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UK ELITE & SPECIAL FORCES NEWS
2009 Archive
13.12.2009 - Task Force Crichton
The Telegraph reports on the UK special forces group, Task Force Crichton, combating the Taliban in Afghanistan, with revelations about the role of the SFSG...more info: task force crichton
12.12.2009 - Bogus 'SAS veteran' arrested after being caught parading with 'impossible' medal haul
A carpenter who marched in a Remembrance Day parade wearing a SAS Beret and an 'impossible collection' of military medals has been arrested on suspicion of deception....more info: dailymail
09.12.2009 - SAS Puma Crash Blamed On Pilot Error
An inquest into the 2007 Puma helicopter crash in Iraq in which 2 SAS soldiers perished has ruled that it was primarily caused by pilot error...more info: bbc news
01.12.2009 - Gordon Brown Reveals Special Forces Presence In Afghanistan
In an unprecedented move that has caused consternation in some quarters, the Prime Minister has revealed that 500 British Special Forces are actively deployed to Afghanistan...more info: the telegraph | press and journal | london evening standard
29.11.2009 - Royal Marines Denied Rescue Bid
The Daily Mail reports that a force of FPGRM Commandos were forced to watch as a kidnapped British Couple were taken off their yacht onto a pirate mothership...more info: elite royal marines denied attempt to thwart pirate kidnappers
29.11.2009 - Cuts To Special Forces Helicopters
The Times newspaper reveals that the Foreign Office has withdrawn funding for British operated MI-8 helicopters used to support the SBS in Afghanistan...more info: special forces helicopters grounded by budget cuts
23.11.2009 - SRR Help Foil Attack On NI Police
It has emerged that the Special Reconnaissance Regiment were involved in preventing an attack by dissident republicans against a PSNI Officer...more info: bbc news
22.11.2009 - MOD To Lift Ban On Special Forces Secrecy?
The Daily Mail newspaper reports on MOD plans to release details of special forces operations...more info: the daily mail
05.11.2009 - UKSF On Trail Of Taliban Gunman
The Mirror and other newspapers are reporting that the SAS and SBS are now hunting the policeman who killed 5 British soldiers on the 4th...more info: the mirror | the times
03.11.2009 - CIA Plane Spotted With Special Forces Helicopters
Report on the sighting at a UK airport of a CIA aircraft with UK SF choppers...more info: cia plane spotted in UK
28.10.2009 - SBS On Standby To Rescue Kidnapped Britons?
The Independent newspaper speculates on the potential role of the SBS, which they erroneously refer to as the Special Boat Squadron, in rescuing the 2 Britons kidnapped by Somali pirates...more info: the independent
24.10.2009 - Black Watch Rescue SAS
A Company from the Black Watch as reportedly rescued an SAS / Afghan Army team when their US-piloted Chinook helicopter crash-landed...more info: the sun
28.09.2009 - Funeral For SBS Hero
The Sun reports on the funeral of an SBS Commando who died during an operation in Afghanistan...more info: the sun
12.09.2009 - SAS Training Libyan Forces
UK newspaper, The Telegraph, reports that a small SAS team is training Libyan special forces...more info: the telegraph
09.09.2009 - British Hostage Rescued By UKSF
A British soldier has died during a UKSF operation to rescue a kidnapped journalist in Afghanistan...more info: british special forces rescue hostages
06.09.2009 - More Elite Forces For Afghanistan
The Times reports on plans to raise up to 900 elite troops for use in the campaign against the Taliban...more info: more elite troops for afghanistan
06.09.2009 - British Special Forces Raid Taliban Fort
In what is being hailed as one of the most successful special operations in Afghanistan, UKSF have raided a Taliban fort, destroying hundreds of IEDs...more info: uksf raid taliban bomb fort
21.08.2009 - British Chinook Shot Down On Special Forces Mission
The RAF Chinook that was shot down close to Sangin in Afghanistan had just dropped of a British Special Forces unit. According to the Sun, the helicopter was from 7 Sqn...more info: the sun | the times | the daily mail
21.08.2009 - Special Forces Support Group To Expand
The Sun reports that the SFSG is to have its ranks swelled by troops from 2 and 3 PARA in order to allow it to take on new roles...more info: the sun
21.08.2009 - US General Praises SAS
US General David Petraeus has praised 22 SAS as well as other British Special Forces...more info: the telegraph
20.08.2009 - SAS Puma Crash Inquest
Read reports on the ongoing inquest into the 2007 Puma crash in Iraq which claimed the lives of 2 SAS soldiers...more info: read more
07.08.2009 - 3 SFSG Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan
The Times newspaper reports that 3 Special Forces Support Group have been killed by an IED in Afghanistan...more info: the times
18.07.2009 - UK Special Forces Using Foreign Helicopters
UK press report on the role of foreign-owned and built helicopters in UK special operations in Afghanistan...more info: read more
26.06.2009 - SAS - Parachute Insertions In Iraq
The Telegraph reveals info about several parachute drops by the SAS (Task Force Black) while it was operating in Iraq...more info: the telegraph | more info on sas air troop
14.06.2009 - SAS Recruitment Crisis
UK press reports on a shortfall of recruits for 22 SAS...more info: the mirror
11.06.2009 - SAS Rescue Bid Blocked
The Sun newspaper reports that the SAS were on standby to rescue British hostage, Edwin Dyer, from his Al Qaeda captives, but were prevented from going in by either senior military or civilian authorities. Sadly, Mr Dyer has since been executed...more info: the sun
08.06.2009 - SAS Blamed for Puma Problems
It has emerged that top Army and Air Force commanders blame the SAS for problems with Puma helicopters that have occurred during special operations, including a fatal crash in Iraq...defencemanagement.com | the times
02.06.2009 - Royal Marines Intercept Pirates
A Royal Marines boarding party from HMS Portland has intercepted 2 skiffs loaded with armed pirates in the Gulf Of Aden...more info: google news | official mod report
30.05.2009 - SAS Deploy To Afghanistan
The UK press reports that 2 Squadrons from 22 SAS have now been deployed into the Afghanistan theatre. The 22 SAS forces join the Special Boat Service, Special Reconnaissance Regiment, Special Forces Support Group and troops from the SAS Reserves Regiments, 21 and 23 SAS in Afghanistan for one of the largest deployment of British Special Forces since World War 2...more info: the times
04.05.2009 - SBS To Get New Minisub
The Times reports that the Special Boat Service is to get a new minisub, the US-designed 'shallow water combat submersible' (SWCS), replacing the Mk VIII SDV currently used...more info: the times
25.04.2009 - UK Special Forces To Be Expanded
The UK defence secretary, John Hutton, is expected to announce plans to expand the SAS and other special forces...more info: the telegraph | the times
22.04.2009 - New Jackal 2 Vehicle Set For the Frontlines
The BBC reports on the debut of the new 4-wheel Jackal 2 vehicle...more info: BBC news report | MoD report (includes details of the new 6-wheel Coyote vehicle)
18.04.2009 - Royal Marines / Royal Navy Disrupt Pirates
The MoD reports on 2 incidents in which Royal Navy / Royal Marines units disrupted Pirate activity in the Gulf Of Aden...more info: ministry of defence | daily mirror blog
13.04.2009 - SAS Laptop Goes Missing
A laptop containing details of top-secret anti-terror training exercises of the Special Air Service (SAS), has gone missing...more info: the daily mirror
31.03.2009 - Royal Marines video
The Sun follows up a previous video report on a recent 42 Commando battlegroup operation against Taliban strongohlds in Helmand with a new video...more info: the sun (includes video)
31.03.2009 - SAS on alert for G20 summit
The Telegraph reports that the SAS has been put on alert to respond to a terrorist attack at the upcoming G20 summit in London...more info: the telegraph
26.03.2009 - Royal Marines in 3-day Assault On Taliban
The Sun newspaper reports on a recent 42 Commando battlegroup action against Taliban strongholds in Helmand...more info: the sun (includes video report) | the telegraph
07.03.2009 - SAS Chief Blasts MOD Over Snatch Land Rovers
A former senior SAS commander has accused the Government of having "blood on its hands"....more info: telegraph | reuters report
06.03.2009 - SRR Deploy To Northern Ireland
It has now been revealed that the Special Reconnaissance Regiment are operating in Northern Ireland, keeping watch on dissident republicans...more info: bbc news (includes video report) | reuters report
05.03.2009 - Special Forces Chinooks Fiasco
A newly issued official report condemns the series of delays in procuring Chinook HC3 helicopters for RAF Special Forces...more info: channel 4 news
19.02.2009 - Royal Marines Prepare For Med
Six hundred marines from Taunton are heading to the Mediterranean this weekend to join the Royal Navy's biggest sea deployment in years....more info: bbc news (includes video report)
18.02.2009 - SBS and Royal Marines In Drugs Swoop
The Special Boat Service along with Royal Marines Commandos and other British forces have taken part in a daring raid against a numbers of Taliban drug factories...more info: operation diesel (Elite UK Forces report)
07.02.2009 - Royal Marines In Cornwall Exercise
40 Commando, with other Royal Marines units, have taken part in a large pre-deployment exercise in Cornwall...more info: bbc news
05.02.2009 - 45 Commandos strike blow against the Taliban
Victory Company, 45 Commando, Royal Marines stormed a Taliban base in the mountains near Kajaki, in the north of Helmand province, killing the commander...more info: the press and journal
04.02.2009 - Robbery Suspecy shot Dead by CO19
CO19, London's elite armed Police unit, shot dead a suspected armed robber during a car chase in Wood Lane...more info: the tottenham journal
25.01.2009 - British commandos capture Taliban post
British commandos from 45 Commando, Royal Marines captured a Taliban command post and a roadside bomb factory last week in a three-day operation in the Upper Sangin Valley...more info: the times
14.01.2009 - Marines APCs to get extra armour
Viking APCs used by the Royal Marines in Afghanistan are to be fitted with extra armour-plating to protect against mines.more info: bbc news
14.01.2009 - Marines uncover Taleban bomb factory
The Times reports on a joint operation that included 42 Commando, Royal Marines, in Helmand, Afghanistan.more info: the times
04.01.2009 - Operation Sond Chara
42 Commando, along with other 3 Commando Brigade elements have taken part in a month-long operation to clear a string of Taliban bases in Helmand Province....more info: operation sond chara
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