Britain has created an elite commando force, called the Fleet Standby Rifle Troop (FSRT), deployable at a moment's notice, to act as the "tip of the spear" in any military action abroad.

The force can move with as little as eight hours' warning to evacuate Britons, rescue hostages or act a "super advance guard" for any military operations.

Royal Marine commandos from the FSRT have already been deployed five times this year in crises including flare-ups in Indonesia, Sierra Leone and Albania.

Last year in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) a team of commandos was taken captive by rebels as it was escorting a diplomat, but the troops managed to extract themselves unharmed in less than an hour. "In lots of ways it is the ultimate adventure for any Marine." one military insider said.

The men carry pagers or mobile telephones, enabling them to be contacted quickly and airlifted to anywhere in the world. They can deploy by "fast-roping" from helicopters and are trained in anti-drug operations, crowd control, "personnel extraction" and first aid.

The "front of the front line" unit was formed two years ago, but its existence has not previously been reported. Although not part of Britain's Special Forces, it has hitherto been kept deliberately low-profile.

"It is there to get a presence on the ground immediately it is needed, especially if there are British nationals in danger," a Royal Marines spokesman said. "There's a comfort factor politically in that we can say there are troops on the ground."

Even the "spearhead" troops of the newly-created Joint Rapid Reaction Force – those held at the highest readiness – take up to five days to deploy, and much longer if heavy weaponry is required. Normal troops can take anything up to two months. But with its small numbers – only a few dozen in total – the FSRT can be on the ground in many places within a day.

"We might travel by a charted Lear jet or a military plane or a commercial flight through an ordinary airport," said Sgt. Charlie Breach, of 45 Commando, who leads one of the six-man teams. "For Albania, we were paged at midnight and by the following midday we were in the air."

FSRT teams are held on standby by the Permanent Joint Headquarters at Northwood, Middlesex. Armed with light weapons and crowd-control equipment, they operate overtly and in uniform.

In Indonesia – the most recent deployment – FSRT teams waited offshore in case they were needed to rescue British nationals trapped in violent rioting that led to the downfall of President Suharto in May.

"We would go in only if intelligence indicates that we could work," said Sgt. Breach. "It is dangerous, but the risk is calculated."

In the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean, FSRT commandos seized a drug plantation on behalf of the local police. They were also sent to Montserrat to help islanders fleeing the volcanic eruption.

Two teams are currently deployed on anti-piracy operations in eastern Asia. They sail with ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and will go to the assistance of vessels under attack. Three Royal Marine commando units take turns at the FSRT role. Currently it is being performed by the men of 45 Commando, based at Arbroath in Angus.

FSRT troops spend an average of six months a year on missions away from base. "For any Marine it is a brilliant posting," said Cpl. Steff Moran. "You get to the Four Corners of the earth. You can't believe how good it is until you do it. Everyone else is extremely jealous."

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