In December 2004, as part of the restructuring of the British armed forces, it was announced that a new force, along the lines of the US Army Rangers would be set up to act as support to the SAS and SBS. Although this unit will be a tri-service formation, with personnel from the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, the initial core will be formed from the 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment. As a result of this, 1 PARA became one of the four infantry battalions to be cut from the line infantry. No official name for the new force has been announced yet; for now the term 'Rangers' is to be used. However, it is believed that eventually, it will be announced that the unit will remain as 1 PARA.
Joint Special Forces Support Group?
On 17 April 2005, a story in the Daily Telegraph reported the following:
- the 'Rangers' unit will be called the Joint Special Forces Support Group;
- it is intended to be operational by 2008;
- it will initially consist of 450 men from 1 PARA, plus another 200 from the Royal Marines and the RAF Regiment;
- it will be commanded by a lieutenant colonel from the Parachute Regiment;
- it will be based at St Athlan barracks in South Wales, close to the Hereford home of the SAS;
- recruitment will be open to members of other Army units (and presumably from the other services too); the selection procedures will be tough, but not as tough as those for the SAS.
However, the story names no source: until an official public announcement, these details should be treated as unconfirmed.
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