Special Boat Squadron

:"The Special Boat Service of the British Royal Marines was also known as the Special Boat Squadron between 1977 and 1987."Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=Special Boat Squadron


caption=A passing out parade of the SBS
dates=1985 - Present
country=Sri Lanka
branch=Sri Lanka Navy
command_structure=Special operations,Sri Lanka Navy
type=Naval Special Forces
role=Special operations
Maritime Counter-Terrorism

size=
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
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colonel_of_the_regiment=
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nickname=SBS
motto=
colors=
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march=
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battles=Sri Lankan civil war
notable_commanders=
identification_symbol=
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anniversaries= The Special Boat Squadron (SBS) (In Sinhalese: Unicode| "Wishesha Yathra Balaghanaya") is the Sri Lanka Navy's elite special forces unit. It forms part of the Sri Lanka Special Forces, alongside the Commando Regiment (CR), Special Forces Regiment(SF), and SLAF Special Forces (SLAFSF). Unlike any of the other Sri Lankan special forces units the SBS is a naval special forces unit.

Established in the 1980s the SBS was modeled after the Special Boat Service of the Royal Navy. In its role as a naval special forces unit it takes up wide variety of operations such as amphibious raids, Maritime Counter-Terrorism, Reconnaissance and target indication, combat swimmer missions and small boat operations. As a Special Forces unit, its role is not limited to water-borne operations. SBS conducts operations on land, either with Commando Regiment (CR),Special Forces Regiment(SF), regular ground combat units of the Navy and the Army and in many occasions separately.

History

The SBS was inaugurated on 18th January 1993 at SLNS Elara in Karainagar, Jaffna with three officers and 76 able seamen. Shortly after completing special training the first Special Boat Squadron consisting of 25 was established. The first operation carried out by the SBS was in November 1993, when it took part in the recapturing of the Pooneryn Navy camp witch had been attaked by terrorists. The SBS was the first to penetrate the camps defences shortly after the camp was captured. The SBS has taken part in many major operations carried out by the Sri Lankan military including operations like Rivirasa, Dirithara and Agnikheela. In recent months with the resumption of hostilities the SBS has been actively deployed.

Role

The roles of the Special Boat Squadron are predominantly focused on, but not restricted to,
*Covert beach reconnaissance (Hydrographic survey) in advance of amphibious assault.
*Covert assault route preparation in advance of amphibious assault.
*Recovery or protection of ships subject to terrorist action.
*Maritime Counter-Terrorism
*Reconnaissance and target indication in the deep battlespace
*Assault on verified targets
**Protection of senior naval officers.

ee also

*Military of Sri Lanka
*Sri Lanka Navy
*Military ranks and insignia of the Sri Lanka Navy
*Sri Lanka Army Special Forces Regiment
*Sri Lanka Army Commando Regiment
*Sri Lanka Air Force Regiment Special Force

External links

* [http://www.defence.lk/ Ministry of Defence Sri Lanka]
* [http://www.navy.lk Sri Lanka Navy]
* [http://www.navy.lk/index.php?id=891 Three Intakes of Sailors along with Elite SBS Contingent pass out at SLNS Nipuna]