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.
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.
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.
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)
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Last updated:
05/09/96