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The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and was administered by the War Office from London. Since 1963, it has been managed by the Ministry of Defence.

The full-time element of the British Army has also been referred to as the Regular Army since the creation of the reservist Territorial Army in 1908. The British Army is deployed in many of the world's war zones as part of both Expeditionary Forces and in United Nations Peacekeeping forces. The British Army is currently deployed in Kosovo, Cyprus, Germany, Iraq, Afghanistan and many other places.

In contrast to the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force, the British Army does not include "Royal" in its title, although many of its constituent Regiments and Corps are styled Royal.

The professional head of the British Army is the Chief of the General Staff, currently Sir Richard Dannatt.

Offical flag of the British Army

Non-Ceremonial Flag of the British Army

Structure

The British Army has a highly complex structure due to its diverse origins. The British Army into two commands, Land Command is the Army's operational command, while the Adjutant-General's Corps is responsible for for most of the recruitment and personal and professional training of personnel.

Land Command

Land Command is organised into several brigades, which contain men and women from all combat arms, combat support arms, and combat service support arms. The British Army brigade are fully integrated fighting units, capable of operating independently, as well as integrated with with other British, and Allied units.

• 3 Armoured Brigades
• 5 Mechanised Brigades
• 3 Infantry Brigades
• 1 Airmobile Brigade
• 1 Airborne Brigade

=Combat Arms

The Combat Arms provide combat units to the Brigades.

Royal Armoured Corps

Regiments of line cavalry and the armoured regiments together form the Royal Armoured Corps which has units equipped with either main battle tanks or with light armour for formation reconnaissance. An additional reconnaissance regiment is provided by the Household Cavalry Regiment, of the Household Cavalry, which is not considered to be part of the RAC.

• Armoured Regiments
  • 2nd Royal Tank Regiment
  • The King's Royal Hussars
  • The Queen's Royal Hussars (Queen's Own and Royal Irish)
  • The Royal Dragoon Guards
  • The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys)
• Force Reconnaissance Regiments
  • The Household Cavalry Regiment
  • 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards
  • 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's)
  • The Light Dragoons
  • The Queen's Royal Lancers

1st Royal Tank Regiment operates dual roles, with two squadrons allocated to each:

• Contribution to the Joint CBRN Regiment in the NBC protection role.
• Main battle tank training squadrons within the Combined Arms Training Battlegroup at Land Warfare Centre, Warminster.

Infantry

The Infantry is divided for administrative purposes into regiments with battalions being trained and equipped to operate in one of six main roles:

• Airborne Infantry
• Airmobile Infantry
• Armoured Infantry
• Light Infantry
• Mechanised Infantry
• Public Duties

Regiments in the British Infantry include:

• Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
• Duke of Lancaster's Regiment
• Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
• Royal Anglian Regiment
• Yorkshire Regiment
• Mercian Regiment
• The Rifles
• Royal Regiment of Scotland
• Royal Welsh
• Royal Gurkha Rifles
• Royal Irish Regiment
• Grenadier Guards
• Coldstream Guards
• Scots Guards
• Irish Guards
• Welsh Guards

Outside the normal infantry structure are the following

• Ulster Defence Regiment
  • Maintains the British Army presence in Northern Ireland
• Territorial Army
  • Reserve for the Regular Army
• Royal Gibraltar Regiment
  • Part of the Gibraltar Defence Force
• Falkland Islands Defence Force
  • Part of British Forces South Atlantic Islands
• Bermuda Regiment

Army Air Corps

The Army Air Corps provides battlefield air support with 6 Regiments and 4 independent squadrons and flights. Each Brigade usually contains a detachment from the Army Air Corps. Transport helicopters are provided by the RAF.

• 1 Regiment, AAC
• 2 Regiment, AAC - Training Regiment
• 3 Regiment, AAC - Attack Regiment - 16 Airmobile Brigade
• 4 Regiment, AAC - Attack Regiment - 16 Airmobile Brigade
• 5 Regiment, AAC - Northern Ireland
• 6 Regiment, AAC - Attack Regiment
• 7 (Volunteer) Regiment, AAC - Attack Regiment
• 8 Regiment, AAC - Attack Regiment
• 9 Regiment, AAC - Attack Regiment - 16 Airmobile Brigade
• 10 Regiment, AAC - Attack Regiment
• 667 Squadron, AAC
• 7 Flight - Aviation support to British Forces in Brunei
• 8 Flight - Joint Special Forces Air Wing
• 25 Flight - Aviation support to British Forces in Belize
• 660 Squadron (Defence Helicopter Flying School)
• 674 Squadron (Defence Elementary Flying Training School)
• The Band Of The Army Air Corps
• Army Air Corps Historic Aircraft Flight
• The Army Air Corps Blue Eagles Display Team

• The Army Air Corps Parachute Display Team

Combat Support Arms

The Combat Support Arms provide direct support to the Combat Arms and include artillery, engineer, and signals.

Royal Regiment of Artillery

The Royal Artillery consists of 16 regiments, four of which retain the cap badge and traditions of the Royal Horse Artillery.

• 1 Home Defence (Mounted ceremonial) regiment
• 4 Air Defence Regiments
• 3 General Support Regiments (MLRS)
• 8 Close Support Regiments (AS90)
• 5 Close Support Regiments (L118 Light Gun)
• 3 Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiments
• 1 Training Regiments

Corps of Royal Engineers

The Royal Engineers is a corps of 15 regiments in the regular army providing military engineering (civil engineering, assault engineering and demolition) capabilities to the field army and facilities management expertise within garrisons.

Royal Corps of Signals

The Royal Signals is a corps of 10 Regiments and 13 independent squadrons which provides communications and information systems support to formations of Brigade level and above. Below the Brigade level support is provided by Battalion Signallers drawn from the parent unit. Within the deployable brigades the Signal Regiment also provides support to the HQ function including logistics, life support and force protection capabilities.

Intelligence Corps

The Intelligence Corps provides intelligence support including collection, interpretation and counter-intelligence capabilities with three battalions and a joint service group.

Joint CBRN Regiment

The Joint CBRN Regiment provides detection and defence against nuclear, biological, radiological and chemical weapons. A joint unit it includes Army and RAF assets.

Combat Service Support Arms

Royal Logistic Corps

The Royal Logistic Corps is the largest single corps in the British Army; responsible for a range of supply, sustainment and movement tasks. Within the corps there are 21 regiments and 6 independent sub-units.

Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers is a corps which provides maintenance support to equipment. Most units will have either a Light Aid Detachment (LAD) or Workshop (Wksp) attached. Seven battalions provide support to formations of brigade level and abov

Army Medical Services

The Army Medical Services provide primary and secondary care for the armed forces in fixed locations and whilst deployed on operations.

• Royal Army Medical Corps
• Royal Army Dental Corps
• Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps
• Royal Army Veterinary Corps

Adjutant General's Corps

• Royal Army Pay Corps
• Royal Army Ordnance Corps
• Royal Army Educational Corps
• Royal Army Legal Corps
• Royal Military Police
• Military Provost Staff (military prisons)
• Military Provost Guard Service
• Army Physical Training Corps
• Corps of Army Music
• Royal Army Chaplains' Department
• Small Arms School Corps

Equipment

Small Arms

Pistols

• Browning L9A1 9mm Pistol
• L105A1 9mm Pistol (SIG P226)
• L117A2 9mm Pistol (SIG P229)

Submachine Guns

• L92A1 9mm Submachine Gun (HK MP5)

Rifles and Carbines

• SA80 Series
  • L85A2 5.56mm Rifle
  • L86A2 5.56mm Designated Marksman Rifle
  • L22A2 5.56mm Carbine
• Steyr AUG 5.56mm Rifle (Falkland Islands Defence Force)
• Mini-14 20GB 5.56mm Rifle (Bermuda Regiment)
• L119A1 Special Forces Weapon (Diemaco C8SFW) 5.56mm Carbine
• L96A1 7.62mm Sniper Rifle
• L115A1 8.59mm Sniper Rifle
• L82A1 12.7mm Sniper Rifle

Machine Guns

• L110A1 MINIMI 5.56mm Light Machine Gun
• L2A2 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun
• L2A1 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun

Infantry Support Weapons

• L17A1 40mm Under-slung Grenade Launcher
• Heckler & Koch GMG (Grenade Machine Gun)
• L9A1 51 mm Light Mortar
• L16 81mm Mortar
• L14A1 Carl Gustav 84mm Recoilless Rifle
• LAW 80 Anti Tank Weapon
• ILAW (AT4) Anti Tank Weapon
• NLAW (MBT LAW)
• FGM-148 Javelin ATGM (Anti-Tank Guided Missile) Launcher

Armoured Vehicles

Tanks

• FV4034 Challenger 2 MBT
  • Titan Armoured Vehicle Launcher Bridge
  • Challenger Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle (CRARRV)
  • Trojan Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers

Armoured Personnel Carriers

• FV510 Warrior IFV
• FV430 Series
  • FV432 Armoured Personnel Carrier
  • FV434 "Carrier, Maintenance, Full Tracked" - REME Maintenance carrier with hydraulically driven crane.
  • FV435 Wavell communications vehicle
  • FV436 Command and control - some fitted with Green Archer radar, later Cymbeline radar.
  • FV437 Pathfinder vehicle - based on FV432 with integral buoyancy and other waterjets - prototyped only.
  • FV439 Signals vehicle - Many variants.
  • FV430 Mk3 Bulldog
• Saxon APC
• Mamba APC
• Tempest MPV
• Antelope MPV (RG-31)
• Scout MPV (RG-32)
• Mastiff PPV
• Chubby (mine detection system)

Reconnaissance Vehicles

• Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) Series
  • FV101 Sabre - Light Tank
  • FV102 Striker - Anti-tank guided missile
  • FV103 Spartan - Armoured Personnel Carrier
  • FV104 Samaritan - Battlefield Ambulance
  • FV105 Sultan - Command and Control Vehicle
  • FV106 Samson - Armoured Recovery Vehicle
  • FV107 Scimitar - Light Tank
  • Shielder minelayer
  • Stormer HVM - Short Range Air defence (with Starstreak High Velocity Missiles)

Engineering and Support Vehicle

• Viking BVS10
• Terrier Armoured Combat Engineer Vehicle
• FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor

Artillery

• AS90 Braveheart 155mm Self Propelled Gun
• L118 Light Gun 105mm Gun-Howitzer
• Multiple Launch ROcket System (MLRS)
• Lightweight Mobile Artillery Weapon System (LIMAWS)
• Ordnance QF 25 pounder (Ceremonial saluting weapon only)

Anti Tank

• MILAN
• Swingfire
• FGM-148 Javelin
• TOW (AAC)
• Hellfire (AAC)

Air Defence

• Rapier FSC (Field Standard C)
• Starstreak HVM (High Velocity Missile)

Aircraft

• Aerospatiale Gazelle AH.1
• Westland Lynx AH.7
• Westland Lynx AH.9
• Bell 212 AH.1
• Westland Apache AH.1
• Britten-Norman Defender AL.1

Historical Aircraft Flight

• Agusta-Bell Sioux AH.1
• Auster AOP.9
• de Havilland Canada Chipmunk T.10
• de Havilland Canada Beaver AL.1
• Sud Alouette AH.2
• Westland Scout AH1

Support Vehicles

• Landrover
  • Land Rover Wolf Truck Utility Light and Medium (Higher Specification) (designated TUL-HS and TUM-HS)
  • Land Rover Defender Truck Utility Light and Medium (designated TUL and TUM)
  • Battlefield Ambulance - using Land Rover Defender 127" chassis
• Pinzgauer 716M
• Harley Davidson MT350E Motorcycle
• Honda R250 Motorcycle
• Carrier Full-tracked Articulated BV206
• Supacat All Terrain Mobility Platform (ATMP)
• DROPS
  • Leyland Medium Mobility Load Carrier
  • Foden Trucks EKF 6 x 6 Improved Medium Mobility Load Carrier
• Oshkosh Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET)
• Oshkosh Wheeled Tanker
  • 15,000-litre Tactical Air Refueller
  • 20,000-litre Close Support Tanker (Fuel)
  • 18,000-litre Close Support Tanker (Water)
• Bedford TM 6x6 14 tonner
• Bedford TM 4x4 8 tonner
• Leyland/DAF 4 tonner
• Bedford MK and MJ 4 tonne
• JCB Mechanical Handling Equipment
• Kalamar Rough Terrain Container Handler (RTCH)

Army Watercraft

Blue Ensign used on Army Watercraft commanded by an Officer

Blue Ensign used on Army Watercraft commanded by an NCO

• 2 Ramped Landing Craft Logistic
• Combat Support Boat
• Rigid Raider
• Assault Boat Mk 6
• Assault Boat Mk 5
• Mexeflote Raft
• Army Work Boats

Engineering Equipment

• Logistic Support Bridging (LSB)
• M3 Amphibious Bridging Vehicle
• BR90 Close Support Bridge
  • No 10 Bridge
  • No 11 Bridge
  • Tank Bridge Transporter (TBT)
• No 12 Bridge
• BR90 General Support Bridging (GSB)
  • Automotive Bridge Launching Equipment (ABLE)
  • Bridging Vehicles (BV)
  • Long Span Equipment (LSE)
  • General Support Bridge (GSB) 2 Span Pontoon
  • Medium Girder Over Bridge (MGOB)
  • Heavy Girder Over Bridge (HGOB)
• Air Portable Ferry Bridge (APFB)
  • APFB Over Bridge (OB)
  • APFB Fly Fly Forward (FF)
  • APFB Single Storey (SS)
  • APFB Single Storey Reinforced (SSR)
  • APFB (Ferry) (FY)