British Special Forces & Elite Units

This site is dedicated to British elite units and special forces, including the renowned Special Air Service, Royal Marines and Parachute Regiment

The elite military forces of the United Kingdom are: Special Forces (UKSF) : The Special Air Service (SAS) The roles of the British Army's special forces unit, the 22nd Special Air Service, include counter-terrorism and reconnaissance. The SAS is one of the world's most renowned and respected special forces regiments. more info : SAS The Special Boat Service (SBS) The SBS is the Royal Navy's special forces unit. Whilst experts in Maritime Counter-Terrorism (MCT) and amphibious warfare, they also operate on dry land. Since its inception during World War 2, the SBS has been a first class naval special operations force. more info : SBS The Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR) The SRR was recently formed to gather intelligence & carry out surveillance operations in the war on terrorism. Members of the SRR are recruited from throughout the UK military. The SRR is the only UK special forces unit to recruit women. more info : SRR Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) Like the SRR, the Special Forces Support Group is a recent edition to UKSF. The role of the SFSG is to give combat support to SAS & SBS operations. more info : SFSG

UKSF HEADLINES 30.05.13 - SAS Captured Woolwich Suspect in 2010 29.05.13 - SRR To Protect Parades 23.05.13 - Female SCO19 Officer Shot Woolwich Suspects 20.05.13 - UKSF Capture Taliban Leader 07.05.13 - UKSF Aviation Capability Gap? UKSF news »  FEATURED MEDIA UKSF video UKSF photo SBS combat footage SBS - LRICs Elite forces video Elite forces photo Pathfinders Fleet Protection Group more video more photos

United Kingdom Special Forces

The role of Britain's special forces, such as the Special Air Service, has transformed over the years; from defeating Hitler, to facing down the Soviet Union, to their current preoccupation : fighting the global war against terrorism.

New British special forces regiments have been formed to assist in 'the long war', as it's sometimes called. Governments around the world are putting more stock in the need for special forces : small, well trained and supported units operating on battlefields where the battle lines are poorly defined with enemies mixed amongst friends. The United Kingdom has recently added several new special forces units to its ranks, (the SRR & the SFSG), as well as bolstering the existing units (the SAS & the SBS), a move that signals a willingness to engage in the asymmetric warfare of the 21st century.

Special forces are sometimes referred to as 'force multipliers' - a recognition that these small teams of operators can achieve results comparable with much larger forces; whether by integrated with their own military or by training and operating alongside foreign forces. In Afghanistan, 2001, US special forces worked closely with Northern Alliance troops, coordinating attacks and calling in coalition air strikes. By employing SF in this way, the coalition was able to oust the Taliban with the minimum of ground troops whilst fostering a positive relationship with the indigenous friendly forces.

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