United Kingdom Special Forces

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The United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) is a brigade-equivalent formation encompassing the special forces units of the British Armed Forces. UKSF is commanded by Director Special Forces (DSF), a Brigadier.

Contents 1 Formation 2 Roles and Tasks 3 Insignia 4 Special forces units 4.1 Special Air Service 4.2 Special Boat Service 4.3 Special Reconnaissance Regiment 5 Support units 5.1 Special Forces Support Group 5.2 Signals 5.3 Aviation 6 See also 7 References

[edit] Formation

UKSF was formed in 1987 to draw together the Army's Special Air Service (SAS), the Royal Marines' Special Boat Service (SBS), the Special Forces Flights of the Army Air Corps and Royal Air Force, and a Royal Navy/Marines squadron into a unified command, based around the former Director SAS. This generated operational efficiencies and allowed unified selection and training. The Directorate has been expanded by the creation of the Special Reconnaissance Regiment and the Special Forces Support Group.

[edit] Roles and Tasks

UKSF assets undertake a number of roles, with a degree of interaction and interoperability:

• Counter Terrorism

• Covert reconnaissance
• Special reconnaissance
• Offensive action or capture

• Close Protection
• Counter Revolutionary Warfare
• Reconnaissance of the deep battlespace
• Offensive operations in the deep battlespace
• Battlespace preparation in Transition to War
• Infrastructure disruption
• Capture of subjects of interest
• HUMINT collection
• Defence Diplomacy

• Training of other nations armed forces

[edit] Insignia

The badge of each UKSF unit shares a representation of the Sword of Damocles (or Excalibur) in common.

[edit] Special forces units

[edit] Special Air Service

Main article: Special Air Service

The SAS is the largest special forces organisation of the British Armed Forces, listed in the British Army Order of Precedence as an infantry regiment. One of the most famous military organisations in the world it is recognised to have had outstanding success in many operations, world-wide. The SAS was formed by David Stirling in July 1941 to conduct raids behind German lines in North Africa^[1] and today serves as a model for similar units fielded by many other countries^[2].

The SAS regiment is the most secretive in the British Army due to the nature of its employment, but attracts a disproportionate amount of media coverage. The service comprises one regular army regiment and two reserve regiments in the Territorial Army (TA):

• 21st Special Air Service Regiment (Artists) (Volunteers)
• 22nd Special Air Service Regiment
• 23rd Special Air Service Regiment (Volunteers)

[edit] Special Boat Service

Main article: Special Boat Service

The SBS is a maritime-focused special forces unit predominantly manned by Royal Marines^[3]. Formerly recruiting solely from the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, the SBS now accepts applications from all branches of the armed forces who must first complete SF selection before being permitted to attempt SBS selection^{[citation needed]}.

The regular SBS is a battalion-sized formation and is supported by a reserve formation, the (SBS(R)), which provides individual reservists to support the regular service^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Special Reconnaissance Regiment

Main article: Special Reconnaissance Regiment

The SRR is a special forces regiment of the British Army which recruits men and women from all three services^[4]. The regiment is trained to conduct special reconnaissance, relating to covert surveillance, missions worldwide^[5], predominantly in a counter-terrorist posture in support of both special and conventional force tasking.

[edit] Support units

The UKSF is supported by a number of units:

[edit] Special Forces Support Group

Main article: Special Forces Support Group

The SFSG is a unit of the United Kingdom Special Forces whose primary task is to provide dedicated infantry support to SF Operations. Because of a perceived similarity to the US Army Rangers, the unit was initially dubbed the British Rangers. The formation is battalion-sized, and comprises Parachute Regiment companies, one company of Royal Marines and elements of the RAF Regiment.

[edit] Signals

Signals support is provided by 18 (UKSF) Signal Regiment, including the TA 63 (SAS) Signals Squadron (Volunteers),and by a Royal Marine signals troop.

[edit] Aviation

The Special Forces Air Wing provide fixed and rotary wing support to UKSF.

[edit] See also

• United Kingdom Special Forces Selection
• British Army
  • Structure of the British Army
  • Modern equipment and uniform of the British Army
  • 16 (Air Assault) Brigade
• Royal Navy
  • Royal Marines
  • 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines

• Former special forces
  • Long Range Desert Group
  • 14 Intelligence Company

• List of special forces units

[edit] References

1. ^ Ken Connor, Ghost Force: The Secret History of the SAS, Orion Books, 1999, p.10-11
2. ^ Special Air Service#Other Special Forces based on the SAS
3. ^ Adrian Weale, Secret Warfare: Special Operations Forces from the Great Game to the SAS, Coronet Books, 1997, p.242-3
4. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4412907.stm accessed 26 July 06
5. ^ Hansard 6th Apr 2005 This regiment has been formed to meet a growing worldwide demand for special reconnaissance capability. Consistent with the SDR new chapter, this regiment will provide improved support to expeditionary operations overseas and form part of the defence contribution to the Government's comprehensive strategy to counter international terrorism. The SRR will bring together personnel from existing capabilities and become the means of the further development of the capability.