The Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR) is the British Army's "Level 1" Special Reconnaissance Unit responsible for covert surveillance and reconnaissance for the British Special Forces (UKSF). Due to the secrecy and sensitivity of the unit's operations, much of the information about the SRR is highly classified, and the British government and the Ministry of Defense have never made any comments about the unit. The British Army's Special Reconnaissance Corps was established on 6 April 2005 to form a dedicated unit for covert surveillance and reconnaissance to replace the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) and Special Boat Fleet (SBS), which carry out more extensive operations. Like these units, the SRR is commanded by the Director General of Special Forces (DSF) and is part of the British Special Forces.
Special reconnaissance regiment
1. The badge and history of the special reconnaissance group
The badge of the special reconnaissance regiment
The coat of arms of the special reconnaissance regiment consists of a Corinthian helmet (Argos) and a blade similar to the mythical holy sword Excalibur, with the word "reconnaissance" engraved on the scroll below.
In 1987, the British Ministry of Defence established the British Special Forces (UKSF), and the post of Director of the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) was changed to Director of Special Forces (DFS). The Ministry of Defense assigned the Chief of Special Forces to command the Special Air Service Regiment and the Navy's Special Boat Squadron, which was later renamed the Special Boat Squadron (SBS).
Since then, the bureau has grown in size with the creation and unification of new units. In 2001, the Joint Special Forces Air Wing (JSFAW), consisting of the 7th Squadron (RAF) and the 658th Squadron (Army Aviation Corps), was formed, and in 2005, the Special Forces Superintendent decided to establish the Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR) to support the SAS and SBS in reconnaissance and surveillance missions. In the same year, the Ministry of Defense also created the 18th Communications Regiment. In 2006, the size of the special forces continued to expand, and the special forces support group was established as a rapid reaction force to assist the special forces in carrying out their tasks.
Second, the main tasks of the special reconnaissance regiment
Special reconnaissance regiment
The main task of the special reconnaissance regiment and other special forces regiments is to provide effective support to small special forces fighting on battlefields where the battle line is unclear and the enemy is mixed, and to help friendly forces win the "long war" and asymmetric war, which is called "force multiplier".
Most of the surveillance and reconnaissance tasks of the British special forces are carried out by the special reconnaissance group, which also frees up the 22nd special air service regiment and the special boat fleet to focus on offensive operations. The Special Reconnaissance Regiment also cooperates with the 18th Special Communications Regiment to provide tactical communications specials for special operations missions.
Endurance tests of special reconnaissance regiments
All active duty members of the British Armed Forces are eligible for selection into the Special Forces, although most members come from the Royal Marines or Paratrooper Corps, and are selected twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter. Candidates must be at least 32 years old (30 for officers), must have served in the military for at least two years, and must also be recommended by the commander to be eligible for the tryout. The training and selection process for the Special Reconnaissance Corps lasts approximately 32 weeks, and after completing the initial training, the candidate will enlist in the army as an infantryman, and the entire training process can take up to three years.
3. The main operations in which the special reconnaissance group participated
Operations with the participation of special reconnaissance regiments
During the 2001-2014 war in Afghanistan, special reconnaissance teams were sent to Afghanistan on several occasions to assist SAS and SBS in the pursuit of high-value Taliban leadership targets, and on 27 June 2006, a 16-member team of SASC, SBS and SRR carried out Operation Ilois, which secretly captured four Taliban leaders in a compound outside Sanggin in Helmand province.
In late July 2011, during the first Libyan civil war, a joint team of 24 soldiers from the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment and the Special Reconnaissance Regiment was sent to Libya to train and assist anti-Gaddafi groups.
Soldiers of the Special Reconnaissance Regiment
In April 2016, it was reported that soldiers from the Special Reconnaissance Corps had been seconded to the MI6 team in Yemen to train Yemeni forces against al-Qaeda and identify targets for drone strikes.
Special reconnaissance regiment on duty
Summary: Rigorous training and advanced weaponry have made the Special Reconnaissance Corps a clairvoyant and a well-being for the British Special Forces and other armed forces, and is also considered to be an elite unit on a par with the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) and the Special Boat Fleet (SBS).