Britain’s special forces will take on a new covert mission against China and Russia as they shift their focus to countering “big state adversaries”, a senior military chief has revealed.
Brigadier Mark Totten said that the SAS and SBS would have more time and assets for “higher risk” counterstate tasks requiring more detail, planning and specialist expertise. The Royal Marines will take over the units’ traditional roles.
Army sources said special forces might be given “politically treacherous” tasks such as training the navies of countries near the South China Sea to better defend against Chinese hostility.
Totten is in charge of a 4,000-strong “future commando force” of Royal Marines who will “burden-share” with Britain’s elite units. They will base themselves in small numbers around the
