Updated October 29, 2026. This list covers Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege in Year 11 Season 3 (Operation Split Fire), after the Y11S3.2 mid-season update of October 15, 2026. Names, sides, unique abilities and speed/health ratings were checked against every operator page on Ubisoft's official operator index on October 29, 2026.
Quick answer: Rainbow Six Siege has 78 operators right now: 39 attackers and 39 defenders. The newest is Noor, a defender with the Horus Lance Launcher who arrived with Operation Split Fire on September 1, 2026. Before him came Solid Snake (Y11S1), Denari (Y10S3) and Rauora (Y10S1). Ubisoft rates every operator from 1 to 3 for speed and health, and the two numbers always add up to 4. Nine operators carry Ubisoft's official "starter" tag, so if you are new, start with those.
How many operators are in Rainbow Six Siege right now?
There are 78 playable operators in Rainbow Six Siege as of October 29, 2026, split evenly into 39 attackers and 39 defenders. That count comes straight from the official operator index, which lists 78 operator pages. Each of those pages says which side the operator plays.
A few numbers that explain the roster:
- 20 operators shipped with the base game in December 2015, 10 per side.
- 2 operators (Striker and Sentry) replaced the old Recruit in Y9S2 Operation New Blood. They have no unique gadget. Instead, each one can take any secondary gadget available to their side.
- 4 operators have arrived since Year 10: Rauora, Denari, Solid Snake and Noor.
- Across all 78 operators, Ubisoft lists 27 at difficulty 1, 33 at difficulty 2 and 18 at difficulty 3.
Seasons without a new operator are normal now. Several recent seasons shipped reworks (Thatcher in Y10S4, Dokkaebi in Y11S2) instead of new characters. That changes next year: Ubisoft's official roadmap says Y11S4 "will bring the final Remaster" and that "each season in Year 12 will bring a new Operator."
Who is the newest R6 operator?
Noor is the newest operator. He is a 2-speed, 2-health defender who launched with Y11S3 Operation Split Fire on September 1, 2026. Ubisoft's operator page describes his job in one line:
"Noor is designed to counter Shield Operators by disrupting Attacker momentum and forcing players to rethink shield-led pushes." — Ubisoft, Noor operator page
His Horus Lance Launcher fires 5 projectiles that pierce shields and destructible surfaces before erupting into flames. The Y11S3.2 mid-season update (live October 15) buffed him hard: lance impact damage went from 50 to 80, and Guardbreak on shield impact went from 30% to 100%. Our Noor guide covers loadouts and counters, and the Y11S3.2 patch notes breakdown has every number.
What are all the attackers in Rainbow Six Siege?
All 39 R6 attackers are listed below in release order. "Unique ability" is the gadget name Ubisoft uses on each operator page. Speed / Health is Ubisoft's 1–3 rating shown on each operator page, so 3 / 1 is the fastest, most fragile build and 1 / 3 is the slowest and toughest.
| Operator | Unique ability | Speed / Health | Added |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sledge | Breaching Hammer | 2 / 2 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Thatcher | E.G.S. Disruptor | 1 / 3 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Ash | Breaching Round | 3 / 1 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Thermite | Exothermic Charge | 2 / 2 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Twitch | Shock Drone | 2 / 2 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Montagne | Le Roc Shield | 1 / 3 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Glaz | Flip Sight | 3 / 1 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Fuze | Cluster Charge | 1 / 3 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Blitz | G52-Tactical Shield | 2 / 2 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| IQ | Electronics Detector | 3 / 1 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Buck | Skeleton Key | 2 / 2 | Y1S1 Black Ice |
| Blackbeard | H.U.L.L. Adaptable Shield | 1 / 3 | Y1S2 Dust Line |
| Capitão | Tactical Crossbow | 3 / 1 | Y1S3 Skull Rain |
| Hibana | X-Kairos | 3 / 1 | Y1S4 Red Crow |
| Jackal | Eyenox Model III | 2 / 2 | Y2S1 Velvet Shell |
| Ying | Candela | 2 / 2 | Y2S3 Blood Orchid |
| Zofia | KS79 Lifeline | 1 / 3 | Y2S4 White Noise |
| Dokkaebi | Jegeo Payload | 3 / 1 | Y2S4 White Noise |
| Lion | EE-ONE-D | 2 / 2 | Y3S1 Chimera |
| Finka | Adrenal Surge | 2 / 2 | Y3S1 Chimera |
| Maverick | Breaching Torch | 3 / 1 | Y3S3 Grim Sky |
| Nomad | Airjab Launcher | 2 / 2 | Y3S4 Wind Bastion |
| Gridlock | Trax Stingers | 1 / 3 | Y4S1 Burnt Horizon |
| Nøkk | HEL Presence Reduction | 2 / 2 | Y4S2 Phantom Sight |
| Amaru | Garra Hook | 2 / 2 | Y4S3 Ember Rise |
| Kali | LV Explosive Lance | 2 / 2 | Y4S4 Shifting Tides |
| Iana | Gemini Replicator | 2 / 2 | Y5S1 Void Edge |
| Ace | S.E.L.M.A. Aqua Breacher | 1 / 3 | Y5S2 Steel Wave |
| Zero | Argus Launcher | 3 / 1 | Y5S3 Shadow Legacy |
| Flores | RCE-Ratero Charge | 2 / 2 | Y6S1 Crimson Heist |
| Osa | Talon-8 Clear Shield | 1 / 3 | Y6S3 Crystal Guard |
| Sens | R.O.U. Projector System | 3 / 1 | Y7S2 Vector Glare |
| Grim | Kawan Hive Launcher | 3 / 1 | Y7S3 Brutal Swarm |
| Brava | Kludge Drone | 3 / 1 | Y8S1 Commanding Force |
| Ram | BU-GI Auto Breacher | 1 / 3 | Y8S3 Heavy Mettle |
| Deimos | Deathmark Tracker | 2 / 2 | Y9S1 Deadly Omen |
| Striker | All secondary gadgets (no unique ability) | 2 / 2 | Y9S2 New Blood |
| Rauora | D.O.M. Panel Launcher | 2 / 2 | Y10S1 Prep Phase |
| Solid Snake | Soliton Radar Mk III | 3 / 1 | Y11S1 Silent Hunt |
Attack has 12 three-speed operators, 18 two-speed and 9 one-speed. The attack roster leans toward speed, and Solid Snake (3 / 1) is the fastest addition of the last two years.
What are all the defenders in Rainbow Six Siege?
All 39 R6 defenders are listed below in release order, in the same format.
| Operator | Unique ability | Speed / Health | Added |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke | Remote Gas Grenade | 2 / 2 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Mute | Signal Disruptor | 2 / 2 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Castle | Armor Panel | 2 / 2 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Pulse | Cardiac Sensor | 3 / 1 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Doc | Stim Pistol | 1 / 3 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Rook | Armor Pack | 1 / 3 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Kapkan | Entry Denial Device | 2 / 2 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Tachanka | Shumikha Launcher | 1 / 3 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Jäger | Active Defense | 3 / 1 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Bandit | Shock Wire | 3 / 1 | Launch (Dec 2015) |
| Frost | Welcome Mat | 2 / 2 | Y1S1 Black Ice |
| Valkyrie | Black Eye | 2 / 2 | Y1S2 Dust Line |
| Caveira | Silent Step | 3 / 1 | Y1S3 Skull Rain |
| Echo | Yokai | 2 / 2 | Y1S4 Red Crow |
| Mira | Black Mirror | 1 / 3 | Y2S1 Velvet Shell |
| Lesion | GU | 2 / 2 | Y2S3 Blood Orchid |
| Ela | Grzmot Mine | 2 / 2 | Y2S3 Blood Orchid |
| Vigil | ERC-7 | 3 / 1 | Y2S4 White Noise |
| Alibi | Prisma | 3 / 1 | Y3S2 Para Bellum |
| Maestro | Evil Eye | 1 / 3 | Y3S2 Para Bellum |
| Clash | CCE Shield MK2 | 1 / 3 | Y3S3 Grim Sky |
| Kaid | Rtila Electroclaw | 1 / 3 | Y3S4 Wind Bastion |
| Mozzie | Pest Launcher | 2 / 2 | Y4S1 Burnt Horizon |
| Warden | Glance Smart Glasses | 1 / 3 | Y4S2 Phantom Sight |
| Goyo | Volcán Canister | 2 / 2 | Y4S3 Ember Rise |
| Wamai | Mag-NET System | 2 / 2 | Y4S4 Shifting Tides |
| Oryx | Remah Dash | 2 / 2 | Y5S1 Void Edge |
| Melusi | Banshee Sonic Defense | 1 / 3 | Y5S2 Steel Wave |
| Aruni | Surya Gate | 1 / 3 | Y5S4 Neon Dawn |
| Thunderbird | Kóna Station | 2 / 2 | Y6S2 North Star |
| Thorn | Razorbloom Shell | 2 / 2 | Y6S4 High Calibre |
| Azami | Kiba Barrier | 2 / 2 | Y7S1 Demon Veil |
| Solis | Spec-IO Electro-Sensor | 2 / 2 | Y7S4 Solar Raid |
| Fenrir | F-NATT Dread Mine | 2 / 2 | Y8S2 Dread Factor |
| Tubarão | Zoto Canister | 2 / 2 | Y8S4 Deep Freeze |
| Sentry | All secondary gadgets (no unique ability) | 2 / 2 | Y9S2 New Blood |
| Skopós | V10 Pantheon Shells | 3 / 1 | Y9S3 Twin Shells |
| Denari | T.R.I.P. Connector | 3 / 1 | Y10S3 High Stakes |
| Noor | Horus Lance Launcher | 2 / 2 | Y11S3 Split Fire |
Defense is built heavier than attack. It has 10 one-speed operators and only 8 three-speed roamers, and 21 of its 39 operators sit on the 2 / 2 middle rating.
R6 operators in release order: which season added who?
If you searched for the operators list by year, this is the short version. Year 1 started in February 2016. Each year has had four seasons, named "Operation" plus a codename.
| Year | Attackers added | Defenders added |
|---|---|---|
| Launch (2015) | Sledge, Thatcher, Ash, Thermite, Twitch, Montagne, Glaz, Fuze, Blitz, IQ | Smoke, Mute, Castle, Pulse, Doc, Rook, Kapkan, Tachanka, Jäger, Bandit |
| Year 1 (2016) | Buck, Blackbeard, Capitão, Hibana | Frost, Valkyrie, Caveira, Echo |
| Year 2 (2017) | Jackal, Ying, Zofia, Dokkaebi | Mira, Lesion, Ela, Vigil |
| Year 3 (2018) | Lion, Finka, Maverick, Nomad | Alibi, Maestro, Clash, Kaid |
| Year 4 (2019) | Gridlock, Nøkk, Amaru, Kali | Mozzie, Warden, Goyo, Wamai |
| Year 5 (2020) | Iana, Ace, Zero | Oryx, Melusi, Aruni |
| Year 6 (2021) | Flores, Osa | Thunderbird, Thorn |
| Year 7 (2022) | Sens, Grim | Azami, Solis |
| Year 8 (2023) | Brava, Ram | Fenrir, Tubarão |
| Year 9 (2024) | Deimos, Striker | Sentry, Skopós |
| Year 10 (2025) | Rauora | Denari |
| Year 11 (2026, so far) | Solid Snake | Noor |
Two patterns stand out. Years 1 to 4 added eight operators a year. From Year 6 on, Ubisoft added at most one brand-new operator per season, and Striker and Sentry in Y9S2 were a remaster of Recruit, not new characters. Year 10's Operation Daybreak (the June 2025 relaunch season) and Operation Tenfold Pursuit added no new operator. Tenfold Pursuit reworked Thatcher instead, giving him the E.G.S. Disruptor, a scanner that "allows him to detect enemy electronic devices through obstructions and deactivate them," per his operator page.
Which R6 operators have been reworked?
Old lists go stale because gadgets change, not just because new operators arrive. These reworks changed what an operator does, so ignore any list that still shows the old kit:
- Tachanka — reworked in Y5S3 Shadow Legacy from a mounted LMG to the Shumikha Launcher. Y11S3.2 added a new impact-trigger fire mode, and Ubisoft says the goal is "lowering the skill floor required to use the gadget effectively."
- Blackbeard — reworked in Y9S4 Collision Point. He now carries the H.U.L.L. Adaptable Shield instead of a rifle-mounted shield.
- Thatcher — reworked in Y10S4 Tenfold Pursuit. His old EMP Grenades became the E.G.S. Disruptor.
- Dokkaebi — reworked in Y11S2 System Override. Ubisoft's page says her Jegeo Payloads "replace Logic Bombs." In Y11S3, Mute's jammers can interrupt the upload.
- Recruit — removed in Y9S2 New Blood and split into Striker (attack) and Sentry (defense).
- Clash — remastered in Y10S2 Operation Daybreak, per Ubisoft's season archive. Her page says the CCE Shield MK2 was "reworked for greater mobility" and can anchor to the ground while she roams.
How much do R6 operators cost?
The 20 launch operators, Ubisoft's "Pathfinders," are the cheapest. Every later operator gets cheaper as new seasons come out, until the price hits a floor. These are the prices listed by the community R6 wiki for Operation Split Fire. Check the in-game store before you spend, because Ubisoft can change prices.
| Operators released in | Renown | R6 Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Base game (Pathfinders) | 1,000 | — |
| Black Ice to Heavy Mettle (Y1S1–Y8S3) | 10,000 | 240 |
| Deep Freeze to Twin Shells (Y8S4–Y9S3) | 15,000 | 360 |
| Collision Point to High Stakes (Y9S4–Y10S3) | 20,000 | 480 |
| Tenfold Pursuit to Split Fire (Y10S4–Y11S3) | 25,000 | 600 |
The wiki also says the Premium Battle Pass gives 10% off operators. Striker and Sentry are an exception to the price table because they replaced Recruit.
Which operators should new players unlock first?
Ubisoft tags nine operators as starter operators on their official pages: Sledge, Thermite, Glaz and Striker on attack, and Smoke, Mute, Bandit, Kapkan and Sentry on defense. All of them except Glaz and Smoke (difficulty 2) are rated difficulty 1.
Here is a short buying order if you have limited Renown:
- Thermite (attack, difficulty 1). Every attack needs a hard breacher. His Exothermic Charge damage went from 200 to 220 in the Y11S3.1 patch. In an r/Rainbow6 thread from a player who felt useless on attack, the top advice was: "Just make it your goal to get the wall open every round."
- Ace (attack, difficulty 1). He is a second hard breacher with the S.E.L.M.A. Aqua Breacher. Players in Platinum and above banned him in 44% of ranked matches in Ubisoft's Y11S3.1 data, which shows how much he matters.
- Mute and Bandit (defense, difficulty 1). These two stop drones and hard breaches, and both are in the starter set.
- Rook and Doc (defense, difficulty 1). Both are easy anchors who help the whole team.
The 18 difficulty-3 operators include Mira, Azami, Echo, Caveira, Vigil, Nøkk and Denari. Leave them until you know the maps. To see who is strongest this season, use our operator tier list. For picks that work without a coordinated team, see the solo queue operator guide.
Which operators get banned the most right now?
Ubisoft published official ban rates in its Designer's Notes for the Y11S3 mid-season update (Ranked, PC, Platinum and above, Y11S3.1 data):
| Side | Most banned | Ban rate |
|---|---|---|
| Defense | Mira | 89% |
| Defense | Kaid | 50% |
| Defense | Azami | 18% |
| Attack | Solid Snake | 58% |
| Attack | Ace | 44% |
| Attack | Ram | 22% |
That data is from before the Y11S3.2 Noor, Tachanka and Snake changes. If you want to plan around bans, the best operators to ban guide explains each pick. Gear choices for all 78 operators are in the best loadout for every operator page.
FAQ
How many operators are in Rainbow Six Siege in 2026? There are 78 operators as of October 2026: 39 attackers and 39 defenders. Noor, added on September 1, 2026 with Operation Split Fire, is the most recent.
Who is the newest operator in R6? Noor, a Y11S3 defender from Egypt whose Horus Lance Launcher is built to counter shield operators. Solid Snake (attacker, Y11S1) arrived just before him.
Is Solid Snake a permanent operator? Yes. Solid Snake has a regular page on Ubisoft's operator index and counts toward the 39 attackers. He is a 3-speed, 1-health attacker with the Soliton Radar Mk III.
What happened to Recruit? Recruit was removed in Y9S2 Operation New Blood and replaced by Striker (attack) and Sentry (defense). Neither has a unique gadget. Instead, they can equip any secondary gadget available to their side.
Which operators are free in Rainbow Six Siege? Some are. Ubisoft's Free Access page gives free players Quick Match, Unranked and Dual Front "with a selection of operators," while "additional operators" require payment. Ubisoft's roadmap also lists Rotating Trial Operators, a "weekly rotation of Operators to try for free." To unlock more, the 20 base-game operators are the cheapest at 1,000 Renown each, according to the community R6 wiki.
Will there be a new operator in Y11S4? Probably not a brand-new one. Ubisoft's official roadmap says "Season 4 will bring the final Remaster. Each season in Year 12 will bring a new Operator." It has not named which operator gets that remaster, and it has not confirmed when Split Fire ends. The Legend Division announcement says that playlist runs until December 1, but that is not an official season-end date.
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