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In dangerous parts of the world, organized crime runs rampant and unchecked. It threatens not only citizens but also the wildlife and the environment. Many overextended governments and military forces are unable to cope with the demands of fighting these predators. Shadow Force, premiering Friday, Nov. 7 at 10 p.m., Eastern Time, on the History channel, showcases the history of unconventional military operations through the eyes of an elite team operating in a modern day setting, and offers one of the first real insights into the high-stakes world of private military operations.

Shadow Force follows a team of former Special Force soldiers as they do what governments and aid agencies cannot — from combating piracy in Liberia, to stopping illegal forestation and saving rare mountain gorillas in the Congo, to setting up an alert system to help stop tribal wars in Kenya, and to tracking illegal Ivory into the black market.

Unconventional warfare tactics have been around since the beginning of war itself.  Small units, who have mastered the art of deception, and special techniques, have historically prevailed against overwhelming odds. The Shadow Force team is the latest in this long tradition of special warriors. Their knowledge and understanding of this art, as well advance surveillance techniques and their military know how, gives them the edge to bring down bands of criminal operations. To succeed, they also must possess broad and in-depth knowledge about the history, government, and customs of the countries they are operating in.

The Shadow Force team is made up of four experts, all with distinct skill sets that make them uniquely qualified to carry out these dangerous missions:

•    Bob Parr – The Shadow Force team leader is a counter-terrorism consultant and former member of the United Kingdom Special Forces and onetime Royal Marines Commando.

•    sLiM – A former U.S. Special Forces member as well as Army Ranger, sLiM is the technical/tactical specialist of the team.

•    Cobus Claassens – A Marine and Naval specialist, and former South African Special Forces, he is an expert in the West Africa region with 20 years of experience. Leonardo DiCaprio’s character in Blood Diamond was inspired by Claassens.

•    Laura Engelbrecht – A diplomatic and Central African specialist, she was a U.S. State Department operations specialist and U.S. Embassy Political Attaché in the Congo.

•    Ralph – A tracking and electronics expert and Rhidian Bridge, is a naval specialist who joins the team on specific missions.

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