Top 5 Most Infamous Private Military Mercenary Groups (2024)

Aug 29, 2023, 12:55 PM IST

Heena Sharma

Wagner Group is a notorious Russian private military company (PMC) known for its involvement in conflicts such as Ukraine and Syria.

2. Olive Group

A British private security company, Olive Group specialises in risk management, security consulting, and protective services.

3. Academi (formerly Blackwater)

Academi is a well-known American private military company that gained significant attention during the Iraq War.

4. G4S Security

G4S Security is a British multinational security services company and is reportedly the biggest private military group in the world. It has about 6,20,000 employees.

5. Erinys

Erinys gained attention for its involvement in providing security services to oil and gas companies operating in volatile areas.

Top 5 Most Infamous Private Military Mercenary Groups (2024)

FAQs

Top 5 Most Infamous Private Military Mercenary Groups? ›

The Wagner Group is a private military company (PMC) based in Russia. It gained significant attention and notoriety due to its involvement in various conflicts, particularly in Ukraine and Syria.

Which is the most feared private military company? ›

The Wagner Group is a private military company (PMC) based in Russia. It gained significant attention and notoriety due to its involvement in various conflicts, particularly in Ukraine and Syria.

What is the biggest PMC in the world? ›

4. G4S Security. The second-largest private employer of security behind Walmart and Foxconn, G4S is the biggest private military group in the world, that has around 6,20,000 employees. It boasts of operations in over 120 countries and is three-time the size of the British Army.

Who is the most famous mercenary in the world? ›

William Walker. William Walker is arguably the most famous and successful mercenary in American history. In the 1800s, groups of American citizens conducted a series of unauthorized military invasions across North America, believing that the United States was destined to expand.

Are PMCs legal in America? ›

The United States does not have a unified law on PMCs. However, their activities are indirectly regulated by the Arms Export Control Act, under which the State Department licenses these companies and monitors the implementation of contracts concluded with them.

What is the scariest US military unit? ›

Delta Force, along with the Intelligence Support Activity, and its Navy and Air Force counterparts, DEVGRU (SEAL Team 6) and the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, are the U.S. military's tier one special mission units that are tasked with performing the most complex, covert, and dangerous missions directed by the ...

Has the US ever used PMCs? ›

The Center for Public Integrity reported that since 1994, the Defense Department entered into 3,601 contracts worth $300 billion with twelve U.S.-based PMCs, specifically during the initial response after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

Does Blackwater still exist? ›

Academi, formerly known as Blackwater, is an American private military contractor founded on December 26, 1996, by former Navy SEAL officer Erik Prince. It was renamed Xe Services in 2009, and was again renamed to Academi in 2011, after it was acquired by a group of private investors.

What is the highest paying PMC? ›

Pmc Salary
Annual SalaryHourly Wage
Top Earners$68,500$33
75th Percentile$63,000$30
Average$55,623$27
25th Percentile$47,000$23

Who are the most feared soldiers in the world? ›

The Gurkhas are a unique unit in the Army with a reputation of being amongst the finest and most feared soldiers in the world. The Royal Gurkha Rifles are Infantry are manned by Nepali soldiers and officers; and British officers, it is this blend of cultures that makes the RGR unique.

What mercenary groups does the US use? ›

US companies
NameHQNotes
AirScanTitusville, FL
AcademiMcLean, VAConsulting. Formerly known as Blackwater and Xe and it is part of the Constellis Group.
American International Security CorpWoburn, MADissolved
Custer BattlesMcLean, VADissolved
11 more rows

Do PMCs see combat? ›

The responsibilities of a private military contractor can vary greatly depending on the specific position they hold. For example, some private military contractors work in active combat, while others can work in administration or human resources.

Is being a mercenary a war crime? ›

A mercenary, as defined in article 1 of this Convention, who participates directly in hostilities or in a concerted act of violence, as the case may be, commits an international crime for the purposes of the Convention.

Who owns Blackwater? ›

What is the best mercenary Army in the world? ›

Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army.

How powerful is Wagner Group? ›

By the end of 2022, its strength in Ukraine had grown from 1,000 to between 20,000 and 50,000. It was reportedly Russia's main assault force in the Battle of Bakhmut. Wagner has also supported regimes friendly with Putin's Russia, including in the civil wars in Syria, Libya, the Central African Republic, and Mali.

How much do Blackwater mercenaries get paid? ›

How much does Blackwater Security in the United States pay? Average Blackwater Security hourly pay ranges from approximately $15.75 per hour for Armed Security Officer to $17.49 per hour for Patrol Officer.

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