Special Boat Service
| Special Boat Service | |
|---|---|
Emblem and Motto of the SBS
|
|
| Active | 1940–present |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 Naval Service
|
| Type | Special forces |
| Role |
Special operations Counter-terrorism |
| Size | One Regiment |
| Part of | United Kingdom Special Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | RM Poole |
| Motto(s) | "By strength and guile" |
| Engagements |
Second World War |
| Commanders | |
| Captain-General | HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (Captain-General, Royal Marines) |
| Colonel of the Regiment |
Admiral of the Fleet The Lord Boyce |
Second World War
Korean War
Indonesian Confrontation
Falklands War
Persian Gulf War
Operation Barras
War on Terror
The Special Boat Service (SBS) is the special forces unit of the Naval Service of the United Kingdom. Together with the Special Air Service, Special Reconnaissance Regiment and the Special Forces Support Group, they form the United Kingdom Special Forces and come under joint control of the same Director Special Forces.
The Special Boat Service is described as the naval special forces of the United Kingdom and the sister unit of the SAS. The operational capabilities of both units are broadly similar. However, the SBS (being the principal Royal Navy contribution to UKSF) has the additional training and equipment to lead in the maritime, amphibious and riverine environments. Both units come under the operational command of HQ Directorate of Special Forces (DSF) and undergo an identical selection process, enjoy significant interoperability in training and on operations.
In times of armed conflict and war, the Special Boat Service (SBS) and 22 Special Air Service Regiment (22 SAS) are required to operate in small parties in enemy-controlled territory. Operations of this nature require men of courage and high morale who have excellent tactical awareness be it knowledge of special tactics or simply knowing one's place in a polyvalent unit. Self-discipline neatly ties into this. Intelligence, reliability, determination and also being physically fit are key skills.
Principal roles of the SBS are Surveillance Reconnaissance (SR), including information reporting and target acquisition; Offensive Action (OA), including direction of air strikes, artillery and naval gunfire, designation for precision guided munitions, use of integral weapons and demolitions; and Support and Influence (SI), including overseas training tasks. The SBS also provide immediate response Military Counter Terrorism (CT) and Maritime Counter Terrorism (MCT) teams.
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Wikipedia