Special Boat Service (SBS) with the motto “By Strength And Guile”  is a special forces unit of the Royal Navy, They along with the Special Air Services (SAS) Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR) and Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) come under the joint control of the Director of Special Forces. SBS is headquartered in Poole, Dorset and the origin of this unit dates back to the world War II, constituted as Special Boat Section which later went on to become special boat squadron and then finally special boat service. SBS derives most of its force from the royal marines, they are specialists in amphibious operations. The main tasks of SBS involve Reconnaissance, counter terrorism ops, sabotage, and combat actions behind the enemy lines. Created as a specialist commando unit during the course of WW II, then later disbanded and again picked up by the Royal Marines, Post WWII, they took part in the Korean War operating from submarines, destroying communications, gathering intelligence. Then they also saw action in the Falklands war against the Argentinians. They took part in the Kuwait war, liberating the British Embassy in Kuwait and also creating diversionary attacks along the Kuwaiti coasts. They have also taken part in the hostage rescue operations in Sierra Leone, In Afghanistan during operation Enduring freedom and also in the Iraqi Invasion.

SBS is designed along the lines of the most renowned SAS .The SBS personnel are experts in swimming, parachuting, diving, navigation, demolitions and reconnaissance. SBS has 4 active squadrons and 1 reserve unit. Most of the recruits in SBS are volunteers from Royal Marines, and few from all the other branches of the British Armed Forces. The volunteer applying for SBS should have completed a minimum of 2 years of regular service and only those who complete the selection process will be accepted into regular services.