Blue Thunder: UK Special Forces

Blue Thunder: UK Special Forces

So I thought some UK members or members with a interest in Special Forces might find this of interest. I had heard the name Blue Thunder being used to describe a UK Special Forces (UKSF) group before however it was not until the aftermath of the London attacks a few nights ago that I have really been able to learn more about this unit. Before I really get into this its probably worth mentioning to take all of this with a pinch of salt as UKSF are always very reluctant to divulge details.

So the story of Blue Thunder really goes back to the aftermath of the London bombings of 7/7 in the aftermath of that attack the UK Security Services requested that members of the UKSF, specifically the SAS be based in London in the event of a terrorist attack. Then however n 2015 after the Charlie Hebdo attacks the UK Security Service began worrying about attack such as that or indeed the 2008 Mumbai attack coming to the streets of London. The solution seems to now be coming public with two ideas that we know of so far. The first was Operation Tempura a plan under which troops would be deployed to assist police when a terrorist threat was imitate.

The Second seems to have been around reforming the SAS personnel kept on London into a more formal role. That is how we get to Blue Thunder, as I have already said details are vague. From what i can find the name was first used back in 2016 in the Dail Star reported that:

Helicopter-borne members of the elite regiment will go into action at a moment’s notice.

If terrorists are still at large the heavily-armed soldiers will be directed to trap and eliminate them after a direct order from the Home Secretary.

News of the new unit, which has been secretly rehearsing a variety of terrorist scenarios for more than six months, emerged in the wake of the Brussels atrocities.

The teams are dubbed “Blue Thunder” because they use unmarked blue helicopters

So really we know every little about this group. I have spend some time doing more research and what I have found is that this group is supposedly made up of around 70 members of the SAS with support form the SBS and SRR and that there may be 7 police liaison officers attached to the unit. Where they are based is obviously classified but it has been reported that they are kept on permanent standby at a airport in the London area or at a classified site controlled by the Metropolitan police.

They get their name "Blue Thunder" which seems to have been given to them by the press because of the helicopters they are known to use. They use unmarked blue Eurocopter Dauphin helicopters to get about quickly that are operated by the Army Air Corps and apparently also have a Apache gunship for support and reconnaissance if required along with a number of other resources.

Their mission is to provide immediate action response in the event that terrorists begin roaming attacks on the streets of London and to provide support to the elite Counter-Terrorism Specialist Firearms Officers (CTSF) of the metropolitan polices strategic firearms command (CO19).

Although there have been numerous reports of the SAS being deployed in the aftermath of attacks such as the Westminster terrorist attack or the attack in Manchester the recent attacks in London are supposed to be the first time that their deployment has been confirmed by numerous media outlets after the police got authorisation for the Home Secretary.


(apologies for the crap video)

The Telegraph reported that:

A helicopter-borne team of Special Air Service counter terrorism experts landed on London Bridge in the wake of Saturday night’s London attack.

The elite SAS unit nicknamed ‘Blue Thunder’ is understood to have arrived after the attack had been ended by armed police, and sources said they played no role in confronting the three terrorists.

And its also been reported by The Independet

An elite SAS unit nicknamed ‘Blue Thunder’ is believed to have landed by helicopter on London Bridge, following an attack which left at least seven people dead and 48 hurt.

Police shot and killed all three attackers but it was believed during the night that one suspect could have escaped.

Special Forces were apparently mobilised to hunt down the suspected missing terrorist.

Like i say there is very little information on this relativity new unit but I think this stuff is quite interesting, there is more information in the links and the wider press if you are interested.

As far as i'm aware SF have been based in London for decades??, I have never heard of a formal operations group called "blue thunder" and the Independent does state "Nick name" such as traffic officers being called Black Rats...


Honestly for all it is worth I very much doubt they will be in the right place at the right time, the current crop of attacks are exactly why Daesh pulled away from the massive show stoppers and moved to the small cell or one man approach as there is just to much to go wrong the more planning and people that are involved yet they still end up with a "event"..

I believe we will be seeing far more attacks with cars/vehicles and home made devices, a Stanley knife can do just as much damage in a packed environment as something far more sinister.

You can have a SAS operator on every corner of London but then what happens to the rest of the UK??.. It takes one peado following pyschopath to get through that is all, the danger is here with us, we missed the boat years ago to deal with it!!!.. We are reaping what we sowed by allowing these scum bags to gain a inch, no thanks to the f#cking liberals!!!...

All I can say is be on your guard and just have at least a thought out exit plan..



RA

a reply to: slider1982

Interesting what you say about being in the right place at the right time.

No matter what this will never happen unless they terrorists get really really thick.

The idea however behind Blue Thunder seems to be that they can deploy quickly thanks to the equipment they have at their disposal.

Whats also interesting to look at however is the elite counter-terrorism officers of CO19 who train with the SAS and in many of the same techniques. There is always one team on standby and they have motorbikes to get around if required. They only really came into existence in 2016 but they are very highly trained and are akin to the HRT Teams of the FBI in America. Outside of London there are also teams of these guys who cover larger geographical areas for example I think there is only one team on standby at anyone time for the whole of Scotland.

a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin


I guess it will reassure a few people???, I do not envisage a Mumbai style attack due to the amount of fire power needed but at this juncture all bets are off..

Sadly in the time needed to deploy the damage is done, I have a honestly held belief if these scum bags kill just one person before they bit the dust they have been a success in their eyes and that takes a matter of seconds not minutes.

Out of interest are they commissioned then as Police officers or Army/Air service?, I say that as knowing how procedures and protocol is having armed soldiers roaming around possibly dispatching members of the population will no doubt have the human rights brigade have a sh1t fit, remember even Jihadist have Human rights in the demographic republik of great britainstan...


I would rather the route cause is dealt with, France has the Army at every bloody roundabout it seemed heading into Paris yet they still had a incident at the Chanselise paris, the approach they are taking needs to be seen to be believed yet in all honesty does it do f#ck all????......


RA

a reply to: slider1982

They are not police they are military, that is why there has to be senior civilian authority before they can be deployed but they do have police attached to the group apparently.

No other takers on this the ??