SAS Magazine [1 ed.]

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THE GOMPTETE REGORD Each issue of sAs takes you behind the lines to reueat the techniques, the training, the weapons, the history, the battles and the men who fight them.

How tough do you have to be? Selection,

Full-colour pictures, many of them previously unpublished

Lraining, schedules. everything it takes to turn ordinary lads into fighting machines.

Fast-paced authoritative

text written experts,

by

Side by side with SAS soldiers as rhey fight around the globe. Full briefings plus eyewitness accounts from those who were there. Maps

Documentary maps showing key areas of activity

Background Clear outlines of even[s leading to major conflicLs clearly explained

A complete dossier of SAS uueaponry. The arsenal available to each man. its applications. and fu1l detailed specifications.

Cutawny artworks showing the kev

elements of SAS hardware $pecifications Essential facts and figures weapon 0y weapon

Diagrams of complex technology enlarged for easy reference

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Why SAS soldiers are more lethal than the guns they camy. Fighting knives, SAS killing techniques, ambushes, demolitions, night fighting, bodyguarding, escape-and-evasion.

Iyewitrless First-hand accounts fram the pensonnel who were there.,

The individuil..

stories of the best of the best, The men who have extended the limits of courage and glory: from David Stirling to Andy McNab.

lnside stories, campaign by campaign

The elite units around the world that train with rhe SAS. The SEALS, Pathfinders,

At-a-glance

access to key dates

Australian and New Zealand SAS and the Green Berets. Also the units that have been trained by the SAS: GEO, Delta Force and many more.

The story of the greatest regiment in the history of

warfare.

From its humble beginnings in World War II right up to the present. Authentic archive pictures

See inside the magazine

for details

INTB ISTIBIT

Saddam's Scuds were threatening to hlow the llV Eoalition apart. So the SAS sent inta lraq to destroy them.

n 20 January 199I . fbur SAS mobile fighting columns left their desert base at Al Jouf in western Saudi Arabia and headed for Iraq. Their mission was to find and destroy enemy Scud missiles. The Gulf War was three days old. The United Nations (UN) air campaign had achieved total air superiority and everything appeared to be going to pian. However, Saddam Hrissein had an ace up

his sieeve: his mobile Scuds. From inside Iraq his Scud teams fired their missiles at Israel. The Jewish staite threatened retaliation. If it attacked Iraq, the UN Coalition would fall apart. General Schwarzkopf. the UN Commander-in-Chief. therefore

ordered the SAS's commander. Colonel Massey. to send his men into Iraq to destroy the Scuds.

SAS Gulf War

land Rouers

The SAS Land Rover columns. two front A Squadron, two from D Squadron. headed for western Iraq, where satellites and aerial photographs had shown the Scuds were being launched. The Land Rovers themselves had been specially modified, as a member of D Squadron relates: 'A fleet of new Land Rovers arrived for us from the UK, all stripped down for desert operations and decorarted with a host of weapon mounts and additional fittings.'

The SAS's orders were: search out the Scuds and radio in air attacks to knock them out. In any contacts hit hard and get out fast. In enemy territory no one has time to hang around. Each SAS. fighting column had its own search area inside Iraq. In this way there would be no 'friendly fire' incidents. Each colurnn was made up of 12 Land Rovers and at least two motorcycle outriders. The motorcycles were the eyes and ears of the Land Rovers, scouting ahead. The Land Rovers themselves were armed with machine guns, Milan anti-tank missiles, Mark l9 automatic grenade launchers and Stinger surface-to-air missiles.

INTO ACT!ON

The bordens between lr-aq and Kuwait,

both formerly part of the 0ftoman Enapire, have always been ill-defined. ln

addition, lraq has periodically attempted to reclaim Kuwait as a lost pr-ovince and

to return to the siluation that existed, according to the h'aqis at least, under the Ottoman Tunks. After Wor-ld War I lraq and Kuwait came under British protection, The Bnitish tried

to solve the

bor-der prob-

Ihe lraqi

ained at lsrael were firetl fron response, Allied aircraft were ordered to find and destroy the nohile Scud launchers. llowever, they lailed to stop the Scad teans fron operating. Ihe SAS was therefore sent into Western lraq to do the joh. Scuds

Western lraq.

ln

lem, but the subsequent Uqair Pr.otocol of

from their base at Al Jouf,

1922 failed to define Kuwait's northern

columns hegan the Scud hunt. fhe Anerican

border. The establishment of an Ar-ab nationalist government in Baghdad in '1958 incneased tensions, but the deploy-

Delta Force teans were flown from their base at Ar Ar into lraq, where they operated around

ment of British tnoops to Kuwait deierned an lraqi invasion in 1961

SAS

fighting

special forces anit, Itelta Force, also took part.

the town of Al 0ain.

.

The immediate cause of the 1991 lr"aqi invasion of Kuwait stemmed from the refusal of the Kuwaitis to defer the $65 billion debt Inaq owed her. ln addition,

Ir-aq

believed that Kuwait was extracting oil

from the Bumaila oilfield, which lay in

a

disputed area of tenritory between the two staies. lnaq was also attracted to Kuwait's massive financial resenves, which could obviously alleviate the

$80 billion

'AlJouf

debt she owed as a result of fighting the eight-year lran-lraq Wan and which she was finding veny hard to seruice due to falling oil prices.

,i,

fhis nap shows the maxinun range of lraqi Scad nissiles laanched

fron lraq itself. lhe

had less range than the lraqi-modified Scad, which was called Al-llussein. Scud B

Ahove: lraqi

nilitary vehicles on the

streets of Kuwait Eity after Saddan llassein's invasion. The tiny Kuwaiti

Arny loaght well, hut was hopelessly

Right: A Patriot surface-to-air nissile streaks

outnunbered hy over 1A0,000 lraqis.

into the sky over fel-Aviv, lsrael, to intercept an inconing Scud. US-supplied Patriots

destroyed nost of the Scuds fired

at lsrael.

.,j.rrr,i!1e.a:l:Ijil

SGUD HUNTINE

It was cold and wet in western Iraq in January 1991: 'We wore desert combats. but on their own they were no match for the terrible conditions. So, Goretex jack-

m

iq

ets, climbing jumpers,

gloves, arctic smocks and woolly hats were pulled out of our bergens for warmth. For-set the idea of a smartly ilressed patrol. u e looked like a bunch of unshar,en _u1'psies.' However, in the wet, at least the Land Rovers wouldn't kick up vast clouds of tell-tale dust as they travelled across the desert.

Stealthy approach Some 1000m fiom the enemy convoy the SAS halted. Through binoculars the SAS commander scanned the scene. The Iraqis were parked by the side of the road. There were two Scud launchers. each with its missile ready ro tire. Other vehicles included three trucks and two armoured personnel cariers. There were no guards, no camouflage netting. They were not expecting visitors. The SAS procedure was simple: radio Allied headquarters in Riyadh to request an immediate air strike. HQ would then .contact an AWACs aircraft, which would

I "B',[ ,0

1

The SAS soldiers were nervous about air attacks. They had been told that there were no Iraqi aircraft flying, but they were sceptical. The terrain was open and mostly flat. The vehicles could be seen for miles: 'we stood out like rurds on a billiard table'. If they were spotted, they would be sitting ducks.

The

Range Launch

*eignr

first sighting

The first few days were frustrating. No sign of enemy aircraft, but no sign of Scuds either. Then, on 29 January, bingo! Captain 'A and his column were some 100km (62 miles) inside Iraq when one of his outriders eame racing back with news that a Scud convoy was near. The captain gave his orders, and the Land Rovers deployed into line and advanced towards the Scuds. There were three men on ' each vehicle: a driver and two gunners. The gunners flicked off the safety catches on their machine guns.

1B0km

(1

12 mitesl

63j0kg tt+"0+gtbl 5Okm/hr t31mph)

Armamen[

None

INIO ACTIllN

hostages being held as 'human shields' by

the lnaqis at sevenal sites throughout lraq. The Begiment put togelher a contingency plan for the rescue of the hostages, which The SAS in the Gulf was part of the UK Special Forces Gnoup, which was

just one of the special forces formations

in

the Gulf. Othen UN contingents had thein own elite teams. The

first task eanmarked

for the SAS was lhe rescue of Western

involved helrborne assaults against the tan-

gets whene it was thought the hostages were being held. The release of the hostages before the

war stanted meant that for a while the

.,41-\ \A*

SAS had no definite role, However, the commander of

came screaming in low from the south. The missiles were still on their launchers. The aircraft strafed the Iraqi vehicles. Then the two aircraft circled lazily above, their pilots scanning the scene. The two Scud launchers had been destroyed. Time to leave: 'We roared off at full speed, our minds racing with thoughts ofwhat any surviving Iraqi commander might do. We are trained to think like the enemy so we can take effective evasive action.'

.1l::. Uf forces in the Gulf,

More Scud kills Earlier the same day. in a different sector, another SAS column had also spotted a Scud convoy, and it too had been destroyed by F-15s. It was not all oneway traffic, though: the enemy also had patrols oul. Later that day a third SAS fighting column was attacked by Iraqis. They

de la Billidne, decided

,'*

'fI Ahove: Syrian special forces,

just

one of the elite units in the Eulf.

naissance and intelli-

.n.ry

lines, The hunt

for Scuds was well down the list

appeared out ofnowhere; the first the

direct available aircraft on to the target. The captain gave the coordinates using

his Global Positioning System (GPS) unit, which u.orked via satellites orbiting the earth. It gave the user his exact position anywhere on eafih. Just switch it on, press a key and the precise coordinates would flash up on screen. The SAS vehicles were well spaced, at least 50m apart, as a precaution against attack. It takes at least an hour to launch a Scud missile; to aim it, load the fuel and make the pre-flight checks. The SAS captain hoped they had arrived in time. Some 1 0 minutes later two F- l5 Easles

Ahove: Western lraq, late January 1991. Two SAt notorcycle autriderc in'handit country'. filote the

M|6

assault rifle each man carries.

@, E

-,.,.,1:'iq+,;'.

*$,'*1'

:':@. j;+4;i:

*

UNTIIIJG

destroyed quickly. Their 50mm main guns could turn SAS Land Rovers into burning heaps of scrap metal. Half the Land Rovers were fitted with Milans, which were fitted to the roll bars. The SAS soldiers looked through their sights and lined the cross-hairs on the lraqi targets. They then squeezed their triggers and the missiles streaked from their launchers. The aimers kept the cross-hairs on the targets, making small adjustments to the wire-guided rockets. The rnissiles slammed into their targets, the armour-piercing rounds buming through the hul1s and incinerating all Ahove: A British Ell-47 Ehinook helicopter. These aircraft were used hy the SAS to truns-

port men and sapplies to its Forward 0perating Base at Al Jouf, as well as into eneny territory. lllote the distinctiue special operations paint schene ased in the Auff. fhe

the SAS had extra internal fuel tanks to allow then to fly deep into lraq. Ehinooks used hy

,i

lraq had the fourth-langest anmy in the

with tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, to

world when it launched the invasion of

local militia units, The SAS never came up

Kuwait. With nearly one million men under

against enemy tanks, but they did have to

arms, 5500 tanks and 400 combat aircraft, Saddam Hussein felt he could offer. real resistance to any Allied attempts to

cope with infantry fighting vehicles, such as

take back Kuwait.

were armed with. a cannon and anti-tank

Though the majority of his troops were

Bussian-built BMPs, and armoured pensonnel canniers, such as BTB-60s, The BMPs guided missiles, and posed a grave thneat

deployed in and around Kuwait, Saddam

to SAS foot patr"ols on Land Rover columns.

also had forces in weslern lraq; whene the SAS operated, These ranged from fnontline

ln general the SAS found the fighring qualities of the lnaqis to be poor.. For the

anmoured and mechanised troops equipped

most part they were reservists and conscnipts. As such they were

no

match for the toughened soldier.s of rhe sAS.

Left: Triunphal lraqi troops hitch a lift on a tank during the First Eulf War. ln general the fighting skills of the auerage

lraqi soldier were poot.

SAS knew about it was when the rear Land Rover was hit by a cannon round. Il blew off one of the wheels and seriously injured the rear gunner. He was dragged unconscious to another Land Rover by the other two crew members as the Iraqis closed in. The SAS vehicles quickly turned around to face their attackers. They deployed in line and halted. The three Iraqi infantry fighting vehicles had to be

those inside. Before this happened, though, one of the Iraqi infantry fighting vehicles had hit another Land Rover. The round impacted on the engine. selting it on fire. The crew baled outjust as it exploded into a red fireball. The enemy were still advancing on the SAS. Iraqi soldiers poured out of the trucks and charged towards the Land Rovers. SAS weapon skills are the best in the world. and each man is trained not

IilIItl

ACIION

Eontait near Na*hayb 29 January 1991 The lraqis.earne iowards us, all in a line; about,50-or 68. I was fmnt gunner in slle of lhe Rover:s, I tighhned the grip on the GPMG We open up, 3- or S-round bursts. The lneqis go down. lt's ilke slow motion. Ther"e are

The Scud hunt continued. On 3 February, an SAS scouting pafty near the town of Ar Rutbah spotted an enertv column of 14 vehicles, all parked and under camouflage. The Iraqis moved otT. The SAS followed. at a distance. and ordered an air strike. A few minutes later the F-15s appeared and hit the column.

.

empty Shell eases' flyin$ everywhere. My,hdart'a poundirig: Keep fir"ingl i hit gn,fraql, Hiq chest.expl des, --Theyrg' noL'humans, 0nty tangets,rl feela light iap:on:n:y, arrrr. lm'hit buu feei no ' pain. The adrenalin rush is unbelievable. Kgep firingl Another belt into the GPMG. I kill another, and another. My $qn iams,. Shitl I pick up my M16. Safety catch off. lt feels light compared to the GPMG. Aim, fire, aim, lrre. Elatron!

ln for the kill As the smoke cleared. it was obvious that only one ofthe launchers had been destroyed. There were still two left. The SAS commander radioed for another air strike. but was told that no aircraft u.ere available for some time. He theretore decided to finish off the convo), himself. and gave the signal to move foru ard. The SAS Land Rovers advanced towards the enernl'. Seconds later IIilan missiles hit their tar-sets. The ren'rainin,e Scud launchers \\ ere obliterated. Hos.er.er. the SAS had straved riithin enem\. machine-gun ran-ve. Iraqi rounds from several machine-gun nests began

.

Name withheld for seeurky reasons

to fire until hdhas a target. The -qunners had lots of targets, and they were working overtime. Firing 3- or 5-round bursts. the GPMGs and Brownings tore into the enemy ranks. The Iraqis stopped and dived to the ground. They were pinned down, too far away to use their AK-47s effectively. Iraqis began to die rvhere they lay, their heads and upper torsos blown apart by machine-gun rounds. Another Milan round streaked across the desert floor and slammed into one of the trucks. setting it on lire.

First blood to the SAS The Iraqis had had enough- They pulled back, boarded their remaining trucks and fled into the distance. The ground was littered with buming vehicles and dead bodies. The SAS, too, decided not to hang around. The two damaged Land Rovers were abandoned. At night the SAS columns r_ested. The vehicles were parked in a circle and camouflaged with netting. They would stay there all the next rnorning, only venturing out in the late afternoon. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) were simple: attack at dusk, escape in the fading light.

Bight: A photo for the folks hack home, The crew of an

SAS

land Bover

pose under a Milan launcher.

bouncing off the Land Rovers and kicking up dirt around them. S.\S soldiers grabbed their machine guns and ammunition and threw themselr es on to the ground behind any cover ther could flind. The Land Rovers were totallr' erposed - to stay on them meant cenain death. In the fading light the two sides fousht a vicious firefight. The SAS soldiers t'ired controlled bursts, using tracer rounds to pin-point enemy targets.

-\utomatic machine-gun fire and heavy calibre cannon rounds swept across the barren landscape. The SAS soldiers were rr innin-s. they were killing the enemy slou 11' but surely. The Iraqis refused to bud-ee. though. The SAS commander kneu he and his men had to leave before enem\. reinforcements arrived. The low rumbling in the distance sig' nalled salvation. Two more F-15s appeared out of the gloom and hit the Iraqi

SCUD HUNTINt; left: The lucky ones. Allied prisoners, 8AS included, just after their release fron lraqi captivity at the end of the war.

Below: Sone paid the ultinate price. fhe

of SAS soldier Uince Phillips, a memher of 'Bravo Two Zero', who died in lraq,

grave

column. When the smoke cleared there were no signs of life. A relieved SAS commander gave the order to retire. By mid-February the SAS columns had almost halted the launch of Scuds against Israel. But there was no time for congratulations. The countryside was alive with Iraqi troops, all hunting for the Weslern soldiers. The SAS columns inside Iraq had done a fantasticjob. But they had shot off most of their ammuni-

tion, used up nearly all their fuel, and eaten much of their food. If they were to

ft.% ffi

the rendezvous, a steep wadi 145km (90 miles) inside Iraq. Over the next 24 hours all the columns came in and resupplied themselves. The SAS soldiers were on the hunt once more. However, most of the Scuds had been found and knocked out. By the second half of February 1991 the SAS

mobile patrols began returning to A1 Jouf, secure in the knowledge that they had saved the UN Coalition. ;!

It

stay inside enemy territory they needed re-supplying. No problem. The Regiment would take care of it. From its base at A1 Jouf, the SAS put together a column of four-tonne trucks and loaded them with everything the fighting columns would need. The trucks. escorted bv Land Rovers and motorcycle outriders, crossed the border at dusk. For 12 hours they travelled through enemy territory, before ar:riving at

The SAS achieved a major suc-

scuds in wesrern traq,

which iE __ s# it f;# ,fl.

war', Ther"e was. though, a

price in tenms of blood: four SAS soldiens were killed dunrng the conflict, The SAS's conmibution was summed up by the UN Commander-in-Chief, Genenal Schwarzkopf:

'l wish to officially commend the 22nd Special Air Senvice ISASI Hegiment for their totally outstanding.performance of

military openations during 0per.ation "Desent Stor"m".., The performance of the 22nd Special Air Service [SAS) Hegiment during 0peration "Desent Stonm" was in the highest tnadrtions of the professional militany service and in keeping with the proud histony and

radition that has been ... €.

established by that

regiment.'

',

,..*

Bight: Eeneral Schwarz*opf, who was initially sceptical ahout elite units. fhe

fiAi's E

actions

nale hin think differently.

:gJi t!:t

-:.: ;::l -= j:,. + := = = = ::,:_..

_:=

ijj

SPEEIAI.!ST KIT

M1E /MzOg fhe

FoRcE MuLnpLrEB

M|6

assault rifle is an SAS soldier,s hest friend. lts 5.56mn rounds cut through ftesh and hone with ease and, fitted with an MZilg grenade launcher, it can also kill tanks.

! t looks and feels like a toy. 1,, no, a ptasrlc butt and

l,,rr.g.p.

Why do SAS soldiers like the M l6? Mainly because ir

,r wergns only 2.86kg (6.251b) and it is only

suits the type of mission they undertake, such as jungle

990mm (39in) long. lr makes a light popping sound when it flres instead of the loud crack of heavier assault rifles. Yet the M 16, as used by the SAS, is one ol the best firearms in the world.

operations: 'Though it doesn't have long range, it is light and compact, and is ideally suited

jungle warfare.' It is also reliable. SAS soldiers oiren operate in four-man teams to

behind enemy lines. They

therefore need small arms thar work first time every time. In the M16 assault rifle thev have such a weapon. The SAS has used rhe American Ml6 since its war in Borneo in the early 1960s.

From the 1970s it has alscr used the 40mm M203 grenade launcher, which is a significant force multiplier for an SAS four-man patrol. The Ml6 was originally designed by Eugene Sroner in the 1950s. He designated the \^ eapon AR 15. In 1957, it was licensed to Colt and large-

The M1 6/M2O3

Carrying handle and near-sight assembly

. \

Bolt

\r

firing

and

pin

scale production began.

It

entered service with US forces in the 1960s. under the designation M16Al.

Short-range lethality The latest version is the M16A2, which has a new foregrip made of a stronger plastic and new firing modes. To deter wild firing it has no

automatic lire capability. Instead it has a three-round burst mode. SAS soldiers toacl'ineir Ml6s with SS109 rounds. which are heavier and slower

Bearsight

Gas tube

artachmenr

Fired

r

tbei exIna(

Charging handle

Bolt assist

Buttstock

\

Selector cam

.

.-'- Sling swivel

lqliFrq , : r Weight {M16 onlyl

E.56mnr 2.86k9 (E.25tbl

4.49ks

Length Efective range

(9.751b1

ggOmm i39in)

{M161

Gr"t

400m {131pfi) Magazine

Eff

Muzzle

Hammer

velocity

1000mps t3p82fpsl

tri

M16/M203

than the American M193 round. They give SAS M16s more stopping power. The 5.56mm round has a high lethality at close range. This means that when it hits the body it 'tumbles' and lragments. causing massire internal injuries.

Firing the M16 is easy. Because it is relatively shorr and light, it can be brought to bear on a targei quicker than heavier assault rifles. such as the SLR. This is a ma.jor advantage in a firefight, when the first few seconds decide who wins and who loses. Because of its straightline Iayout (the butt, receiver and barrel are all at the same level), it has low recoil. This

Gnenade launcher"

fonesight assembly Handguand

tfolded]

it is more comfortable to fire than larger rifles, means

which 'kick like a mule'. The M16 does not have the range of 7.62mm assault

rifles, but this is not a problem for SAS soldiers. They do not fight as ordinary infantrymen. Their fi refights are usually conducted at short range. Overall, then, the M16 is ideally suited to SAS missions. and with an M203 grenade launcher litted it is even better.

The M203 Hand-held grenade launchers are favoured by SAS sbldiers because they can propel a

projectile over a distance in excess of 300m (984ft) - the

Foresight assembly lincluding gas transfer por"t) \

Flash

\

suppress0r

\

Sling swivel .Gnenade

launiher bamel

4OMM Grenade

e

-.{

M203 itself has .1.50nr r I

a

range of

l48lil - r.rhich

is

obviousiy greater than a hand -erenade. ln addition, they can fire a variety ofrounds, such as high explosive, antiarmour or anti-personnel. They are particularly useful if a unit is ambushed. as a grenade launcher can lay down a large amount of firepower at short notice.

SAS grenade launchers In the 1970s the SAS used the American M79 grenade launcher, a single-shot,

breech-loading weapon. It was lightweight, acctlrate and could take a lot ofpunishment. However, it had one rnajor disadvantage: it was a dedicated weapon. This means that the man firrng it carried

'4.. ;lt;.

:1 ii:rh ;i Ll:,,i. it-,rl lj!,1;l'1,' ir . ( i i: ]i' ]i

nothing else,

!ij' The M16 is lightweighr compared to its 7.62mm nvals, such as the SLf,. ,rl" fne UtO, because it

and was therefore'de1'enceless untii

is

compac[, rs easy to bring to bear in a firefight.

he loaded another

.{'

The M203 is a significant force mulliplier, which substanlrally increases the overall firepower of an SAS team.

grenade into the breeeh.

In recognition of this the manufacturer came up with the M203: a 40mrn singleshot grenade launcher that could be fitted under the barrel of the M16. The operation ofan Ml6 with un M203 arrached is unal-l'ectcd. apart lrom having an additional 1.63kg (3.51b)

'

The M16 fires lighLwerght 5.56mm ammunrtion, whrch means more rounds can be camied by SAS soldiers.

BAD POINTS X m. H,lto requires frequent cieaning to prevenl fouling in the oas 0assaoes.

Thr uto does not stand up well lo rough handling.

X

in weight fixed. With M203s all the members of an SAS

X

patrol could put down highexpiosive suppressive fire. And they could still fire their assault rifles. To fire the M203 the user has to pull the trigger on the

In desert conditions, sand and grit can get into the M16's workrng parts, which causes stoooages

X

rnu H,lto requires more

cleaning than the SLB.

X

Th. 5.56** round is less lethal at ranges beyond 440m t14431il than the heavier 7.62mm round.

ry

-€,;r@ik

,

''::*.

.!]L'+:si"e.

ii!

Left: Easy to hring to hear and a

delight to shoot, the Ml6 is top of the SAS assault rifle list. lt is also

lighter than nany 7.62nn

guns

-

a hanus for foot patrols.

rr.M1 6

The M16 is the main SAS personal weapon in use wilh the

Begiinent. lts main compe[itors are the SA-80 and Steyr AUG, both of which have been

tested by rhe SAS

Ihe SA-80 tbelow lefrl is easito handle than the M16. but is thought unreliable by en

SAS soldiers. However, its

range

- 400m

{1312ft1

-

is

as good as the Ml 6's and its accuracy is gr.eater, ln addi-

tion. it is lighter",

tM2 03

The Steyr IUG [below righr) is

an altogether befter assault rifle than either the M16 or the SA-80. lt has been used by SAS troopers, notably in Northern lreland. h has excellent accuracy, optical sights, is reliable and can [ake a lot of punishment [much mor.e than

rhe M'161. ln addition, the AUG can be turned inio anything fnom a submachine gun to a light support weapon by simply swapping par"ts, This makes it very flexible.

grenade launcher itseli which is located under the M203's chamber.

It is

as a

Ahove:

ln

SAS

anhushes, the M16

spews death at a rate

of 800

rounds per ninute,

fragmentation

weapon that the M203 is used by the Regiment. On Pebble Island during the 1982 Falklands War, for example, M203s were used

against stationary enemy Pucara aircraft. In addition, they were also used against some of, the Argentine ganison on the island.

The M203 in action One of those who took part in the raid, Corporal Davey, D

Squadron, tells the story: 'Just off the airstrip we heard Spanish voices, at least four or five, shouting some 50m [164ft] towards the settlement. I opened flre with an M203 and put down some 60 rounds [of M16 ammunition] in the direction ol rhe voices. Two very pained screams were the only reply.' Another who took part gave an example of the effect of the M16 and M203: 'The M203 grenades detonated on the aircraft. I clipped a fresh mag into my M16 and looked around for fresh targets. By this time the aircraft were either on fire or had been riddled with bullets.' The M16 and M203 have been in SAS use for over 20 years. and are likely to remain in use for at least the next 20.

ffi

FIGHTING SKII.I.S

DEMOLITIONS

AND SABOTAGE Modern explosives mean that 8AS soldiers can wreak havoc hehind the lines against a host of targets. Bridges, depots, railway lines and command centres are all on the hit list. n wartime. SAS teams operate deep behind enemv lines. Therelore, the 0..o,,,,on and saDolage ol t(ey vulnerable enemy military and industrial

I I I

targets is one of the most important functions of the Regiment. What does the SAS hit behind the lines? Sabotage missions will target ports, ships, vehicles, aircraft, bridges, roads, railway lines and depots. In addition, communications centres will be hit, as they are vital to the enemy's command and control network. In this way enemy troop rilovements will be interrupted. Enemy soldiers will also be tied down with defending sites against sabotage or hunting for saboteurs. Targets are selected according to their value. Blow a bridge behind the lines during a friendly offensive, for example, and an SAS team can stop enemy reinforcements being sent to where the front has been breached.

Explosiues Once the target has been identified, the next stage is the preparation of equipment. Successful sabotage missions rely on the right type of explosives and their correct placement on the target. There are two types of explosives: low explosives and high explosives. With low explosives the ignition sequence is set off by a spark or flame. Gunpowder is a good example. Light a match near it and

it will explode. However, when it gets damp it will not work. This is obviously no use to soldiers who often have to operate in wet terrain. Low explosives are therefore rarely used by SAS soldiers, except in home-made devices. High explosives, as used by the SAS, are much more effective than low explosives. When they are detonated, for example, they produce a shock wave

tblast) that has a great shattering effect. The hi_sh explosives used by SAS so1diers include British Army standardissue PE-l plastic explosive, which was used in the 1991 Gulf War, RDX, PETN, Semtex. M118 demolition charge, Pentolite and Ednatol.

Home-made explosiues Members of the Regiment are also required to have a practical, working knowledge of a third type of explosives. These are home-made 'kitchen sink' explosives. They can be mixed together and used whenever, and wherever, the opportunity arises.Though created from the most mundane domestic ingredients, such as household bleach, garden fertilisers and weed-killers, in the r{ght. hands they can be extremely effective. The Regiment also teaches its personnel to create their own munitions. Even without an 'off the peg' Claymore mine, for example. an SAS team in enemy terntory can Below: fhe power ol nodern plastic explo- , sives.

of

ln the hands SAS

soldiers

charges can be

nade to cut through steel, shatter concrcte and vapofise flesh.

DTMllI.ITIllNS AND

ffi$m+x'i.;r-$*

SABtlTAGE

ffimm-m$mffiffitrgffi hese diagnams tllustnate the two

.i' ,fn

l- nrng

wrne

A

types of detonalors used lo ignite explosives. With the electnic detonator ileftl, an elec[r ical current flows fnom a battery lo a blasting cap. lnside lhe cap ane two wines, which are connecled by means of a bridge wine. When the curnen[ is passed through the wires the bridge wire gets h0t. The hot bridge wir.e

l?, .l!'

.

ignites the change within the cap, thus detonating the explosive, In the non-electric detonator tright), a hole is made in the explosive lDiagnam A]. A non-electric blasting cap is insented into the hole, with a fuse connected to the blasting cap [Diagnam B]. The blasting cap provides the detonating impulse required to ignite

I

the charge. The fuse consists of gunpowden encased in a fibre wrapping lDiagram Cl, itself covened wilh a waterproof material. The fuse is ignited by a flame.

still lay an effeciive ambush. All they need is a plastic container, plastic explosive. detonator and a few nuts and bolts. The result is a home-made Claymore. Connect it to a trip-wire and any enemy patrol stumbling across it will be cut to pieces by shards ofhot steel.

Home-made explosives are useful for

killing enemy soldiers, but they are of little use against buildings, bridges, tanks or aircraft. Theyjust do not have the destructive force. Larger targets require high explosives, and high explosives require detonators.

ed to a length of fuse cord which is made fiom black powder - gunpowder

-

wrapped in fibre. This has the benefit of simplicity, in that there are no electrics to go wrong. A11 that needs to happen is for the fuse cord to be set alight.

Detonators High explosives cannot be set off without a detonator - an 'initiator'. Take PE4. for example, the type taken behind the lines by the SAS patrol codenamed 'Bravo Two Zero' during the Gulf War. PE4 resembles Plasticine. It can be moulded

in the hands. You can jurnp up and down on it and hit it with a hammer. It can even be set alight. But it will nor explode; nor without a detonator. Types of detonator

lt looks harmless. lloweuer, this mine is packed with explosive. Step on it and it will take your leg off.

Ahoue:

There are two types of detonator: electric and non-electric. Electric detonators are usualiy powered by a battery. This sends an electric current into a firing cap, which in turn explodes, detonating the explosive. A non-electric detonator can serve as a back-up device should the main delonator be disabled. This simple set-up consists ol a blasting cap connecl-

Ahoue: What every SAS soldier has tucked in his hergen: PE4 plastic explosiue ileft), the kind used hy the SAS during the 1991 Rulf War; an electric detonator hightl; and a length of detonating cord ftopl.

FIGHTING SKII.I.S

hen destroying

plant charges as shown, The

bridges, SAS teams will place

when the explosives are deto-

bridge will become unstable

changes in such a way that they

nated, causing il to collapse. A girder anch bridge [Diagram D)

will cause the bridge to become unstable. ln this way the weight of the bridge itself can be used to bring it crashing down. Diagram A shows how six charges can demolish a con-

mete cantilever bnidge with sus-

can be weakened in a similar fashion. Cutting the steel supponts will cause the bridge to become dangenously unstable. pended span. When the changes go off, the cantileven arms adja-

Even if

The charges ane placed on [he

it does nor collapse, il

cent to the suspended anch are

will not support heavy loads. Suspension bridges IDiagnam

cul. In [hjs way the suspended

are relatively easy to demolish.

span collapses. Diagram B shows how a filled spandrel bnidge is destroyed. Hene the changes are much mone 'bunched' to blow the whole

bridge, nalher'lhan cutting sec-

lions of it, When lackling continuous span truss bndges lDiagram C], SAS teams will

An SAS team will not always want to set off the explosives as soon as they are set. Therefore, timers are always carried

on missions.

fimers SAS timers used to be of a crude crush delay variety, which were essentially copper tubes fi1led with acid. Along the tube ran a lead wire. When the tube was crushed. the acid would eat through the lead, which would then release a spring. This in turn would set off a flash compound, which would go off into the detonator, igniting the explosive. The thickness of the lead wire governed the timing of the fuse - anything from I0 seconds to five hours. The disadvantage with this timer was its inaccuracy and tendency to be allected by the weather. As one SAS veteran described the dangers ofsetting the 10second fuse: 'You had to be a bit ol a genius with the weather to work out what the temperature was.' Electronics have now revolutionised timers. which can be set lor any time from nine seconds to 99 years; To

C

increase their capabilities and destructive potential. they can also lie dormant. restarting themselves at various times in order to recharge. At any given time, they can be activated by a radio signal, releasing a charge of perhaps no more than 0.3

of

a

milli-amp, setting off the explosive

device.

$tate-of-the-art timers The advantage of devices made with rhis kind of transponder-type timer is that, once placed and hidden. they can lay in wait lor years until detonated. Such bombs have been used by the IRA in Northern Ireland. To defend against them ancl to initiate a premature detonation. British Army patrols have used electronic counter-measures. sending out ahead ol them radio signals at various frequencies. The introduction ol sophisticated 28-day timers into domestic electrical equipment, such as r ideo recorders, hts made Bight: Setting etBlosive charges on a hridge. Such sahatage can seriausly aflect eneny

troop and naterial novenints. As $eh, it is part al gfi denolitions training.

D

E)

[owers sligh[ly above the noadway, and on the cables near the top of the towers. When they go off, the bridge collapses.

DEMllI.ITIONS AND SABltTAGE

,,.cess to this kind of advanced technol,.rg1'- and its use in bomb-making .'ommonplace today.

-

Having the right tools for the job is

of successful sabotage. The other is the correct placement of the ,:harges themselves. rrne p&rt

!.aying charges In carrying out an act of sabotage, caretul plunning and a thorough reconnaissance ofthe target is vital. It is essential that the target is studied and its potential u eaknesses identified. The object of any artack is to create the maximum urorri of damage with the minimum amount of erplosive. This can only be achiered rvith correct placement of charges. To achieve maximum effect, a charge of plastic explosive is usually placed in what is known as a '2: 1 shape'. This means that on the target the charge is trvice as high as it is wide. In this way rhe shock waves go down into the targel. It is the same with rhe deronaror. lf it is placed at the end ol a llat charge. rhen a

lot of the force of the subsequent explosion will be lost sideways. The most efficient way is to place the detonator on top of the charge so that the shock waves -so down into the target, creating the rnaximum clestructive eflect. The need to make the verv best use of available explosives is a cornerstone of SAS demolirions training. Since everything oi use to the operation must be carried, and the object of a mission of sabo, tage is to infiltrate, destroy and escape in the lastest possible time. then every kilogram of explosive musl be usecl to maximum effect,

Booby traps Even abandoned equipment can be put to good use with a small amourt of explosire. The booby-trapped kit can be left behind to be found by the enemy. Anyone who touches it will have his hand blown off at least - a good way to slow down a pursuing enemy unit. The eiiicient use ol exolosives has increased a great deal since the I 960s.

a

, -.

E?fl:

FIGHTING SI(ILLS

Before then common practice was to use solid charges on objects and destroy them by sheer explosive force. For example, a steel bar 178mm (7in) in diameter, using this method, would need a bulky, solid charge of 6.8kg (151b) to cut it. Though fail-safe, this was inefficient and a waste of explosive.

less is more The development of more sophisticated demolition methods, pioneered in the United States in the 1960s, taught that less explosive could be made to do the

job. The basis of thrs new demolition method was the shaped charge. Instead of a solid mass of same

i%" '@r

explosive on the steel bar, the structure and the shape of the bar would be taken into consideration and exgloited. Thus, a diamond-shaped charge of only 1.36kg (31b) had the same explosive effect as a solid mass of explosive five times larger. It was

,t

Pight: A wrecked Argentinian Pacara

airuaft

%'

{

f

B

f

on the Pehhle lsland airstrip after the SAS's

raid during the Falklands War. Explosive charges have hlown off the undercarriage and noge cone,

Regiment embraced it readily, sending personnel over to the United States to learn the method at first hand. In choosing the tzrgets for sabotage or demolition, an SAS soldier will always take the practical approach. He will always go for the kef points on any target. In attacking the industry of an enemy state, for example, an SAS team would target its electricity supply by

a system of demolition that meant the same eflect could be achieved with less explosive. For units

such as the SAS it was a godsend. For one thing it meant that foot patrols could car:ry oul more sabotage missions with the same amount of explosives. The

d"r*

o0s&

'm '{*-

\

llEMOI.IIIONS AND SABtlTAGE

create airstrips. They are also trained to use explosives offensively, setting them in ambushes to trap and kill an enemy.

*aid an "Berka Airfield March 1942 The

'We hit the perime[er a[ about midnight and saw German sentnies. As usual, we waited until they had walked by our position and then shot across the noad into the trees on the other side. Then we split into two groups, We went for lhe bombers lying under" the cover of the trees, We just walked down the line tof air'cnaftl lobbing Lewes bombs on to their" wings. When the 1ob was finished, Paddy tMaynel and I sped out of the place, We halted later for a break and the bombens stanted to go up

-

i[ must have been abou[ two

hours as wB wsre using time pencils of that duration.' Sergeant4llajor Bob Benne*, L Detachment

destroying power lines and the turbines in power stations. As a method of disrupting the running of any industrial organisation, the targeting of computers and records is also an option, as is the identification and killing of key maintenance personnel. With their great adaptability, explo-

.ives are ofenormous use notjust in industrial sabotage but also in the field. SAS personnel are trained to blow up roads, bridges and railways and to use erplosives to clearjungle and forests to

The Elaymore mine The Claymore mine is a favourite piece of equipment in the offensive role. The Claymore comprises a concave plate, on which is layered plastic explosive and 350 metal balls. Once detonated, by trip wire or electric contact. the balls are blown out, devastating an area up to a range of 100m (328ft). These sophisticated methods of demolition are taught to members of the Regiment on the Advanced Demolition Course. This is a supplement to the Basic Course which. over an intensive l0-week period, teaches SAS personnel the basic methods and safety procedures related to explosives and incendiary sabotage. Though there is a large written test at the end ol the course. the instruction is most-

practical. In the past disused factories and power stations throughout Britain have been used to simulate targets. In this way members oi the Regimcnt were given practical experience of planning and executing attacks. To give their training a further degree of reality, a number of working power stations have also been used. These simulated attacks - using dummy explosives, of course - have also 1y

anks are easy

to disable with

explosives. However, as they have

armour to defeat anti-lank rounds, changes must be sited precisely to achieve the desired effect. As indicated on the diagr"ams, charges should be placed on the tracks and underneath the hull trighil, and unden turret rings and on top of [he engines lbelow]. 0nly a char"ge underneath a tank is likely to kill the crew.

helped in planning the defence of these establishments against attack. The Regiment has also gone abroad on these exercises, simulating attacks on industrial facilities in northern Europe. This training also included potential operations against nuclear facilities. During the stand-off of the Cold War, it was part of the West's operational plan to slow down the Warsaw Pact's advance by destroying nuclear power stations. This would create areas oflethal radioactivity.

The multi-skilled SAS soldier An SAS soldier, fully trained in the methods of demolitions and sabotage, is able to call upon an enormous variety of skills. For the successful sabotage ofkey enemy sites and structures an SAS man, has to be many things. He has to be a structural engineer, able to locate targets. He has to be a mathematician, able to calculate the areas and weights oftargets in relation to the force of the explosive employed. He has to be an electrician, capable ofrigging circuits and working out the electrical resistance. He must also have nerves of steel, boih to handle high1y dangerous substances and to plant them on the target. In all, combined with his combat skills, the ability to destroy and disable targets with explosives is a very powerful weapon in the hands of an SAS soldier.

IBAINING FIlB

PEBFEGTItlN

SELEGTION: THE FIRST THREE felection is the toughest course in the world. lt is sinple, hratal and takes no prisoners. The drop-oat rate is a phenomenal 9fr per cent. But the SAS only wants the cream. SAS

o become an SAS soldier an individual has to pass many hurdles. The first, and probably

the hardest. is Selection Trainine. It is held twice a year - once in the summer, once in the winter - on the wind-swept hills of South Wales. And it lasts four weeks (a three-week build-up and Test Week).

The SAS has no system of direct entry, unlike other special forces units in the world. So how do you put yourself forward for four weeks of personal hell? First of all, you have to volunteer yourself for Selection. The decision rests entirely with the individual. The only condition is that the volunteer must have a minimum of three years' service left froth the date that, if successful, he passes Selection Training. This being the case, most men who put themselves forward tend to be in their mid-20s, although individuals have been known to pass Selection as young as 18.

The hunt

for recruits

Up until the beginning of 1992, only members of the British Army could volunteer for the SAS, but now men from the Navy, Air Force and Royal Marines are also eligible. The SAS is always under strength, and therefore must cast the net wider for recruits. As an SAS instructor states: 'We now have to go out and tell the Army and the rest of the forces what the SAS is all about in order to attract recruits.' Many men put themselves forward for Selection each year - around 140 on each course is normal - but few make the grade. Why do they do it?

Beasons for uolunteering A desire to be the best, to be a part of what is reckoned to be the best in the ryorld, is what motivates some. Then there are those who think that

being an SAS soldier is the ultimate'buzz' , an irresistible mix of excitement and danger. For those who have decided that the SAS is for them, the first step is to put in for a Defence Council Instruction (DCI) paper, in which the volunteer certifies that he is prepared to be put for-

ward for 'arduous duties', parachuting and so on. Up until the 1980s, other regiments in the British Army took a dim view of the SAS, believing it 'stole' their best recruits. There is some truth in this. A member of SAS Training Wing admitted that the Regiment 'poached the cream', that they were always on the lookout for the 'good 25-yearold corporal'. Therefore, many volunteers had their applications mysteriously delayed, or were refused permission to volunteer. This has now stopped. However, parent units can still deter men from volunteering for Selection, but in a positive way. They can offer men promotion as an inducement to staying - many accept.

Ahove: Selection is

all

ahout keeping going when

your feet are hloody and sore and your langs are red-raw. 0nly those with suprene willpower wiil he ahle to hack it.

SEtEGII0N: IHE FIBST THBTE

WETKS

left: What every nan who puts hinself forward for

WEEKS

Selection wants: the SAS Winged Dagger hadge and

heige heret. lt is the nost highly prized iten ol nilitary headgear in the world har none. Few get to wear it.

The majority of volunteers - around 70 per cent - come from the Parachute Regiment. Paras are always looking for adventure.

They are fit, motivated and aggressive, trained to tackle anythingthey come up against. For many Paras the SAS is the next logical step.

What the SAS wants Qualities looked for in recruits include motivation and determination, physical and mental stamina, initiative, self discipline, compatibility for smallgroup, long-term isolated missions, and the ability to assimilate a wide range of hghting skills. There are two other qualities looked for, though they are not to be found in any Ministry of Defence or SAS handbook. They are a sense of humour and humility. Without these qualities a man will not get through Selection. There is no w'ay of knowing if a man has these qualities just by looking at him. The instructors know this: 'You can see what's on the outside, but more impofiant is what's within. Only Selection will show what a man's'truly made of.'

The Left: A soldier in the Brecons struggles up a hillside with a heaw hergen and an SlB. ll it rains the hergen will get

heauier as the material soaks ap the water. And the going will get tougher

as the ground hecones

wet and slippery.

start of the course

For those volunteers who turn up at Hereford train station to begin Selection, there is uncertainty. No one knows what to expect. The attitude of the instructors is helpful, though not overly encouraging. The men arive on a Saturday morning, and are taken straight to Stirling Lines, the

SAS's UK base. They are given a medical and then each man must pass the British Army's Battle Fitness Test (this entails covering 2.5km [1.6 miles] in 13 minutes in full kit in a group, then completing the same distance solo in 1 1.5 minutes). Around 10 per cent fail, and are on their way home immediately. Once on base the remaining applicants are issued with everything they will need for the next four weeks: boots, bergens (backpacks), webbing,

IBAINING

FOR PE'BTTCTIllN

:

t ;; ;, ;..:1: :l-|ri:r,! r:.,,

:;:: i. t;1,1 1|j -

.

:1

.

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.

.:

.i.

. .

. ..

s;;;i;:;;i*,11i,4U* lrt'; .si$!';*+t;:$'i*dd*$*81 .rr

':,:fr4

ii:,)

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";1,:

nen are taken to and fron the hills in the four-tonners. ln the nornings they try to get sone sleep during the journey, hut the wind gets in the hack and

Ahotte: fhe

chills then to the hone. This neans they are tired hefore the work on the hills hegins.

uniforms and de-activated Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs). Much ef the kit is old. This is deliberate. The webbing and bergens soak up any wet, making them heavier. This results in bergen sores and blisters. Ill-fitting boots result in painful foot blisters. All this is designed to test motivation. The men are then taken to Dering Lines, a battle school based in Brecon. For the next four weeks this will be their home (it was felt that they should only be based at Stirling Lines when they are fully fledged SAS soldiers). The quarters are comfortable, and the food is hot and ample.

The

first week

The first Sunday marks the start of the course. This is the beginning of the first week. The exercises the men have to perform over the next four weeks do not change. They consist of timed navigation marches over the Brecon Beacons, with each man having to reach pre-arranged rendezvous (RV) points along his route. The only things that increase are the loads he has to carry, and the distances he has to travel. The routes are set by the training staff, and there are instructors at each RV to check on the progress oleach volunteer. as well as to make sure that no one is Bight: Selection is held twice a year: once in the sunner, once in the winter. 0n winter Selection there isn't the searing heat. Bat there is a risk of hypothernia due to the freezing wind.

tr

T"d.4j*'

i *