SAS (Reserve)

SAS (Reserve)
Unit name	Special Air Service (Reserve)
Dates	1955–present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army Reserve
Type	Special forces (reserve component)
Size	Approx. company-strength squadrons
Garrison	United Kingdom (various locations)
Motto	Who Dares Wins
Battles	Aden Emergency, Falklands War, Bosnian War, Iraq War, War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Notable commanders	Colonel Michael Rose, Lieutenant Colonel Jock Lewes

SAS (Reserve) is the reserve component of the United Kingdom's Special Air Service formed to augment the regular Special Air Service during contingency operations. It provides trained volunteer soldiers drawn from the Territorial Army (now Army Reserve) to perform special reconnaissance, direct action support, counter-terrorism reinforcement and specialist tasks. The unit maintains close operational, training and administrative links with the regular SAS regiment and other United Kingdom Special Forces elements.

History

Formed in the post‑World War II reorganisation of British special forces, the reserve regiment traces roots to the pre‑war Lovat Scouts and wartime SAS squadrons established by David Stirling and veterans of the Long Range Desert Group. The reserve element expanded during the Cold War to provide strategic depth against the Warsaw Pact and later adapted to post‑Cold War operations in Northern Ireland, Falklands support roles, and peacekeeping during the Bosnian War. Elements were mobilised for the invasions of Iraq and the Afghanistan alongside regular SAS units, and the reserve cadre contributed to domestic counter‑terrorism following incidents such as the 2005 London bombings. Throughout its existence the reserve component has undergone several restructurings in line with reforms to the Territorial Army and later Army Reserve.

Organisation and Roles

The regiment is organised into squadrons and troops mirroring the structure of regular SAS squadrons. Squadrons are based regionally to draw on personnel from metropolitan centres and key garrison towns such as London, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh. Roles include special reconnaissance in support of MI6 intelligence collection, direct action force augmentation for Special Boat Service and Special Reconnaissance Regiment taskings, and counter‑terrorism reinforcement under Operation Temperer contingencies. The reserve component also provides niche capabilities including mountain warfare aligned with the Royal Marines, arctic training tied to Shetland detachments, and signals‑intelligence support interoperable with Government Communications Headquarters liaisons.

Recruitment, Training and Selection

Candidates are typically volunteers from the Army Reserve and other services such as the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Selection mirrors regular SAS selection with endurance marches, navigation, jungle and mountain phases influenced by historical courses pioneered at Achnacarry and Brecon Beacons. Training pipelines include small‑unit tactics, close‑quarters battle practised at facilities used by Metropolitan Police Specialist Firearms Command for counter‑terrorism interoperability, advanced marksmanship linked to the Queen’s Royal Lancers traditions, and demolition skills developed with the Royal Engineers. Reservists balance civilian careers—often in City of London finance, British Broadcasting Corporation media, emergency services like London Fire Brigade or the NHS—with weekend and evening training commitments and extended annual exercises.

Operations and Deployments

Reservists have deployed in both national and expeditionary contexts. Historically mobilised for the Aden Emergency and deployed in support roles during the Falklands War, reserve squadrons later contributed personnel to operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq and Afghanistan. They have reinforced counter‑terrorism responses during domestic crises linked to incidents such as the 2012 London Olympics security posture and supported multinational exercises with NATO partners including United States Special Operations Command, French Commandement des Opérations Spéciales, and German KSK units. Deployments often involve integration with regular SAS squadrons for surveillance, target acquisition and specialised direct action missions.

Equipment and Uniforms

Equipment mirrors that of regular special forces but is tailored for reservist sustainment. Personal weapons include carbines and precision rifles common to SAS use, often procured through standardisation with Ministry of Defence contracts. Vehicles range from light utility trucks to specialised armoured mobility used in expeditionary theatres similar to platforms fielded by Royal Tank Regiment reconnaissance elements. Uniforms and personal loadouts align with Defence Equipment and Support issued camouflage patterns and may include specialist cold‑weather clothing utilised by units that train in Scotland and alpine environments with equipment interoperability with Royal Logistic Corps supply chains.

Insignia, Traditions and Ceremonies

The reserve regiment shares regimental traditions with the regular SAS, including the winged dagger cap badge and the motto "Who Dares Wins" linked to the regiment's foundation by David Stirling. Ceremonial events include anniversary observances tied to the original Operation Squatter raids and parades at regimental headquarters with invited dignitaries from Whitehall and veterans’ organisations such as the SAS Association. Traditions incorporate patronage links to historic units like the Lovat Scouts and ceremonial acknowledgements of battle honours associated with locations such as North Africa and Italy campaigns.

Controversies and Legal Issues

Like many special forces elements, the reserve regiment has faced scrutiny over rules of engagement, detention and allegations arising from operations overseas. Legal and parliamentary inquiries have examined incidents involving special forces conduct in theatres such as Iraq and Afghanistan, prompting reviews by bodies including the Iraq Inquiry and debates in the House of Commons about oversight, accountability and post‑deployment welfare. Issues have also involved veteran support administered via organisations like Veterans UK and civil litigation related to contested operations, with policy implications for reservist deployment cycles under Defence Reform programmes.

Category:British Army Reserve units