Special Air Service - Mobility
Troop
Whilst the Special Air Service
have many different insertion methods they still rely heavily on
ground based vehicles. The Special Air Service' main three vehicles
are the 'Pinkie' Land Rover, Honda motorbike and LSV (Light Strike
Vehicle.)
Land Rover - 'Pink Panther'
or 'Pinkie'
The Special Air Service use converted Land Rovers; their durability
and ruggedness make it ideal for the Special Air Service. Whilst
the premise hasn't changed much since the Willis Jeeps or WWII the
actual vehicles have.
The Special Air Service now use a Long Wheel Based Land Rover, usually
with a crew of three. They carry rations, water, fuel, ammunition,
radios and navigational equipment and have an operational range
of about 650km. The make up of the vehicle depends on the mission
but the choice of weaponry is vast and includes the 7.62mm GPMG,
the 7.62mm M60 machine gun, the 7.62mm chain gun, or 20 and 30mm
cannon. There is a GPMG mounting at the front of the vehicle next
to the driver and twin GPMGs or a heavy calibre gun can be mounted
at the rear, in addition there is a belly plate for protection against
mines and camouflaged netting fixed to the front so it can quickly
be covered up.
The name 'Pinkie' comes from desert operations when the Land Rover
is painted pink for camouflage in the desert and the land rover
can be carried in a C130 Hercules or slung under a helicopter.
The Special Air Service use the Land Rover in their 'hit and run'
operations where they'll just drive straight up to the enemy and
unleash an awesome amount of fire power and retreat back into the
night before the enemy can counter the assault.
Light Strike Vehicle
The LSV has some advantages over the Land Rover for Special Forces
operations, whilst it has less fire power and a shorter range it
is easier to camouflage, is smaller, faster and more manoeuvrable
than the Land Rover, its lighter frame means if it gets stuck it
can be manhandled out by its crew and its open frame design gives
it a smaller radar cross section.
In short it's an excellent reconnaissance vehicle that was first
used in the 1991 Gulf War. It is built by the British company Longline
and can accommodate many different armourments; all calibres up
to 20mm cannon, and is rumoured to have optional mounts for a MILAN
or TOW wire guided missile system.
Honda Motorbikes
Like the LSV the Special Air Service use motorbikes because of there
flexibility, manoeuvrability and speed, I know the used the Honda
motorbikes and I assume they use the Honda XR 600 off road bikes.
They'll use these for short range reconnaissance probably along
side the LSV which will provide some fire support if they get into
trouble. I'm told they also use Yamaha motorbikes.