Special Air Service

The Special Air Service (SAS) is one of the British Special Forces, known for its high capacity in extreme conditions. It is considered the first special force, the most respected in the world, and the creator of operations such as "Destroy and Escape."

The SAS is the mentor of several special forces of the world as: Delta Force, Sayeret Matkal, GSG-9, Special Air Service Regiment, KSK, GIGN, SSG and others.

Structure

SAS has a regular regiment, the 22nd Regiment, and the Regiments 21 and 23 of the territorial reserve force. The reserve regiments not only receive counter-terrorism training and more training is dragged. Generally act as "enemies" in training for conventional forces

History

It was created in 1941 during WWII in North Africa by a lieutenant named Scottish David Stirling. The unit was named SAS - Special Air Service, to think that the Germans had commandos paratroops serving British Army at Cairo.

His initial concept projected a mobile offensive force reduced in size, it would fight behind enemy lines, with a strategic objective, and other side, attacking any target of opportunity, an autonomous until extraction could be by any means.

The SAS symbol

In the African campaign was a great performance, and he also fought in Italy and Europe. SAS destroyed over 400 aircraft Luftwaffe; Believe they had a better performance than the RAF (Royal Air Force) destroyed in ground and air. After the Second World War has been deactivated and was reactivated in 1950 with the name 22nd Special Air Service. It was decided that Royal Marines and the Boats Special Service would make short-range incursions and raids SAS long-range and long-term within a strategy against Soviet Union. Since then he has fought for Great Britain in many different places as in Malaysia, Oman, Borneo, Vietnam - Wearing American uniforms - Aden, Northern Ireland, Malvinas, Liberia, Persian Gulf, Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan., Which reaffirmed its reputation for Invincible.

SAS in its entire history reveals many facets and large capacity in various situations from assaults jungle, Fighting in desert and actions antiterrorism (Tactics Fighting in Confined Environments). Their motto seems to provocative "Who dares Wins"Which means" Who dares wins. "

In many of the Special Operations Forces in the world were heavily influenced by British SAS, the example we have: Delta Force, Seals DEVGRU Team Sayeret Matkal, SASR, GOE Portuguese police,ROTA brazilian, and many other Special Operations units / Anti-terrorist Teams.

Tactical Innovations

One of the major characteristics of this unit is its adaptability for being a pioneer among Special Forces. A "primer" SAS is currently used by almost all commands and special forces in the world. Among the innovations that are created:

• Tactics Close Quarters Combat (Close Quarters Battle) created initially for actions antiterrorism. These tactics were famous with the drive SWAT Los Angeles police.
• Concept unconventional warfare applied to conduct Special Operations
• The concept of operations and patrol Recognition Long Range - even so-called mobile operations, where a detachment of special forces attack and move into enemy territory leading the fight for miles and several weeks.

Techniques

The Special Air Service has developed and perfected many techniques that today are quite traditional by the urban task forces.

• The use of Krav Maga Contact super close or unexpected, defense;
• The double tap, Shots every two to maximize stopping power.
• Check the wall: Often is quite predictable that the response force enters through a door or window, which could lead to many failures in the mission, since the surprise factor does not exist, then the SAS has developed a technique where explosives position themselves specially programmed and directed to explode inside the wall, which when detonated, it opens a hole large enough to join a team and neutralize the threat, still relying on the surprise factor;
• Urban Rappelling: It is very important to have the versatility to enter through windows, since they are acting on a building, both for invasion and for information about a situation or as victims, etc., besides being a far more rescue;
• Hide sounds, While the team prepares and positions itself for an invasion and multiple coordinated, is ordered to airplanes or helicopters flying low in the area of action, causing enough noise to cover certain minimal sounds that could deliver a strategy or have let a suspect Alert presence on the team;
• Part of the training consists in the specialization of the soldier with his equipment and weaponry so that they, become a second skin, this specialization is done in the dark, where only with the help of the flashlight of his weapon, the soldier must identify Target (vitma or suspect) and neutralizes it (if suspect) in a satisfactory time (equivalent time to be with his finger pulling the trigger before the target);
• The firearms training can also be done in front of a screen-type data show that is used in computer graphics, where it is possible to simulate environments and switch rather the appearance of targets

Special forces based on the SAS

The Regiment participated and gave rise to many other Special Forces around the world, including:

• Australia SASR - Special Air Service Regiment. Home of a squadron of SAS recruited in Australia to help fight in Malaysia.
• Belgium, Belgian Special Forces Group. Which had its origin back in World War II, when the 5th SAS Regiment recruited volunteers to cross the Siegfried Line.
• Israel, Sayeret Matkal. Molded in SAS and carries the same slogan: "Who dares wins."
• United States, The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D), Or Delta Force based on SAS and deeply influenced by their concepts. Its founder, Charlie Beckwith, had served 60 years at SAS, and returned to the U.S. Army Special Forces there, create a unity that followed the SAS.
• Germany GSG 9 - Anti-terrorist unit of the German police