damage regiment, say angry officers
SAS top brass fear plans to axe 600 specialist posts will deal a severe blow to the force’s fighting strength.
Defence chiefs have drawn up secret plans to slash back-up teams for the elite regiment.
They say the number of support units has ballooned in size during the war in Afghanistan, and there is now room for cuts as UK forces pull out.
But furious officers say the losses will hit the Who Dares Wins regiment’s ability to carry out its special missions. One senior source warned: “It is utter madness at a time when we need to be investing in special forces. If these cuts go ahead it will leave us over-stretched for years to come.”
The latest squeeze comes as Britain commits more forces to tackling Islamic terrorism in North and West Africa — and days after David Cameron pledged to BOOST defence spending after 2015.
The SAS and partner regiment the Special Boat Service will not be hit directly. But 156 jobs will go from the Special Forces Support Group, which provides back-up in the field.
The rest of the 600 losses will be among “enablers” who provide transport, signals and intelligence.
An insider said: “The SAS may get all the glory but they can’t do these operations alone.”
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