SRR

Royal Marines going back to their Special Operations roots

The British Royal Marines Commandos are bracing for significant changes that will take them back to their Special Operations roots. The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) is considering the restructuring of the Royal Marines under the Future Commando Force concept. Improvements include upgrades to their individual weapons, personal loadout, and uniforms. More importantly, however, the […]

This isn’t the SAS: Britain’s most secretive SOF unit in Northern Ireland

Editor’s note: This is the fourth part of a series. Captured by the IRA or a blown cover. These were the ultimate sins. In case an operator was compromised, he would either be sent to a different Detachment and location or to the conventional army. So, the three-week Induction Phase, when fresh operators were paired […]

Warriors needed: Recruitment crisis forces UK SOF to put up advertisements

Faced with a recruitment crisis, the United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) have been forced to put up advertisements to attract fresh blood into their elite ranks. Posted in the British Army magazine Soldier, the advertisement is specifically geared toward the Special Forces Communicator (SFC) career field. The advertisement states that “The Special Forces Communicator is […]

Royal Marines Commandos turning SOF?

The Royal Marines Commandos might soon be joining the ranks of the United Kingdom’s Special Forces (UKSF). Although an elite unit as it is, the Commandos are currently considered a step down from Britain’s SOF. They are the country’s premier light infantry amphibious unit. In recent years, they were deployed in both Iraq and Afghanistan, […]

When the SAS defied their government to rescue their own: The rest of the story

They started interrogating the policemen and just as quick as the assault, a stroke of luck occurred. They told the SAS that the two men were in a nearby villa. The unit hastily reorganized and moved toward the new objective just a short distance away. The streets remained vacant and the villa seemed unguarded. Again, […]

When the SAS defied their government to rescue their own

19 September, 2005. Basra, Iraq. The British soldiers couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Before them, on a TV screen, sat two of their own, faces bloody from beatings, being paraded on Iraqi TV. The announcer read in Arabic that they were being charged with the murder of an Iraqi policeman; they were held in […]

Major changes coming to British Special Forces

The winds of change are blowing fiercely across the geopolitical chessboard, propelling countries to adjust and adapt to remain competitive. Nation-level conflict is once more the focus of Western militaries following decades of counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations, and special operations forces (SOF) are fighting to remain at the tip of the spear. According to the […]

The Increment: The UK’s most clandestine special operations unit

One of the most clandestine of all British special operations units is E Squadron. It’s a small unit of United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) operatives handpicked to work for the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), better known as MI6. Both the UKSF Directorate and Secret Intelligence Service use E Squadron to carry out clandestine activities. They […]

Breaking down the British elite forces: Honorable mentions

Note: This is the fifth and final part of a multi-part series exploring elite components within the conventional British forces. To wrap up this series, we awarded honorable mentions to No. 2 Squadron RAF Regiment and Counter Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officers (CTSFOs). The most elite units in the U.K. military would be unable to do […]

Breaking down the British elite forces: The Parachute Regiment (Paras)

Note: This is part three of a multi-part series exploring elite components within the conventional British forces. During WWII, the British military required an elite airborne unit trained to fight behind enemy lines, and so the Parachute Regiment was born. The elite airborne unit, also known as the Paras, jumped into occupied Germany. Their mission […]