Area: Once they arrived , the SF Team would cache their military uniforms, establish a Team Room, use their illegal Team Fund to stock the unauthorized Team Room Bar, check out the situation by talking to the locals, and have a Team Meeting to discuss the merits of the terrorists' cause.

Results of Operation: The Rescue & Hostage Recovery Operation would take at least two weeks to complete and by that time all of the terrorists would have been killed, (but they would have left signed confessions); the passengers would be ruined psychologically for the remainder of their lives; and all of the women passengers would be pregnant. The 747 would be essentially unharmed, the team would have taken no casualties but would have used up, lost, or stolen all the very expensive "high speed" equipment issued to them.