Special Boat Service

The Special Boat Service (SBS) is the British Royal Navy's and Royal Marines? Special Forces unit. The service's motto is Not by Strength, By Guile. It forms part of the United Kingdom Special Forces, alongside the Special Air Service (SAS) and the Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR).

Role

The SBS?s role is not confined to seaborne and maritime operations ? their responsibilities do not end at the tide line. SBS training concentrates on swimming, demolitions, diving, infiltrating ships at sea and oil platforms, and parachuting. Klepper canoes are standard issue. They are also trained to parachute and to undertake high-speed rope deployments from helicopters.

Related Topics:
Klepper canoe - Parachute - Helicopter

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The SBS is thought to have a complement of around 100 "swimmer canoeists" at any one time. These are split into three main groups.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• C squadron is responsible for canoe and diving operations.
• M squadron concentrates on counterterrorist and shipboard operations.
• S squadron takes care of small watercraft and minisub insertions. In addition, inside M squadron there is a Black Troop, a counterterrorist team that specialises in helicopter assaults.

SBS veterans include British politician Paddy Ashdown, former leader of the Liberal Democrats, and British author and travel writer Eric Newby.

Related Topics:
Paddy Ashdown - Liberal Democrats - Eric Newby

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~