The hostage rescue at the Iranian Embassy in London on May 5, 1980 established Britain’s Special Air Service as the world’s premier special forces unit. While that single incident has had a tremendous influence on the world’s SWAT teams and counter-terror units, urban operations is but one of many SAS capabilities. All members of the regiment are trained in airborne and amphibious landings, can operate in virtually any terrain and climate, speak several languages and have a thorough knowledge of the world’s firearms and explosives.
As with all British units, their traditions are important to the SAS. The origins of the unit, thoroughly covered here, go back to the desert raiders of World War II and continue through later operations in Malaya, Aden, the Falklands and the Persian Gulf. All of the weapons, equipment, and active operations of the Special Air Service are described in detail with the aid of numerous color and black-and-white photos, paintings and drawings.
