Read More: http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/14194 ... gend_dies/ONE of the most famous members of Hereford's SAS regiment has died.
John 'Brummie' Stokes helped to make the elite unit famous on an international scale after climbing Everest in the 1970s.
The soldier, who received an MBE, was also well known for his work with the Taste for Adventure centre in Credenhill.
He was born in 1945 in the mining village of Hamstead, just outside Birmingham and it was at 17-years-old that he became a military man and after three years service with the Royal Green Jackets he enlisted into the SAS regiment.
United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
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Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
SAS Legend John 'Brummie' Stokes Dies
Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
Dozens of SAS veterans rejoin elite squad to tackle threat to UK from ISIS
Around 30 former troops have re-enlisted while 30 more have been told to "standby" as the unit remains on high alert after the Paris attacks
Dozens of SAS veterans have re-enlisted with the elite regiment because of the threat from Islamic State.
Up to 60 SAS men have contacted the regiment’s Hereford HQ in recent months wanting to rejoin the crack unit.
They include dozens of battle-hardened veterans who fought in the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns and on many top secret missions.
Around 30 of the troops have rejoined, while many more have been told to “standby”.
The regiment has been on high alert since the Paris attacks - with troops stationed in a secret location close to London throughout Christmas.
And the regiment’s famous counter-terrorist team, also known as the Special Projects Group, have patrolled the streets in unmarked cars.
The drive behind the re-enlistment is partly due to the lack of opportunities in the security sector, a traditional recruiting ground for members of the special forces.
But increasingly commanders are finding men wanting to rejoin so they can take the fight to Islamic State in Syria, Iraq and Libya.
The Army traditionally welcomes ex-soldiers back into service providing their skill set is still relevant and they can meet the age and fitness requirements.
A defence source said: “A lot of guys left the SAS in the last two years for the private sector.
“But it didn’t offer the same buzz and the financial rewards aren’t what they used to be.
“A lot of the guys are still in their 20’s and still have a lot to offer the regiment.
Britain’s entire special forces group which consists of the SAS, the SBS, the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, Defence Human Intelligence and the Special Forces Support Group, is under strength.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/do ... te-7294522
It's the mirror so..meh
Around 30 former troops have re-enlisted while 30 more have been told to "standby" as the unit remains on high alert after the Paris attacks
Dozens of SAS veterans have re-enlisted with the elite regiment because of the threat from Islamic State.
Up to 60 SAS men have contacted the regiment’s Hereford HQ in recent months wanting to rejoin the crack unit.
They include dozens of battle-hardened veterans who fought in the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns and on many top secret missions.
Around 30 of the troops have rejoined, while many more have been told to “standby”.
The regiment has been on high alert since the Paris attacks - with troops stationed in a secret location close to London throughout Christmas.
And the regiment’s famous counter-terrorist team, also known as the Special Projects Group, have patrolled the streets in unmarked cars.
The drive behind the re-enlistment is partly due to the lack of opportunities in the security sector, a traditional recruiting ground for members of the special forces.
But increasingly commanders are finding men wanting to rejoin so they can take the fight to Islamic State in Syria, Iraq and Libya.
The Army traditionally welcomes ex-soldiers back into service providing their skill set is still relevant and they can meet the age and fitness requirements.
A defence source said: “A lot of guys left the SAS in the last two years for the private sector.
“But it didn’t offer the same buzz and the financial rewards aren’t what they used to be.
“A lot of the guys are still in their 20’s and still have a lot to offer the regiment.
Britain’s entire special forces group which consists of the SAS, the SBS, the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, Defence Human Intelligence and the Special Forces Support Group, is under strength.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/do ... te-7294522
It's the mirror so..meh
Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
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Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
Remarkable, I was just down the road at Morrisons and noticed another newspaper (didn't see which one) reporting SAS SQUAD BLOWN UP BY ISIS IN IRAQ
Come home, and it turns out to be "three men injured by shrapnel during firefight who got lifted home."
Oh tabloids...
Come home, and it turns out to be "three men injured by shrapnel during firefight who got lifted home."
Oh tabloids...
Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
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Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
MV22 in RAF service. Who would have thought that it could happen so quickly and secretly!! Best dust of my fast roping gloves.arfah wrote:The Daily Mail certainly does!Tinman wrote:The MOD do not speculate, discuss SF.
Here's their latest.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ht-UK.html
Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
They must simply have been getting taxi rides on the CV-22 of the 7th US Special Forces squadron in Mildenhall and someone got over-excited.
Something supposedly will happen post-SDSR 2015, however. Special Forces reportedly expect either Chinook AAR probes and a couple of tanker kits for C-130J short; or indeed a V-22 purchase. The latter would also interest the Navy for well known reasons, but money is always the problem.
Gut feeling is that Director SF is aiming high and pulling on the rope banging about the need to replace the Lynx of 657 Sqn JSFSW. It even killed off the Wildcat LAH that was announced in 2011, clearly in the hope of getting something more...
Whether the gamble pays off or the force simply shrinks by another squadron when Lynx AH9A withdraws, is all to be seen...
Something supposedly will happen post-SDSR 2015, however. Special Forces reportedly expect either Chinook AAR probes and a couple of tanker kits for C-130J short; or indeed a V-22 purchase. The latter would also interest the Navy for well known reasons, but money is always the problem.
Gut feeling is that Director SF is aiming high and pulling on the rope banging about the need to replace the Lynx of 657 Sqn JSFSW. It even killed off the Wildcat LAH that was announced in 2011, clearly in the hope of getting something more...
Whether the gamble pays off or the force simply shrinks by another squadron when Lynx AH9A withdraws, is all to be seen...
You might also know me as Liger30, from that great forum than MP.net was.
Arma Pacis Fulcra.
Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum
Arma Pacis Fulcra.
Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum
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Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
Possibly a grain of truth, should such an attack break out in London, I can very much imagine the US will be more than happy to go "Hop in the Osprey" to the UKSF deployed to the area. Allies after all.
So it's a "capability" in the broad sense, but I doubt it's an acquirement.
So it's a "capability" in the broad sense, but I doubt it's an acquirement.
Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
It's a "want" not a need, that being said there is a want for JPR on a serious level, MV22 fits that need nicely, but we have the chinook.RetroSicotte wrote:Possibly a grain of truth, should such an attack break out in London, I can very much imagine the US will be more than happy to go "Hop in the Osprey" to the UKSF deployed to the area. Allies after all.
So it's a "capability" in the broad sense, but I doubt it's an acquirement.
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Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
where are the USAF in europes based? so bit of Joint training possibly?
suspect this will run and run like the UKSF's MH60 black hawks!
suspect this will run and run like the UKSF's MH60 black hawks!
Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
I would also point out the long game: While the current government and the Osprey may never walk down the aisle, giving UK troops experience with tilt-rotors now would be beneficial if something more affordable like Bell's Valor comes on the market down the road. Especially if any of those troopers that spend time in an Osprey subsequently ends up in Parliament.
- ArmChairCivvy
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Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
Do you have any guesstimates at what sort of price fraction that might happen?Halidon wrote: if something more affordable like Bell's Valor comes on the market
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)
Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
The target is in the neighborhood of US $30-35 million, last I heard.ArmChairCivvy wrote:Do you have any guesstimates at what sort of price fraction that might happen?Halidon wrote: if something more affordable like Bell's Valor comes on the market
- ArmChairCivvy
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Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
A steal! A basic Merlin coststhat much, and more than doubles when you put the ASW gubbings (not to mention the AEW) on
- won't mention the Wildcat at £27m as it is well known that the batch was very suboptimal indeed
- won't mention the Wildcat at £27m as it is well known that the batch was very suboptimal indeed
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)
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Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
The American predicted unit cost and the true cost to an export partner are very different things though.
Nevertheless it is an attractive looking aircraft. It would be nice if the did a folding version for us.
Nevertheless it is an attractive looking aircraft. It would be nice if the did a folding version for us.
@LandSharkUK
Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
http://breakingdefense.com/2016/04/brea ... -cackling/A London Daily Mail report that the V-22 is “the SAS’s deadly new weapon in the war against Islamic State terrorists threatening to bring murder and bloodshed to the streets of Britain” has Pentagon and Osprey fleet insiders giggling and Bell-Boeing executives doing some wishful thinking.
Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
UK Special Forces 'Blow Up IS Suicide Truck'
British forces reportedly fired a missile at an IS vehicle rigged with explosives as it approached the city of Misrata in Libya.
British special forces have been praised for saving lives after reportedly blowing up an Islamic State (IS) "suicide truck" in Libya earlier this month.
UK forces fired a missile at a truck, doubling up as a bomb, as it approached a bridge towards the city of Misrata, destroying the vehicle, a Libyan military commander has been quoted as saying.
Commander Durat of Misrata's Third Force militia told The Times the incident happened on 12 May, with UK forces taking decisive action.
He described how special forces calculated the co-ordinates and ranges required for a successful attack, saying the explosion "blew up the suicide truck with a huge explosion, the biggest we have seen yet".
"Our British friends seemed quite calm about it that day," Commander Durat said, adding that no Libyan militia forces were killed in the explosion.
http://news.sky.com/story/1702307/uk-sp ... cide-truck
British forces reportedly fired a missile at an IS vehicle rigged with explosives as it approached the city of Misrata in Libya.
British special forces have been praised for saving lives after reportedly blowing up an Islamic State (IS) "suicide truck" in Libya earlier this month.
UK forces fired a missile at a truck, doubling up as a bomb, as it approached a bridge towards the city of Misrata, destroying the vehicle, a Libyan military commander has been quoted as saying.
Commander Durat of Misrata's Third Force militia told The Times the incident happened on 12 May, with UK forces taking decisive action.
He described how special forces calculated the co-ordinates and ranges required for a successful attack, saying the explosion "blew up the suicide truck with a huge explosion, the biggest we have seen yet".
"Our British friends seemed quite calm about it that day," Commander Durat said, adding that no Libyan militia forces were killed in the explosion.
http://news.sky.com/story/1702307/uk-sp ... cide-truck
Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
The SAS did their upgraded L119s it seems:
Cropped from a picture in The Sun a few weeks ago
http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2014/06/l ... 8-upgrade/
Cropped from a picture in The Sun a few weeks ago
http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2014/06/l ... 8-upgrade/
Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
"SAS using Ospreys over London in anti-terror training exercises" ???
DAILY MAIL ( )Videos & Photos: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ummer.html
How would they know?!
DAILY MAIL ( )Videos & Photos: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ummer.html
How would they know?!
- GibMariner
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Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
Special Forces: Finance:Written question - 41980
Asked by Yasmin Qureshi
Asked by Yasmin Qureshi
Answered by: Michael FallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will assess the potential merits of appointing a committee of parliamentarians to oversee the operations and budget of special forces, similar to the functions of the Intelligence and Security Committee in respect of the intelligence services.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publi ... -05/41980/No.
Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
Meanwhile, it is confirmed that 1 PARA / UKSFSG lost G Company last year. Whatever that "special forces boost" is, it does not show much in there.
You might also know me as Liger30, from that great forum than MP.net was.
Arma Pacis Fulcra.
Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum
Arma Pacis Fulcra.
Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum
Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
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Admin Note: This user is banned after turning most of their old posts into spam. This is why you may see their posts containing nothing more than dots or symbols. We have decided to keep these posts in place as it shows where they once were and why other users may be replying to things no longer visible in the topic. We apologise for any inconvenience.
Re: United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)
Or they aren't the SAS at all.
They could actually be from Jordan.
They could actually be from Jordan.
You might also know me as Liger30, from that great forum than MP.net was.
Arma Pacis Fulcra.
Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum
Arma Pacis Fulcra.
Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum