Special Forces Support Group

Last updated

Special Forces Support Group
Insigne du Special Forces Support Group (SFSG).svg
Drop-zone flash worn by SFSG operators. [1]
Active3 April 2006 – present [2] [3]
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
BranchTri-service
Type Special Forces
Role Special operations
Counter-terrorism
Direct action
SizeOne battalion
Part of United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
Garrison/HQ MOD St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom [2]
Engagements

The Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) is a special forces unit of the British Armed Forces. The SFSG was formed officially on 3 April 2006 to provide support to the Special Air Service, the Special Boat Service and the Special Reconnaissance Regiment on operations. It is a tri-service unit, composed of the 1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (1 PARA), a company of Royal Marine Commandos (F Coy), and a flight (platoon) from the Royal Air Force Regiment. [4]

Contents

The SFSG also acts as the hunter force during the SERE phase of the UKSF Selection; in addition, the SFSG also has a rotating company group trained in Counter Terrorism (CT) to support the on-call SAS or SBS squadrons on CT rotation. [5]

History

Formation

The Special Forces Support Group Inaugural Parade at RAF St Athan on 11 May 2006 Special Forces Support Group Inaugural Parade at RAF St Athan, Wales on Thursday 11th May 2006. MOD 45146159.jpg
The Special Forces Support Group Inaugural Parade at RAF St Athan on 11 May 2006

The unit's creation stems from the need to provide infantry support to the United Kingdom Special Forces, which became evident after the Battle of Tora Bora during which two Special Boat Service (SBS) squadrons assaulted the al-Qaeda cave complex. [6]

During Operation Barras in Sierra Leone, soldiers from 1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment were deployed alongside troops from the SBS and D Squadron, Special Air Service (SAS). This was successful, as the SAS soldiers attacked the encampment containing the hostages while the soldiers from The Parachute Regiment attacked a second encampment. [7]

In December 2004, it was announced that a unit would be formalised for this role as part of the wider future army structure. It was initially conceived as a battalion of "Rangers", similar to the United States Army Rangers. [8] The SFSG's formation was announced officially by the then Secretary of State for Defence John Reid in Parliament on 20 April 2006. [2] It was established to support British special forces units in battle overseas and on domestic "counter-terrorist" operations. [7] The unit comprises a battalion of Parachute Regiment soldiers, a company of Royal Marine commandos, and a small platoon of RAF Regiment gunners. All soldiers selected for the SFSG have passed either the P Company selection course run by the Parachute Regiment, the All Arms Commando Course or the RAF Regiment Pre-Parachute selection course. [9] Royal Marines and RAF Regiment gunners are sourced from across their respective Corps. [9]

Operations

SFSG members in a CH-53D Sea Stallion during a joint UKSF/US Marine mission in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. 27 April 2011 USMC-110429-M-AN675-002.jpg
SFSG members in a CH-53D Sea Stallion during a joint UKSF/US Marine mission in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. 27 April 2011

During the Iraq War, the SFSG was part of Task Force Black/Knight which was composed of a rotational British SAS sabre squadron and a platoon of paratroopers from the SFSG (also known as Task Force Maroon). During the Basra prison incident, a platoon of SFSG accompanied A Squadron 22 SAS to Basra to assist in recovering the two detained SAS operatives. [11] Paratroopers from the SFSG supported SAS operations around Baghdad usually cordoning off areas where the SAS were carrying out their missions. [12] In late 2005/early 2006, the SFSG took part in Operation Lightwater [13] The SFSG platoon in Iraq supported B Squadron 22 SAS during Operation Larchwood 4, killing one terrorist when he ran out of the target building and hid under a car. [14] Members of the SFSG and the SAS often wore American Army Combat Uniform (ACU) or Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU) to blend in when operating alongside American JSOC units. [15]

An SFSG member and a US Marine disembarking from a CH-53 Sea Stallion after a joint operation in Helmand Province 31 August 2013 HMH-462 Supports 2-8, ATF-444 and British Soldiers in Qal'ah-ye Badam 130831-M-SA716-197.jpg
An SFSG member and a US Marine disembarking from a CH-53 Sea Stallion after a joint operation in Helmand Province 31 August 2013

An SFSG company was deployed to Afghanistan in 2006 to support the SBS and SRR as part of Operation Kindle, the UKSF deployment to Afghanistan (known as Task Force 42). [17] On 9 September 2009, the Special Boat Service, supported by the SFSG, conducted a mission to rescue Stephen Farrell; a journalist captured and held at a Taliban safehouse in Char Dara District, Kunduz Province, by Taliban insurgents. The UKSF team was inserted by helicopters from the 160th SOAR, the SBS assaulted the safehouse whilst the SFSG set up a cordon. Farrell was rescued and a number of Taliban were killed, however one member of the SFSG was killed as well as Farrell's Afghan interpreter and two civilians. [18] [19] [20] Between 18–29 December 2009, a company from the SFSG mentored two patrols from Afghan Task Force (ATF) 444-the Afghan special operations group for Helmand Province-during Operation Tor Shpa'h. [21]

The SFSG have been known to carry out operations in Helmand Province with the United States Marine Corps; they also often conduct unilateral raids (similar to the US Army Rangers), but typically act as both blocking and quick reaction forces for 'Tier 1' units. [22] In August 2013, The Daily Telegraph reported that the SFSG, worked hand-in-hand with an elite unit of Afghan commandos, known as Task Force 444, throughout Helmand Province. The unit's A Company arrived in Afghanistan in January for a six-month tour and went on to mount relentless raids against the Taliban. The Ministry of Defence sources confirmed that the SFSG and Afghan strike forces led a series of raids on suspected Taliban bomb-makers in May after three British soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb at the end of April; the raids continued for two or three times a week afterwards. Also the unit targeted insurgent supply lines in the desert near the border with Pakistan, and Taliban bases in the centre of the province. [23] In 2014, the SFSG maintained a high operational tempo months after the official end of offensive operations by UK forces.

Organisation

The structure of the SFSG is as follows:

Provides direct and in-direct fire support to the SFSG Strike Companies.

(HMG, GMG, GPMG, Javelin).

A relatively recent (2018) restructuring of the SFSG has resulted in the creation of R Coy, which is configured as the unit's ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance) and communications specialists. Sniper Platoon Provides sniper teams to support other SFSG elements.

Carries out reconnaissance.

Provides signals detachments to other SFSG elements.

Intelligence Corps personnel attached to the SFSG provide operational intelligence.


The Royal Marines elements form approximately one platoon strength within each of A, B, and C Companies. The RAF Regiment also provide a platoon in B company and forward air controllers to direct close air support. The Support company comprises mortar, sniper, and patrol platoons. [9] The Patrol platoon operates vehicles, including the Jackal.

There is also a RAF Regiment CBRN unit assigned to the SFSG to provide specialised knowledge and capability to military and civilian agencies in detection and handling of chemical, biological, and radiological/nuclear weapons and materials. [9]

Uniform distinctions

Members of the SFSG wear the cap badge and beret of their parent unit, however the unit's DZ Flash—a lightning bolt superimposed on a downwards pointing Excalibur—is worn on the right-hand sleeve. [1] [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Anaconda</span> 2002 military offensive against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban during the War in Afghanistan

Operation Anaconda or the Battle of Shah-i-Kot was a military operation that took place in early March 2002 as part of the War in Afghanistan. CIA paramilitary officers, working with their allies, attempted to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban forces. The operation took place in the Shah-i-Kot Valley and Arma Mountains southeast of Zormat. This operation was the first large-scale battle in the post-2001 War in Afghanistan since the Battle of Tora Bora in December 2001. This was the first operation in the Afghanistan theater to involve a large number of U.S. forces participating in direct combat activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Air Service</span> Special forces of the British Army

The Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. It was founded as a regiment in 1941 by David Stirling, and in 1950 it was reconstituted as a corps. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, direct action and special reconnaissance. Much of the information about the SAS is highly classified, and the unit is not commented on by either the British government or the Ministry of Defence due to the secrecy and sensitivity of its operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Boat Service</span> Special forces unit of the Royal Navy

The Special Boat Service (SBS) is the special forces unit of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. The SBS can trace its origins back to the Second World War when the Army Special Boat Section was formed in 1940. After the Second World War, the Royal Navy formed special forces with several name changes—Special Boat Company was adopted in 1951 and re-designated as the Special Boat Squadron in 1974—until on 28 July 1987 when the unit was renamed as the Special Boat Service after assuming responsibility for maritime counter-terrorism. Most of the operations conducted by the SBS are highly classified, and are rarely commented on by the British government or the Ministry of Defence, owing to their sensitive nature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Air Service Regiment</span> Special forces unit of the Australian Army

The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR though commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army. Formed in 1957 as a company, it was modelled on the British SAS with which it shares the motto, "Who Dares Wins". Expanded to a regiment in August 1964, it is based at Campbell Barracks, in Swanbourne, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, and is a direct command unit of the Special Operations Command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)</span> US Army special operations helicopter unit

The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), abbreviated as 160th SOAR (A), is a special operations force of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for special operations forces. Its missions have included attack, assault, and reconnaissance, and these missions are usually conducted at night, at high speeds, low altitudes, and on short notice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GROM Military Unit</span> Polish special forces unit

The Home Army Silent Unseen Paratroopers GROM Military Unit, simply known as the GROM Military Unit, is a Polish special forces unit and forms part of the Special Troops Command of the Polish Armed Forces. It is believed to consist of around 250 operatives plus support personnel. GROM is considered to be the most elite unit in the Polish Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Task Force 20</span> Military unit

Task Force 20 is a temporary combat force designation that has been used several times and may still be used by separate parts of the United States armed forces. The longer-established iteration was a part of the United States Second Fleet in the Atlantic from after the Second World War. This was part of the formal United States Military Communications-Electronic Board system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Reconnaissance Regiment</span> Special forces regiment of the British Army

The Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR) is a tier 1 special reconnaissance unit of the British Army. It was established on 6 April 2005 and is part of the United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team</span> Active British Army formation

16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, known simply as 16 Air Assault Brigade from 1999 – 2021, is a formation of the British Army predominantly based in Colchester, Essex. It makes up the Air Assault Task Force, a battlegroup held at high readiness, and is the only brigade in the British Army focused on operating via parachute, helicopter and air-landing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pathfinder Platoon</span> Military unit

The Pathfinder Platoon is a pathfinder unit of the British Army, and an integral part of 16 Air Assault Brigade. The Pathfinder Platoon acts as the brigade's advance force and reconnaissance force. Its role includes locating and marking drop zones and helicopter landing zones for air landing operations. Once the main force has landed, the platoon provides tactical intelligence and offensive action roles for the brigade.

The history of the British Army's Special Air Service (SAS) regiment of the British Army begins with its formation during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, and continues to the present day. It includes its early operations in North Africa, the Greek Islands, and the Invasion of Italy. The Special Air Service then returned to the United Kingdom and was formed into a brigade with two British, two French and one Belgian regiment, and went on to conduct operations in France, Italy again, the Low Countries and finally into Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Participants in Operation Enduring Freedom</span> Countries that partook in the 2001 United States-led invasion of Afghanistan

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, several nations took on Al-Qaeda and the Taliban during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan. OEF was the initial combat operations starting on 7 October 2001, in the wake of the 11 September attacks on the United States, and during 2002 and 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joint Special Operations Command Task Force in the Iraq War</span> Special operations unit

The Joint Special Operations Command Task Force which fought in the Iraq War was a joint U.S. and British special operations temporary grouping assembled from different units. It has been described as a "hunter-killer team" with its core made up of the United States Army's 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta and the 75th Ranger Regiment, as well as the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group and members of the United States Air Force's 24th Special Tactics Squadron, all under Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and elements from the United Kingdom Special Forces, including the Special Air Service, Special Boat Service (SBS), Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR), 18 (UKSF) Signal Regiment and the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG). The task force was reported to be responsible for the cross border raid into Syria from Iraq in October 2008 that resulted in eight deaths including Abu Ghadiya, along with several US operations in the Horn of Africa targeting al-Qaeda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Rhino</span> Military operation by the US Army in Afghanistan

Operation Rhino was a raid led by the United States Army's 75th Ranger Regiment and, who were led by Colonel Joseph Votel, and other SOCOM units on several Taliban targets in and around Kandahar, Afghanistan during the invasion of Afghanistan at the start of the War in Afghanistan. The operation was motivated by a desire for the White House and Tommy Franks to capture video footage of special forces parachuting deep into enemy territory. Intelligence reports at the time indicated that the targeted airfield was empty, leading them to believe that the Rangers would face no resistance from the Taliban. The operation has faced subsequent criticism for its focus on media portrayal rather than solely military objectives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2nd Commando Regiment (Australia)</span> Unit of the Australian Army

The 2nd Commando Regiment is a special forces unit of the Australian Army and is part of Special Operations Command. The regiment was established on 19 June 2009 when the 4th Battalion RAR (Commando) was renamed. It is based at Holsworthy, New South Wales. The 2nd Commando Regiment trains and has served with coalition special forces units, and is highly regarded by these units. The regiment has been involved in operations in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan, where it was used in a direct action warfighting role. It has also been involved in domestic security operations including the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 2014 G20 Leaders Summit. The regiment is the Command's capability lead for strike and recovery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special forces</span> Military units trained to conduct special operations

Special forces or special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment".

The following lists events that happened during 2006 in Afghanistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regimental Reconnaissance Company</span> US Army special operations unit

The 75th Ranger Regiment's Regimental Reconnaissance Company is an elite special operations force that has been a member of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) since 2005. The unit is believed to have become part of JSOC due to its extensive training and unique capabilities to conduct special reconnaissance and close target reconnaissance (CTR) operations, and advanced force operations (AFO).

Operation Trent was an operation by Special Air Service (SAS) elements of the British Army, the largest known post-WWII operation in SAS history. Tony Blair had requested that the SAS be allowed an operation. The operation was carried out by members of a regimental task group, made up of a tactical HQ, members of A Squadron and G Squadron of the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment, supported by United States (US) forces, on an al-Qaeda-linked opium plant during the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan at the start of Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan (OEF-A).

References

  1. 1 2 Neville, Leigh, The SAS 1983-2014 (Elite), Osprey Publishing, 2016, ISBN   1472814037 ISBN   978-1472814036,p.60-61
  2. 1 2 3 "Special Forces Support Group". Parliament of the United Kingdom . Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  3. ↑ "Elite special forces unit set up". BBC. 20 April 2006. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  4. ↑ "Force Protection". RAF Regiment. Royal Air Force. 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  5. ↑ Neville, Leigh, The SAS 1983-2014 (Elite), Osprey Publishing, 2016, ISBN   1472814037 ISBN   978-1472814036, p.6,p.56-59
  6. ↑ Norton-Taylor, Richard (5 July 2002). "Scores killed by SAS in Afghanistan". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 5 July 2002.
  7. 1 2 "Special Forces Support Group forms in Wales". Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom). Archived from the original on 24 April 2006. Retrieved 20 April 2006.
  8. ↑ "Britain to double commitment to the war on terror with 'SAS Lite'". The Daily Telegraph . 17 April 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Tim Ripley (25 February 2009). "Special Effects:UK SF unit comes into its own". Jane's Defence Weekly. 46 (8): 24.
  10. ↑ Neville, Leigh, The SAS 1983-2014 (Elite), Osprey Publishing, 2016, ISBN   1472814037 ISBN   978-1472814036,p.55
  11. ↑ Neville, Leigh, Special Forces in the War on Terror (General Military), Osprey Publishing, 2015 ISBN   978-1-4728-0790-8,p.188,p.211
  12. ↑ Urban, Mark, Task Force Black: The Explosive True Story of the Secret Special Forces War in Iraq , St. Martin's Griffin, 2012 ISBN   1250006961 ISBN   978-1250006967 p.190
  13. ↑ Neville, Leigh, The SAS 1983-2014 (Elite), Osprey Publishing, 2016, ISBN   1472814037 ISBN   978-1472814036
  14. ↑ Neville, Leigh, Special Forces in the War on Terror (General Military), Osprey Publishing, 2015 ISBN   978-1-4728-0790-8,p.214
  15. ↑ Neville, Leigh, The SAS 1983-2014 (Elite), Osprey Publishing, 2016, ISBN   1472814037 ISBN   978-1472814036,p.42
  16. ↑ Neville, Leigh, The SAS 1983-2014 (Elite), Osprey Publishing, 2016, ISBN   1472814037 ISBN   978-1472814036,p.58-59
  17. ↑ Neville, Leigh, The SAS 1983-2014 (Elite), Osprey Publishing, 2016, ISBN   1472814037 ISBN   978-1472814036,p.49
  18. ↑ Neville, Leigh, Special Forces in the War on Terror (General Military), Osprey Publishing, 2015 ISBN   978-1472807908,p.243
  19. ↑ Walsh, Declan (9 September 2009). "British soldier killed during rescue of kidnapped journalist in Afghanistan". The Guardian .
  20. ↑ Pierce, Andrew (9 September 2009). "Army anger as soldier killed saving journalist who ignored Taliban warning". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 8 October 2013.
  21. ↑ Farrell, Theo, Unwinnable: Britain’s War in Afghanistan, 2001–2014, Bodley Head, 2017 ISBN   1847923461 , 978-1847923462, P.298
  22. ↑ Neville, Leigh, The SAS 1983-2014 (Elite), Osprey Publishing, 2016, ISBN   1472814037 ISBN   978-1472814036p.55-56
  23. ↑ Farmer, Ben (18 August 2013). "Elite forces in secret raids against Taliban bomb-makers". The Daily Telegraph.
  24. ↑ Heyman, Charles, ed. (2014). The Armed Forces of the United Kingdom 2014-2015. Barnsley, Yorkshire, UK: Pen & Sword Military. p. 178. ISBN   9781783463510. OCLC   894512134.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.