This Isn’t the Special Air Service: Meet ‘The Activity’, Britain’s Most Secretive Unit
In secret ops and meritocracy, 14 Int, a ghost of British intel, thrived. From N. Ireland’s troubles to Mideast deserts, they proved vital.
Special Boat Service
British SBS Commandos Storm Tanker in Possible Hijack
The Nave Andromeda sent out a distress signal after seven Nigerian stowaways threatened the crew as they approached the English shore.
UK Special Forces breakdown: The Special Boat Service (SBS)
Note: This is part three of a multi-part series exploring the various units within the U.K. Special Forces (UKSF). The Special Boat Service (SBS), one of the oldest Special Forces regiments, is the U.K.’s premier naval counter-terrorism unit (CT). The unit is tasked with addressing assaults on U.K.’s maritime interests. Over the years the SBS […]
Royal Marines Paras? British military considers controversial merger of 2 elite units
The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) is toying with the controversial idea of merging the elite Parachute Regiment and Royal Marines. This isn’t the first time that a merger between the two elite units has been voiced by senior officials inside the British Ministry of Defence (MoD). Last year, similar reports had been leaked to […]
The legacy continues: The moving story behind a maroon beret
The year 2008 was tough for the Doherty family. It was in 2008 when their oldest son, Private Jeff Doherty, a paratrooper with 2 PARA, was killed by enemy fire during a Taliban ambush in Afghanistan. His brother, Fin Doherty, was only six years old at the time. And yet he made a vow: as […]
‘American Taliban’ involved in the killing of CIA paramilitary officer to be released from prison
John Walker Lindh, also known as the “American Taliban,” is scheduled to be released from prison in May. Lindh, who was captured in the initial phases of the Afghanistan War, was involved in a prisoner uprising that resulted in the death of CIA paramilitary officer Michael “Mike” Spann, the first American killed in the Global War […]
Who’s more fit–US Marines or Royal Marines Commandos?
For the past few years, select members of the U.S. Marine Corps travel to the U.K. to participate in Royal Marines Commando training. True to the U.S. Marines’ institutional mentality to always adapt and improve, this provides them an opportunity to observe what works and how it can be implemented in the Corps’ physical regimen. […]
British Commandos and UK Special Forces get new special operations ships similar to Navy SEALs’
In the near future, the Royal Marines Commandos and the United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) will be getting a new amphibious platform from which to operate, significantly increasing their reach and operational capabilities. The Future Littoral Strike Ship (FLSS), which is being designed specifically for the new Littoral Strike Groups, will be the main workhorse […]
The HK416 A7: German special operations units select new rifle
The new year will bring a new rifle to Germany’s elite soldiers. In the upcoming months, the HK416 A7, which the Germans have designated the G95K, will be issued to the soldiers of the Kommando Spezialkrafte (KSK) and sailors of the Kommando Spezialkrafte Marine (KSM). The standing order is for less than 2,000 new rifles, […]
British Special Boat Service storm a hijacked cargo ship near London
In the early hours of Friday, the Special Boat Service (SBS) conducted a hostage-rescue operation on the river Thames. Four Nigerian stowaways had partially seized an Italian cargo ship, the Grande Tema. The cargo ship was coming from Nigeria and was heading to Tilbury. The four Nigerian stowaways had smuggled themselves abroad the vessel. Once […]
So that others may live: Military dog sacrifices himself to save Rangers’ lives
A Multi-Purpose Canine (MPC) assigned to the 2nd Ranger Battalion (2/75) was killed during a raid against an al-Qaeda target in Afghanistan. In doing so, he sacrificed his life to give his Ranger buddies a decisive advantage over the enemy. The MPC has been identified as Maiko, a veteran of six deployments in Afghanistan with […]
UK Special Forces get SEAL mini-subs
London, United Kingdom — The Special Boat Service (SBS) will be getting new mini-subs from the United States. After the budget announcements for the next year, the British government approved the purchase of three MK 11 Shallow Water Combat Submersibles (SWCS) to replace the ageing MK VIII Mod 1 Swimmer Delivery Vehicle (SDV). The SWCS […]
