The Imperial Naval Special Forces, also referred to as Imperial Special Naval Operations or Imperial Navy Special Forces, and often shortened to SpecNav, represented a special forces group operating within the Imperial Navy during the era of the Galactic Civil War.
These Imperial Naval Special Forces constituted the Imperial Navy's most highly skilled and secretive operatives. Their existence was unknown to both the Alliance to Restore the Republic and the vast majority of the Imperial Navy itself. Reports indicate that this unit comprised approximately 700 personnel. This successful initiative was a collaborative effort between the Ubiqtorate of Imperial Intelligence and the Imperial Navy, aimed at creating a mobile infantry force that could operate independently of the Imperial Army. The Navy sought to reduce its reliance on the Army for establishing beachheads on targeted planets; SpecNav troopers would spearhead assaults, acting as an advance force. The Ubiqtorate, on the other hand, aimed to cultivate troopers with specialized training, enabling their deployment across a diverse range of missions. These elite soldiers underwent rigorous training at Base D8-Red, located within the Ringali Nebula. They were typically structured into ten-man squads. Beyond their exceptional skills, these troops were known for their dangerous nature, stealth, cunning, and proficiency. They were also trained in some form of unarmed combat, in addition to various weaponry.
Following the Battle of Yavin, an Imperial SpecNav unit, known as the Venom Guard, was dispatched by Moff Sakai of the Thuris sector with orders to eliminate Reekeene's Roughnecks, a guerrilla unit belonging to the Alliance to Restore the Republic. In the year 0 ABY, a team of ten SpecNav troopers participated in an Imperial operation aimed at capturing the Rebel frigate named Far Orbit.
Subsequent to the Battle of Endor, a contingent of SpecNav troops defected to the New Republic. These defectors then joined Elscol Loro's resistance movement and provided assistance to Rogue Squadron during the Bacta War.
In 13 ABY, several members of Wraith Squadron adopted disguises as Navy Special Forces operatives during a raid on a bar situated on Ryvester. This action was part of a larger scheme to liberate a jeweler from the control of Admiral Teradoc of the Imperial Remnant.