RM Commandos Vs SBS

42RM

Banned
The CO asked his RSM, who was both commando and SBS qualified, which organization he would recommend to form a new anti-terrorist unit. The Sergeant Major responded to his CO´s question with this parable: If there were a hijacked Boeing 747 being held by terrorists along with its passengers and crew and an anti-terrorist unit formed either by the Commandos or the SBS was given a Rescue/Recovery Mission; what would you expect to happen?

Commando Option

Forces/Equipment Committed: If the Commandos went in, they would send a company of 120 men with standard issue equipment.

Mission Preparation: The CSM would conduct a Hair Cut and Boots Inspection.

Infiltration Technique: They would insist on double timing, in company formation, wearing their combat equipment, and singing Jody cadence all the way to the site of the hijacked aircraft.

Actions in the Objective Area: Once they arrived, the company would establish their ORP, put out security elements, conduct a leader’s recon, reapply their face cammo, and conduct final preparations for Actions on the OBJ.

Results of Operation: The Rescue/Recovery Operation would be completed within one hour; all of the terrorists and most of the passengers would have been killed, the Commandos would have sustained light casualties and the 747 would be worthless to anyone except a scrap dealer.

SBS Option

Forces/Equipment Committed: If SBS went in, they would send only a 12 man team (all SF units are divisible by 12 for some arcane historical reason) however, due to the exotic nature of their equipment the SBS Team would cost the same amount to deploy as the Commando Company.

Mission Preparation: The SBS Team Leader would request relaxed grooming standards for the team.

Infiltration Technique: The team would insist on separate travel orders with Max Per Diem, and each would get to the site of the hijacking by his own means. At least one third of the team would insist on jumping in.

Actions in the Objective Area: Once they arrived, the SBS Team would cache their military uniforms, establish a Team Room, use their illegal Team Fund to stock the unauthorized Team Room Bar, check out the situation by talking to the locals, and have a Team Meeting to discuss the merits of the terrorists' cause.

Results of Operation: The Rescue/Recovery Operation would take two weeks to complete and by that time all of the terrorists would have been killed, (and would have left signed confessions); the passengers would be ruined psychologically for the remainder of their lives; and all of the women passengers would be pregnant. The 747 would be essentially unharmed, the team would have taken no casualties but would have used up, lost, or stolen all the "high speed" equipment issued to them.
 
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