Maritime Support

SBS operations at sea usually require support from Royal Navy assets.

Royal Navy Vessels

Royal Navy ships support the SBS in its anti-terrorist and anti-drug smuggling roles in the seas and oil fields surrounding the UK. In more conventional operations, SBS raiding or reconnaissance parties can be launched from Royal Navy frigates and nuclear submarines.

Royal Marines

In the event of a large scale maritime SBS operation, such as a hostage rescue mission on a large North Sea Oil Rig, Royal Marine commandos will be called in to provide additional manpower. In the case of a large oil platform or ship, the SBS would deal with the primary objectives whilst the support Marines would search and secure the rest of the vessel/installation.

Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines (FPGRM)

One group of Marines well suited to supporting the SBS are the Fleet Protection Group. This specialised cadre has various responsibilities, including guarding Britain's nuclear weapons and high value Naval assets. The FPGRM used to be known as 'Commachio Company', to which 1SBS used to be attached to for maritime counter terrorism before M Squadron was formed in the late 80s.

related link/article:
Roles and Tasks of FPGRM
(Royal Navy Fact file)

Royal Marines Coxswains

These specially-trained marines are attached to SBS units and are tasked with piloting the various boats used to transport them. Coxswains are trained in all the various insertion techniques that the SBS use such as parachuting out to sea and deploying from submarines and Chinooks. RM Landing Craft Coxswains are trained by 1 Assault Group, which is based at Poole, Dorset.

related link/article:
1 Assault Group Royal Marines
(official homepage)