Book excerpt: In the years since 9/11 Special Forces of many nations have been in almost constant action in covert, high risk operations around the globe. These include the two long conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, fighting nationalist insurgents and jihadist terrorists, as well as other lesser known operations. The weapons used by SF are a constant source of interest and speculation, as are SF training, methods and vehicles. The armories of these elite units have developed rapidly to meet their demands and the ever more sophisticated threat. They include for example suppressed piston-driven carbines, programmable grenade launchers that airburst behind hidden enemy and sniper rifles of extreme accuracy and range. This highly researched book gives the reader a privileged insight into this secret world exploring the custom-built weapons that operators carry on capture/kill missions in the 21st Century.