special forces unit united_kingdom special reconnaissance regiment form come joint control director special forces described naval special forces united_kingdom sister unit operational capabilities units broadly similar principal royal_navy contribution additional training equipment lead maritime amphibious environments units come operational command special forces undergo identical selection process enjoy significant training operations times armed conflict war required operate small parties enemy controlled territory operations nature require men courage high morale excellent tactical awareness knowledge special tactics simply knowing place unit self discipline ties intelligence reliability determination physically fit key skills men possess mental moral physical stamina principal roles surveillance reconnaissance including information reporting target acquisition including direction air strikes artillery naval gunfire designation precision guided munitions use integral weapons support influence including overseas training tasks provide immediate response military counter terrorism maritime counter terrorism teams trace origins second world war formed special boat section special boat squadron second world war 1980s manned ranks drawn royal marines carries role similar traditionally stronger focus amphibious operations training involves parachute exercises helicopter training boat training recruits chance earn licence squadrons general operations rotate known operates land recent operations mountains afghanistan iraq main tasks include intelligence gathering counter terrorism operations surveillance offensive action sabotage disruption enemy infrastructure capture specific individuals close protection senior politicians military personnel plus reconnaissance direct action foreign territory history second world war founded july commando officer commando recruit sent scotland unsuccessful initial attempts convince admiral fleet sir later admiral commander idea folding brigade effective decided infiltrate infantry anchored ship climbed aboard wrote initials door captain cabin stole deck gun cover presented cover group high ranking royal_navy officers meeting nearby hotel promoted captain given command men special boat service special boat section initially named type folding canoe employed raiding operations renamed special boat section early attached moved middle_east later worked 1st based alexandria carried beach reconnaissance rhodes evacuated troops left crete number small scale raids operations december returned united_kingdom formed attached section june took crete airfield raids september carried raid airfields island rhodes men returned destroying aircraft fuel dump numerous buildings surviving men hide countryside days reach waiting submarine rhodes raid absorbed casualties suffered april 1st divided men forming special boat squadron command moved trained operations later operated groups islands campaign took greek sacred band took successful raid july entire german garrison killed captured august joined operations adriatic albania finally effective men held german divisions war use special boat squadron instead retained special boat section accompanied major general ashore landings november later group based march carried beach reconnaissance landings raid crete moving ceylon work force later rest operating rivers burma campaign postwar commando disbanded functional title adopted school combined operations command missions palestine ordnance removal removal ships went serve korean war deployed operations north korean coast operating enemy lines destroying lines communication installations gathering intelligence korean war started operating submarines teams held combat readiness egypt case coup turned violent alerted crisis coup king libya cases action teams carried reconnaissance missions year iraq threatened invade kuwait time detachment came prominence members combined team atlantic_ocean bomb threat board cruise liner queen thorough search ship found evidence device drawing conclusion hoax special boat squadron changed relinquished north_sea oil rig protection invasion deployed losses war occurred operating lines members shot patrol mistaken renamed alongside gulf war amphibious role assigned area operations line drawn middle iraq operate west line east searching mobile area contained mass cable provided iraq intelligence location main junction miles baghdad january operators inserted helicopters squadron raf area iraqi ground air forces spies avoided destroyed yard section cable explosives destroying left iraqi communication grid carried high profile operations liberated kuwait helicopters embassy responsible carrying raids coast effect diverted number iraqi troops area operations away main thrust coalition build september involved operations small team landed drove hercules transport aircraft international airport 21st century september involved operation hostage rescue operation november extensive role invasion afghanistan involved vital phases invasion afghanistan small contingent secured prior deployment larger forces main staging area allied forces operation enduring freedom members helped quell prison revolt battle near november invasion iraq squadron involved fierce commended senior british officials men squadron sign zero travelled iraq surrender iraqi sign engaged fierce saw vehicles destroyed squadron escaped splitting men escaped syria squadron month tour early corporal operator attached killed iraqi insurgents house house search wanted high ranking terrorist compound october combat casualty iraq war active task force black squadron deployed baghdad task force month deployment mounted raids spring director british special forces deployments afghanistan responsibility iraq 22nd spring british military deployed troops southern afghanistan assigned lead supporting deployment main objective later british special forces units forces targeting leaders drug barons stick tactics june captain sources killed seriously injured ambush province southern afghanistan patrol arrested organisers ambushed large force vehicles destroyed team pursued insurgents rescued platoon supported british aircraft chaos separated main group bodies later found member awarded team killed leader province raid compound associates meeting september members italian commando rescued italian intelligence officers kidnapped near kidnapped days mission successful officers rescued killed february leader sub commanders travelling desert province ambushed killed unit dropped path helicopter february members took resulted seizure million heroin killing insurgents september joint team supported rescued times journalist captured july whilst carrying operation insurgents corporal killed heavy whilst clearing compound result actions operation awarded april attack operators cleared central location overlooking foreign february civil war bbc reported assisted evacuation oil workers flights hercules airfield near march small team attempted rescue hostages british italian held nigeria members terrorist organisation loyal hostages killed rescue attempt hostage reportedly killed captain serving killed bullets conducting operation suppress joint forces raid air support insurgents valley east ahead afghanistan elections present day organisation comment special forces matters little information exists public domain director special forces based barracks renamed reformed lines man troops instead traditional sections men time qualified personnel known swimmer experts swimming diving navigation demolition reconnaissance active squadrons reserve unit joined 1980s instead squadron tasked permanent role unit adopted system squadron rotation squadron example december squadron role called intercept squadron deployed afghanistan squadron squadron squadron squadron reserve provides individual augment regular forming independent teams candidates previous military experience eligible enlist located locations united_kingdom training carried recruitment selection training past staffed entirely volunteers taken branches volunteers predominantly come candidates wishing serve completed years regular service accepted completion selection process recently independent selection programme order qualify selection program integrated joint selection alongside candidates male members united_kingdom armed forces considered special forces selection historically majority candidates airborne forces background selections year winter summer instructors members loaded selection course candidate complete week course tests candidates physical fitness looks willingness conduct water borne operations course broken main parts selection continuation training selection phase hill phase weeks phase conducted designed select individuals suitable training initial weeks devoted gradual physical training progressive exercises designed develop physical navigational ability volunteers expected complete day course exercise high walk fan dance place day takes form escorted hill march approximately assessment marches additional time added weather conditions exercise high walk identifies individuals adequately prepared continue course training initial period directed preparing volunteers test week fourth final week test week consists timed marches conducted consecutive days followed final endurance march completed hours bergen weights carried test week increase endurance march addition rifle carried marches volunteers required pass swimming test consists high water entry water minutes followed immediately swim wearing test finishes underwater swim including small weight weeks pass phase undertake intensive period instruction assessment including weapons majority period spent jungle environment suitable training ideal achieve purpose phase training aimed discovering individual qualities continuation training consists tactical training temperate jungle environments lasts weeks conducted employment training weeks employment training consists surveillance reconnaissance training weeks army combat survival weeks parachute training weeks counter terrorist course weeks signals training week patrol training squadron induction training weeks week officers week potential officers end resistance interrogation phase surviving candidates transferred operational squadron accepted operational squadron candidates complete course course lasts months covers long distance open sea poor weather underwater maritime counter terrorism practised completing year probation reserve selection selection candidates previous military experience eligible enlist training carried candidates required complete following tests day initial selection course carrying hour minutes swim test stroke uniform retrieve object gym tests advanced carrying advanced carrying wear green commando cap badge
Special Boat Service