The Entire British Special Forces - Explained (Original Version)

Eng [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] Talent L dark in come [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] he [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] n [Music] in the midst of World War II as the Axis powers sought to dominate Europe and North Africa the British military faced a pressing need for new strategies and specialized units capable of executing unconventional missions it was against this backdrop of conflict and Desperation that A specialized unit was needed the formation of the Commandos began in 1940 organized under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Dudley Clark a pioneer of

military deception operations during the second world war the Commandos were designed to conduct unconventional warfare including raids and amphibious assaults and played a significant role in various operations throughout the war the Commandos were a revolutionary concept a response to the looming threat of invasion and the need for elite units skilled in Guerilla tactics amphibious assaults and Rapid strikes Behind Enemy Lines composed of volunteers drawn from various regiments these Commandos underwent rigorous training to become the spearhead of Britain's Special Operations their success in daring raids across Europe and North Africa established them as a formidable Force

demonstrating the power of unconventional warfare but as the war raged on the British military faced significant challenges in North Africa where conventional tactics were proving less effective the vast desert terrain and the need to counter the highly mobile and well equipped German Africa Corp required new strategies the traditional methods of warfare including large-scale frontal assaults were not well suited to the conditions and demands of desert Warfare a British officer named David Sterling of the Scots guards who was recovering from a parachute training injury conceived the idea for a specialized unit capable of deep penetration raids

despite initial resistance and skepticism from the higher echelons of military leadership General Sir Claude ainle the commander-in-chief of the British forces in the Middle East supported Sterling's idea when Sterling brought it directly to him ainle recognized the potential value of Sterling's concept and approved a trial formation of the unit the unit was given the deliberately misleading name to reinforce Dudley Clark's deception of a parachute Brigade existing in North Africa the name was chosen to give the impression that the unit was part of a larger Airborne Division This was meant to confuse the enemy into thinking

that the British had a substantial Airborne Force operating Behind Enemy Lines The Hope was that the axis forces would overestimate the size and scope SC of the British Airborne threat leading them to allocate resources and effort to defend against it the unit was named L Detachment Special Air Service Brigade marking the beginning of the creation of specialized forces for unconventional warfare in modern military history because of these few brave men Britain stood its ground against the German invasion ultimately fighting back and securing victory in the war alongside other Allied Nations [Music] three years for his

majesty the king and her majesty the queen with a rich history spanning hundreds of years the United Kingdom has long maintained one of the world world's most formidable militaries although their military might is not as overwhelming as it once was partly due to peacetime conditions and reduced defense spending they still possess one of the most capable and respected Armed Forces globally in addition to their overall military prowess the UK is also considered the pioneer of Special Operations the concept of Special Forces originated with them during the second world war today we will explore the elite

units that make up the British Special Forces within the British Armed Forces there are many elite units with histories that stretch back for decades the parachute regimen of the British army known as the UK's Airborne shock troops is tasked with deploying into enemy territory to capture strategic positions the Pathfinder platoon of the 16 Air Assault Brigade an elite reconnaissance unit trained to operate Behind Enemy Lines and Excel in high altitude parachuting the Royal girka rifles renowned for their bravery and storied Heritage the Royal Air Force regiment the elite ground troops of the royal Air Force

lastly the Royal Marines Commandos an elite amphibious raiding Force skilled in operating in any terrain and take great pride in their Fitness and tactical prowess [Music] many personnel from these units go on to become part of the core Special Forces of the British military these units may not be part of the core Special Forces but they are highly capable of conducting Special Operations making them Special Operations capable forces additionally on the 1st of December 2021 the British army established the ranger regiment within the new Army Special Operations Brigade formed on 31st of August 2021 this

regiment will undertake tasks traditionally handled by Special Forces and work alongside partner forces the chief of the defense staff has indicated that the ranger regiment will be similar to the United States Army Special Forces known as the green beray of the four Ranger regiment battalions two will be deployed to Africa one will focus on Eastern Europe and the fourth will be assigned to the Middle East the Royal Navy is also evolving the Royal Marines through the future Commando Force concept transforming their role from amphibious infantry on standby to a versatile Special Operations capable Force the

Marines will be frequently deployed in two new literal response groups one stationed in northern Europe and the other in the Indian Ocean [Music] the United Kingdom Special Forces UKF is a directorate within the British Armed Forces encompassing all British Special Forces under British Freedom of Information law special forces are defined as those units of the Armed Forces of the crown whose capabilities are maintained by the director of Special Forces or which are currently under the operational command of that director the government and Ministry of Defense adhere to a strict policy of not commenting on the

uksf in 1996 the uksf implemented a confidentiality agreement requiring all serving members to sign a contract that prevents them from disclosing any information without prior mod approval making these units highly classified similar to their American counterparts the British use a tier system to classify their special forces units although this system is unofficial however unlike American Special Forces where tier one units have distinct command and Mission profiles each UKF unit has a specific role and works in coordination with the others it would be misleading to label any uksf unit as tier 2 given their high level

of specialization and expertise nevertheless for the purpose of explanation we will use the tier-based classification system within the uksf there are two types of units those dedicated exclusively to direct action operations are considered Tier 1 units while those primarily providing support to the Tier 1 units are classified as tier 2 often Personnel from tier 2 units serve within tier one units to fulfill specific roles this tier-based classification should not be misunderstood these highly trained individuals excel in their designated roles even though tier 2 units typically Provide support they are fully capable of taking direct action

if needed special forces are sometimes referred to as Force multipliers recognizing that these small teams of operators can achieve results comparable to much larger forces whether integrated with their own military or while training and operating alongside foreign forces the Tier 1 units include the British Army's Special Air Service SAS and the Navy special Boat Service SBS unlike the long and storied histories of these two units the UKF as a directorate is relatively new established in 1987 to provide unified command for both the SAS and SBS in Special Operations however in the early 2000s during the

war on terror and conflicts in the Middle East the uksf recognized the need for highly specialized Personnel for specific roles the special forces units being Limited in number could not operate everywhere or handle every task alone consequently to broaden their capabilities and enhance their effectiveness in specific areas of warfare supporting units were created these supporting units include the special reconnaissance regiment srr the Special Forces support group sfsg the 18 UKF signal regiment and the joint Special Forces Aviation Wing okay Lance let's bring them out right now yeah okay get he's got a [Music] Grenade the

p in right let bring them out let's bring them out the Special Air Service SAS is the primary speci Special Forces Unit of the British army founded in 1941 as a regiment by David Sterling the SAS initially served during World War II After the War the British government saw no further need for the unit and disbanded it on October 8th 1945 however recognizing the need for a long-term deep penetration Commando force a new SAS regiment was formed in 1947 as part of the territorial Army the artist's rifles originally raised in 18 60 and headquartered at

Dukes Road Houston assumed the SAS role as the 21st SAS regiment on January 1st 1947 and was later reconstituted in 1950 to fight in the Korean War the SAS specializes in counterterrorism hostage rescue direct action and special reconnaissance due to the sensitive nature of its operations much of the information about the SAS is highly classified and neither the British government nor the ministry of Defense comments on its activities the SAS is organized into three regiments the 22nd Special Air Service regiment which is the regular component and the 21st artists and 23rd Special Air Service regiments

which serve as Reserve units all regiments operate under the command of United Kingdom Special Forces uksf the 22nd SAS regiment gained International Fame during the 1980 Iranian Embassy Siege in London where it successfully rescued hostage ages with only two fatalities among the captives the uksf does not recruit directly from the public instead all members of the UK armed forces can apply for selection although the majority of candidates traditionally come from the Royal Marines or the parachute regiment selection courses are held twice a year in summer and winter and typically only about 10% of candidates pass

the initial selection process for the reserve components 21 SAS and 23 SAS the selection pathway involves similar elements excluding jungle training but is spread over a longer period to accomodate civilian careers the SAS includes a specialized subunit called the counterterrorist wing ctw previously known as the counterrevolutionary Warfare crw Wing or the special projects team the ctw is trained in Close Quarter battle CQB sniper techniques and hostage rescue operations whether in buildings or on public transport it was formed in the early 1970s after prime minister Edward Heath directed the ministry of Defense to prepare for potential

terrorist attacks inspired by the Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics the first deployment of crw was during the balom street Siege where a provisional Ira unit surrendered after hearing on the BBC that the SAS was being sent in the CW's first documented overseas action was assisting the West German counterterrorism group gsg9 at Mogadishu the SAS has been involved in numerous conflicts including World War II the Malayan emergency as the Malayan Scouts the jbel akar war in Oman and Britain's covert operations during the Soviet Afghan war where they acted as private military contractors training the

Afghan militants they also participated in the fauland war the kovo war the Gulf War notably known for failed Bravo 20 Mission the Iraq War and the war in Afghanistan as part of the war on terror following the September 11 [Music] attacks the fighting is so Fierce no one seems to be aware of the cameraman's presence it's Sunday the 25th of November and the Rebellion by Taliban prisoners in the fort has started some of the westerners have unmistakable British accents yeah what the gas mate right sh close it right down mate [Applause] complete we got fast

air coming in as Darkness Falls the British soldiers continue to battle it out Amnesty International has called for an inquiry into the circumstances of the death of so many Taliban prisoners now that it's clear from these pictures that British Special Forces were closely involved in the fighting attempts may be made to draw them into the investigation but it's equally clear that they were operating in a very [Music] hostile the special Boat Service SBS the sister unit of the SAS is the primary Special Forces Unit of the royal Navy the SBS traces its Origins back to

the second world war with the formation of the army special boat section in 1940 following the war the Royal Navy established its own special forces undergoing several name changes from the special Boat Company in 1951 to the special boat Squadron in 1974 until it was renamed the special Boat Service in 1987 when it assumed responsibility for maritime counterterrorism most SBS operations are highly classified and rarely commented on by the British government or the ministry of Defense due to their sensitive nature while BS operators are primarily recruited from the Royal Marines Commandos candidates from any branch

of the Armed Forces can apply the principal roles of the SBS include Special Operations such as direct action counterterrorism surveillance and reconnaissance and anti-piracy missions the operational capabilities of the SBS and SAS are broadly similar however as the principal Royal Navy contribution to UK Special Forces the SBS has specialized training and equipment to operate in Maritime amphibious and riverine environments both units are under the operational command of the directorate of Special Forces DSF and undergo an identical selection process SBS candidates participate in joint Special Forces selection JSF alongside SAS candidates with their training diverging after

the JSF course ends the JSF course lasts approximately 6 months and is divided into multiple phases including aptitude phase combat training and training in Jungle environments it also includes training in Escape and evasion and resistance to interrogation RTI originally the SBS had a separate selection program to qualify as a swimmer canoeist which is a designation for those who is trained in scuba diving and underwater operations but this was integrated into the joint uksf selection process while the SBS was once staffed almost exclusively by Royal Marines today candidates from all branches of his Majesty's armed forces

are eligible for selection with about 40% of UK Special Forces recruits coming from the Royal Marines selection courses are held twice yearly in winter and summer and candidates must have at least two years of regular service to apply after passing joint uksf selection SPS candidates continue to the swimmer canoeist third class sc3 course also known as the Boating and Diving course this 8we course covers specialized Maritime skills such as canoeing diving boating underwater navigation demolition negotiating surf zones and submarine infiltration and includes a 34m or 55 km canoe test successful completion of the sc3 course

marks the end of the selection process after which the candidates join an operational troop on probation as SBS members gain experience and rank they Advance through the more advanced SC2 and SC1 courses for selection into the SBS Reserve only candidates with prior military experience are eligible training takes place in the south of England and involves a rigorous 4-day initial selection course that includes various physical tests such as combat Fitness and swimming like the SAS the SBS has been deployed in numerous conflicts including the Gulf War Iraq war Afghanistan and Libya although most of their missions

remain classified that have dominated the work of Special Forces for the past two decades are winding down so the type of man hunting or door kicking performed thousands of times in Iraq and Afghanistan is now being conducted less often and Military Chiefs s Keen to switch some of that capacity as it frees up the new plan involves boosting the role of the special reconnaissance regiment the UK's military covert surveillance Specialists they would Mount long-term op operations often Undercover the SAS and SBS would form regionally task now let's explore the Lesser known special forces units under

the UKF that primarily Provide support to the SAS and SBS the special reconnaissance regiment is a specialized reconnaissance unit within the British army established on April 6 2005 under the United Kingdom Special Forces uksf the srr conducts a wide range of classified activities related to covert surveillance and reconnaissance its primary role is to identify and monitor targets through surveillance and infiltration teams enabling other units like the SAS and SBS to attack and eliminate these targets effectively the srr was specifically formed to relieve the SAS and SPS of surveillance duties the regiment operates globally and works

closely with MI5 MI6 and foreign intelligence agencies the srr was built around existing assets believed to be an illusion to the Joint commun Communications unit Northern Ireland jcu ni popularly known as 14 intelligence company or 14 int or the Detachment or the debt which performed a similar role against Irish Republican and Loyalist terrorism in Northern Ireland since the 1970s the srr absorbed 14 int incorporating the surveillance skills developed by 14 int the SAS and other units over Decades of close Target reconnaissance missions in hostile environments little public information is available regarding Recruitment and selection for

the srr the srr has been actively involved in various conflicts including the Iraq War the war in Afghanistan Libya Yemen and Somalia they also play a critical role in countering Islamic terrorism within the United Kingdom due to the sensitive nature of their work most of their operations remain highly classified Personnel in the srr retain the uniforms of their parent organizations with the addition of an emerald gray Beret and the srr cap badge the 18 UKF signal regiment is a unit of the royal Corps of signals within the British army under uksf providing Communications and information

systems CIS support to the United Kingdom Special Forces it operates under the command of the director of Special Forces and was formed around the existing communication capabilities of the SAS and SBS the regiment traces its Origins to the 18 signal regiment which was established in 1959 in Singapore as part of the Far East land forces and was disbanded on December 1st 1971 reestablished in April 2005 simultaneously with the special reconnaissance regiment srr 18 uksf signal regiment was formed to enhance the existing communication capabilities of the SAS and SBS it incorporates 200 67 srr signal Squadron

which supports the srr and 268 uksf signal Squadron which absorb the Strategic Communications element from 264 SAS signal Squadron known for its longrange Communications capabilities in 2014 63 SAS signal Squadron was redesignated as 63 uksf signal Squadron serving as the regiment's reserve unit the primary mission of the 18 uksf signal regiment is to provide military CIS capabilities to enable UK Special Forces operations worldwide in support of government foreign security and defense policies this includes delivering highly secure Communications for uksf operations providing electronic warfare and signals intelligence for Special Forces missions intercepting and monitoring enemy Communications

at short range under challenging conditions for strategic purposes Personnel in the 18 UKF signal regiment are highly trained Tred in all aspects of communications and given the likelihood of accompanying uksf units on operations are also skilled in specialized military techniques such as parachuting escape and evasion the Special Forces communicators sfc course at 18 uksf signal regiment is open to all volunteers from any branch of the regular Armed Forces Royal Navy Royal Marines British Army and Royal Air Force as well as reserved candidates applicants must first pass a 5-day briefing course course followed by a 25-week

UK Special Forces communicators course to qualify as an sfc before attempting the UK sfcc candidates May attend a 3-we sfc preparation course to enhance their Readiness aspirants should prepare for the sfc briefing course by focusing on map Reading practical navigation physical development and basic CIS knowledge as advised by the recruiting and induction cell additionally candidates May attend one of the two sfc preparation courses held each year which is designed to better prepare them for the aptitude and CIS phases of uksf selection while offering further preparation Guidance the UK sfcc consists of six phases technical trade

assessment General support Communications physical aptitude close support Communications conduct after capture and Special Forces parachute training applicants for Reserve service in the 63 uksf signal Squadron must pass an assessment course conducted over 3 weekends and complete a two-e royal signals Communications training course to be deemed fit for appointment they are then posted to the Squadron for a probationary year during which they must complete mandatory courses and a two-e training exercise to achieve fit for mobilization status [Music] [Music] the Special Forces support group sfsg is Britain's newest Special Operations unit formed on April 3rd 206 around

a core component of the first Battalion parachute regiment one par which had fulfilled fed a similar role in previous operations as a result one par is a key part of the sfsg along with additional Personnel from the Royal Marines and the Royal Air Force regiment the sfsg provides direct infantry and specialized support to the SAS SBS srr and other Special Operations the sfsg is a part of the United Kingdom Special Forces uksf Group which is commanded by the director of Special Forces the creation of the sfsg was driven by the need for specialized infantry support

for UK Special Forces a need that became evident after the battle of torab Bora during which two special Boat Service squadrons assaulted an Al-Qaeda cave complex the unit's formation was officially announced by the then Secretary of State for defense John Reed in Parliament on April 20th 2006 it was established to support British special forces units in overseas operations and domestic counterterrorism activities initially the s FSG was composed of personnel from the British Army's parachute regiment the Royal Marines and the RAF regiment but it is now open to all members of the UK's Armed Forces who

have passed a parachute or Commando course the sfsg primary role is to provide direct or specialized support to special forces units it is also highly trained in Special Operations counterterrorism and direct action the sfsg is principal responsibilities include providing direct support to uksf intervention operations reinforcing uksf capabilities and offering specialized training and support for domestic counterterrorism CT operations Personnel are equipped and trained specifically for these roles additionally the sfsg performs several other duties that complement its primary Mission including acting as a quick reaction force for SAS s SPS operations sealing off and guarding areas of

operation participating in large scale offensive operations alongside SAS s SPS forces conducting secondary assaults and diversionary raids acting as a blocking Force against counterattacks training and mentoring foreign military forces chemical biological radiological and nuclear cbrn detection and protection providing domestic antiterrorist support during the Iraq War the sfsg was part of Task Force black and task force Knight which included a rotational British Special Air Service saber Squadron and a platoon of sfsg paratroopers also known as task force maroon during the bazra prison incident an sfsg platoon accompanied the a scadron of 22 Special Air Service to

bazra to assist in recovering two detained SAS operatives sfsg paratroopers supported SAS around Baghdad usually by securing areas where the SAS were conducting missions in late 2005 and early 2006 the sfsg took part in operation lightwater and supported B Squadron 22 SAS during operation Larchwood 4 where they eliminated a terrorist attempting to hide under a car members of the sfsg and SAS often wore American Army Combat Uniforms ACU or desert camouflage uniforms DCU to blend in with American special forces units an sfsg company was deployed to Afghanistan in 2006 to support the SBS and srr

as part of operation Kindle the uksf deployment known as task force 42 on September 9th 2009 the special Boat Service reported by the sfsg conducted a mission to rescue Steven Ferrell a journalist held captive by Taliban insurgents in a safe house in the chard Dara District of kundus Province the sfsg has conducted operations in Helman Province alongside the United States Marine Corps and often carries out unilateral raids similar to those by the US army rangers acting primarily as blocking and quick reaction forces for tier one units the sfsg also serves as the hunter force during

the survival evasion resist assistance and Escape phase of uksf selection additionally a rotating company group within the sfsg is trained in counterterrorism to support the on call SAS or SBS squadrons members of the sfsg wear the cap badge and Beret of their parent units but they also wear the unit's DZ flash a lightning bolt superimposed on a downward pointing Excalibur on the right hand sleeve The Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing JSF aw is a joint service organization of the royal Air Force RAF and the British army that coordinates Aviation support for the United Kingdom Special

Forces the wing operates under the peacetime command of the station commander of RAF odm although the Army and RAF retained full command over their respective Personnel the primary roles of JSF aw include providing Aviation support for Special Operations and transportation for special forces units the wing was established on April 2 2001 to unite 657 Squadron of the Army Air corps AAC which operated the Westland lyx ah9 helicopter and number seven Squadron of the royal Air Force which operated the Boeing chanuk hc2 helicopter under a single command in 2006 651 Squadron AAC was reformed at Raf

odam to operate the fixed-wing Britain Norman Defender 4000 and was incorporated into the wing in July 2008 the Squadron relocated to R RAF Alder Grove becoming part of five regiment AAC in 2008 number eight flight AAC which operated a covert Fleet of military registered Eurocopter as365 N3 Dolphin 2 helicopters in civilian Livery was also incorporated into the wing in September 2013 this flight was redesignated as 658 Squadron in May 2018 number 657 Squadron AAC was disbanded following the retirement of the lyx helicopters on January 31st 2018 with budget constraints preventing the purchase of replacement aircraft

it was reported that an army aircore Special Forces flight of 2 to four Augusta Westland Wildcat helicopters named the Special Forces Wildcat flight would be established today the joint Special Forces Aviation Wing consists of seven Squadron RAF and 658 Squadron AAC e Squadron formerly known as the increment is a British paramilitary unit responsible for conducting covert and paramilitary operations at the direction of the director of Special Forces and the chief of the secret intelligence service sis its members are selected from the United Kingdom Special Forces UKF and defense intelligence and are trained to work closely

with the sis also known as MI6 e Squadron operates as a paramilitary force under the oversight of MI6 while it is believed they assist MI6 officers in extractions and undercover missions the unit's precise activities remain highly classified with neither the British government nor MI6 officially acknowledging its existence however the name e Squadron was publicly mentioned in a 2021 email from the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defense despite the sis consistently denying its involvement in arming officers or conducting paramilitary and Special Operations evidence to the contrary has surface through accounts from former sis Personnel particularly those involved

with British government paramilitary units e squadron's members drawn from elite units such as the SAS and SBS are deployed for high-risk missions including assassinations sabotage and other operations that the government may prefer to disassociate from I hope you enjoy this video if you do please consider liking it leaving a comment and subscribing and I will see you next time [Music]