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What secrets lurk in the filecards?
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12-31-2009, 08:10 PM
zuludelta
EQ-Viper
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Canada
Posts: 4,343
Quote:
Originally Posted by
oliverbox
Zulu, this brings up a point I've been wondering about. How the the different SAS units compare to one another...
... How does the NZ and Australian SAS compare? Are they as good as the British SAS? I mean, we often compare Skymate and Big Ben because they're SAS, but their from the Australian and British SAS, respectively. Is it a fair comparison?
Nice to see you back, man.
As far as the different SAS units the world over... I don't really know (objectively) how they compare performance or record-wise, although the UK's SAS is considered to be the best mostly due to its extensive operational history starting in World War II, fighting Rommel in the desert.
Most non-UK SAS units use the Special Air Service designation to reflect their belonging to a Commonwealth nation and their "ceremonial" lineage to the British SAS (Australia and New Zealand, for example) Obviously, the British unit is the template for the "typical" SAS unit we're currently aware of: a company-sized unit (called a squadron, in keeping with Commonwealth regimentation) composed of four troops (what we in the Canada and US would call platoons in our infantry) that specialise in one of four areas: mountain warfare, advanced airborne techniques (including HALO), combat swimming/special boat operations, and motorised operations.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
oliverbox
What other units around the world or on par with the British SAS?
In terms of "popular reputation," France's GIGN, Germany's GSG9 (both of which are actually federal police units), and Israel's Duvdevan are probably on the same level as the SAS with regards to hostage rescue and anti-terrorism operations in built-up areas. Delta Force and DEVGRU are right up there as well and I think their capabilities map very well with the SAS's.
The thing about making straight-up comparisons between special operations-capable anti-terrorism units from different countries is that the basic defining features of terrorism differ from place to place. In many European and Asian nations, terrorism is primarily a domestic problem. It takes place within a concerned country's borders, and it is performed by members of that country's local population. Therefore, in these places, it makes much more sense for anti-terrorism specialist units to be drawn from the federal police/gendarmerie or an equivalent agency empowered by the respective Interior ministry or department.
In places like the UK, Canada, Australia, the US, and New Zealand, terrorism and terrorists are generally viewed by many policy-makers, whether rightly or wrongly, as a "foreign" problem. Given that perspective, the job of anti-terrorism is primarily a Department of Defense/Defence Ministry concern. In recent years though, the FBI and the Coast Guard have been developing units that are more akin to the best Asian/European special operations-capable police units (who approach the task of anti-terrorism with military precision and rigour), and I can only see that trend continuing.
This creates an interesting dichotomy in terms of international special operations-capable units' capabilities. On the one hand, you've got these special operations-capable police units (like the GSG9) who excel (and are unparalleled, even) in hostage rescue and urban anti-terrorism operations and who also have extensive training in civilian law enforcement and have at least some capability in anti-terrorism technical/forensics investigation. It's no surprise that the United Nations recruits from special police units like the GSG9 or the Czech Republic's URNA for Special Team Six (the UN's little-known special operations-capable law enforcement/war criminal hunter unit). On the other, you've got units like America's Delta Force and DEVGRU, the UK's SAS and SBS, Canada's JTF-2, Australia's SAS, etc. which are, in essence, airborne-capable light infantry (or naval infantry) who've specialized in foreign counterinsurgency, guerrilla warfare, and expeditionary anti-terrorism. Two vastly different operative sets, but more often than not, lumped together in popular discussion.
Comparing, say, GSG9 with SAS outside of a specific context then becomes an exercise in open-ended speculation with little meaningful value, as they've been designed and conceptualised to perform their jobs up to different parameters. That doesn't stop me from making off-the-cuff comparisons, though, as the speculation can often be a fun, if ultimately pointless, creative exercise.
__________________
Last edited by zuludelta; 12-31-2009 at
09:11 PM
.. Reason: edited for punctuation
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