SPECIAL BOAT SERVICE (SBS)

OVERVIEW

SBS Logo The SBS is a, somewhat unfairly, much less well known British elite special forces unit. Some people consider the SBS to be a better, and more highly trained organisation than the SAS. The author of these pages will not get involved in such an esoteric argument. It should however be noted that the SBS is a more specialist force than the SAS, its speciality being naval and amphibious operations. It is also a more select organisation, with far fewer members (although it does draw from a smaller organisation).
The Special Boat Service was formerly known as the Special Boat Squadron.

EQUIVALENT INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

SEa Air Land (SEALs): US elite special forces unit
The Röjdykarna (Swedish Navy's Mineclearance Diving Unit), are not an equivalent to the SBS, but a subset of the SBS's skills would include mineclearance diving.

ABOUT THE ORGANISATION

The SBS Headquarters is RM Poole in Dorset.
The SBS is about a fifth the size of the SAS, around 90-100 men, whose average age is 23. The members of the SBS are drawn exclusively from the Royal Marines. The selection process is different from that of the SAS in that a lot of the emphasis is placed on swimming and diving.
The SBS and SAS now train together on common skills, such as their anti-terrorism roles.

ACTIVITIES

In an article on Paddy Ashdown MP (the Liberal Party Leader), who has been the focus of a recent series of threats and attacks, The Telegraph reported that the MP was a former member of the "Special Boat Squadron". Could they mean the SBS? (The Telegraph 05/02/96)

SKMI5MI6GCHQSASSBSOTHERSLINKSWHYWHO

For the graphically impaired:
 [ SK | MI5 | MI6 | GCHQ | SAS | SBS | OTHERS | LINKS | WHY? | WHO
]

Please check out the disclaimer

Last updated:
05/09/96