| abstract | - UNSC Army Forward Reconnaissance (FORCON), formerly known as UNSC Forward Airborne Reconnaissance (FARSIGHT), is a dedicated special reconnaissance (SR) element of the UNSC Army Ranger Corps, under the UNSC Special Operations Command (UNSCSOCOM). It is strictly a reconnaissance element, with operators unequipped with the armament to even perform reconnaissance-in-force (RIF) responsibilities. FORCON teams are small and self-contained with minimal amounts of gear, using Mongoose-type ULATVs to rapidly transverse large stretches of terrain. Reconnaissance operators are minimally armed, most armed with carbines or submachine guns (e.g. the M7 LARK CQB) — solely for self-defense. FORCON units are designed to operate with efficiency, speed, and surreptitiousness, where engagement with enemy forces oftentimes comprises the UNSC covert reconnaissance requirement. FORCON operates under a similar role as UNSC Marine Reconnaissance (UNSCMARCON); however, because all FORCON operators are Rangers trained from the Ranger School, oftentimes FORCON operators may be considered as slightly more experienced than their fellow Marine counterparts because they have underwent all core Ranger training, with special reconnaissance specialization and habitualization training afterwards. Within any typically-structured Ranger company, dedicated reconnaissance teams are a company-level asset; each typical Ranger company may have at least one FORCON team attached. At the battalion and regimental level, FORCON elements are highly-developed, fielding a number of reconnaissance infantry teams supported by mechanized reconnaissance elements, an asset not typically available to company-level formations.
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