Who Are The British Special Forces?

The United Kingdom special forces are comprised of the SAS or Special Air Service, the SFSG or Special Forces Support Group, the SRR or Special Reconnaissance Regiment and the SBS or Special Boat Service. 

The SAS or Special Air Services, a division of the British Army and is one of the most widely known and respected special forces groups in the world. The SAS has been used as a model for special forces by other countries seeking to emulate this elite squad of the best of the best of the British Army. 

Their History 

The SAS was formed in 1941, after the British had been under attack during WWII, although never occupied. They were re-formed after the war as they are today. They originally began as a combat force behind the lines and now cover many roles. They have been involved in numerous engagements since the Second World War, both on the domestic front as well as globally. 

How To Become A Member Of SAS 

All of the members of the UK military undergo a special process and are asked to sign non-disclosure statements. This is due to the popularity of the SAS throughout history and the books that have been written about this elite squad. The SAS, being a special operations unit, does not want to give away their operations secrets as it can compromise the security of the team. Those who wish to become members of the SAS must undergo extreme training. Most of those in the SAS are officers. 

SAS Training 

Training consists of air troop training, climbing, ice climbing, parachuting, survival skills, rigorous physical and psychological tests as well as exams. The training period for this elite team consists of 18 months, although most of those in the SAS are cross trained in different troop units. 


What Are They Best At? 


Counter revolutionary warfare, counter terrorism both inside and outside UK territory, training soldiers of other nations, capture of special interest persons, intelligence gathering, sabotage, offensive raids and rescue missions. 


Weapons Of SAS 


The British Government likes to keep as much of the information about the SAS covert as possible, until their actual missions. 


They are considered one of the best special service forces in the world and have a full arsenal of state of the art weaponry at their disposal. Known Missions Some of the more well known missions include WWII, Malayan Emergency, Northern Ireland, Falklands War, Iraq War and the Afghanistan War.


 Units 


Units consist of the 22 SAS that has five squadrons, the 21 SAS that has four squadrons and the 23 SAS that has four squadrons. 


Are They Professional Soldiers? 


Yes. They are highly trained professional soldiers, most of whom are officers and most of whom stay in the service until retirement. 


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