The British Army Guide: 2012-2013

Charles Heyman

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9781848841079
• eBook ISBN: 9781783032808
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: British History
• Index: History

In 1984 the first edition of the British Army Guide was published and in May 2011 the 12th edition will be on sale. This invaluable information resource which deals with all aspects of British Army organization, recruitment and training, has been extremely popular with service personnel, the defense industry, military libraries and other groups who are interested in the British Army worldwide. Copies can be seen on desks throughout the UK Ministry of Defense and it would be fair to say that almost every foreign defense attach in London has a copy in his briefcase. Chapters include a Defense Overview; Army Organization; International Commitments; Armor, Infantry, Artillery, Army Aviation, Engineers, Communications and Combat Service Support; Units of the Army; Recruiting and Training; Reserve Forces plus a final Miscellaneous Chapter which deals with a number of items essential to understanding How the British Army functions on a daily basis. Lavishly illustrated throughout there is no comparable publication available on the market.

CHAPTER 1 – OVERVIEW

GENERAL INFORMATION

Population – European Union – Top Five Nations

(2011 Eurostat estimates)

Germany	81.8 million
France	64.7 million
United Kingdom	60.9 million
Italy	60.3 million
Spain	45.9 million

Total European Union population is estimated at 501 million.

Finance – European Union – Top Five Nations

(2010 IMF Estimates)

Global Comparison

Note:

1. Conversion rates: €1 = US£1.38; £1 = US$1.60
2. GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is an annual figure that values all of the goods and services produced by a country in that year. GDP is a very simple indicator of national wealth.
3. Per Capita Income is the most basic indicator of individual wealth. In this case the figure for GDP has been divided by the size of the population.

UK Population

England	51.1 million
Wales	2.98 million
Scotland	5.14 million
Northern Ireland	1.75 million
Total	60.97 million

The population split in Northern Ireland is approximately 56% Protestant and 41% Roman Catholic with the remaining 3% not falling into either classification (2001 Census).

The figures above relate to 2007 estimates by the UK office for National Statistics. The census that took place in early 2011 will probably return a population figure of around 62 million.

UK Population Breakdown – Military Service Groups

(2010 estimates)

There are about 11.4 million in the 0-15 age group and about 9.75 million in the age group 65+.

UK Area (in square kilometres)

England	130,423
Wales	20,766
Scotland	77,167
Northern Ireland	14,121
Total	242,477

Government

The executive government of the United Kingdom is vested nominally in the Crown, but for practical purposes in a committee of ministers that is known as the Cabinet. The head of the Ministry and leader of the Cabinet is the Prime Minister and for the implementation of policy, the Cabinet is dependent upon the support of a majority of the Members of Parliament in the House of Commons. Within the Cabinet, defence matters are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Defence. The Secretary of State for Defence has five principal deputies; the Minister of State for the Armed Forces; Minister for International Security Strategy; Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology; Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans plus the Under Secretary of State and Lords Spokesman on Defence.

UK Government Expenditure Plans 2011-2012

Total Government Spending-

£701 billion

Of which some elements include:

Health	£122 billion
Social Security	£123 billion
Education	£84 billion
Defence	£35 billion (Total Resource – depreciation)
Protection	£34 billion
Welfare	£113 billion
Transport	£20 billion
Debt Interest	£43 billion

TOTAL BRITISH ARMED FORCES (AT 1 APRIL 2011 – TRAINED PERSONNEL)

Regular: 176,810; Regular Army 101,300; Royal Navy 35,430 (including 8,000 Royal Marines); Royal Air Force 40,090.

Note:

Army figure includes about 3,800 Gurkhas and small numbers of Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel deployed overseas.

Volunteer Reserves 37,600 (1 April 2010); Army 33,130; Royal Navy 2,900; Royal Air Force 1,500. There are probably about 150,000 Regular Reserves who could be recalled in a major emergency.

Cadets 133,000 (1 April 2010); Army 75,800; Royal Navy 14,000; Royal Air Force 43,300 (includes Combined Cadet Force).

MOD Civilians 85,000 (Early 2011);

CURRENT FORCE LEVELS

Strategic Forces: 4 x Vanguard Class submarines capable of carrying up to 16 x Trident (D5) Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBM) deploying with 40 x warheads per submarine. If necessary a D5 missile could deploy with 12 MIRV (multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles). Future plans appear to be for a stockpile of 120 operationally ready warheads and 58 missile bodies. Strategic Forces are provided by the Royal Navy.

Current plans appear to be for the Vanguard Class submarines to be replaced in the ‘early 2030s’.

Regular Army: 101,300 trained and including about 3,800 Gurkhas; 1 x Corps Headquarters (ARRC); 1 x Armoured Divisional HQ in Germany; 1 x Mechanised Divisional HQ in UK; 3 x Non-deployable divisional type HQ in UK; In Germany – 2 x Armoured Brigade Headquarters and 1 x Logistics Brigade HQ; In UK – 5 x Deployable Combat Brigade HQ and 1 x Logistics Brigade HQ; 10 x Regional Brigade HQ; Major Units: 10 x Armoured Regiments; 36 x Infantry Battalions; 15 x Artillery Regiments; 12 x Engineer Regiments; 12 x Signal Regiments; 5 x Army Air Corps Regiments; 7 x Equipment Support Battalions; 17 x Logistic Regiments; 9 x Medical Regiments/ Field Hospitals.

Territorial Army: 33,130; 14 x Infantry Battalions; 4 x Yeomanry Regiments; 7 x Artillery Regiments; 5 x Engineer Regiments; 2 x Special Air Service Regiments; 5 x Signals Regiments; 2 x Equipment Support Battalions; 17 x Logistic Regiments; 2 x Intelligence Battalions; 1 x Army Aviation Regiments; 13 x Field Hospitals/Medical Regiments.

Royal Navy: 35,430 (including some 8,000 Royal Marines): 4 x Nuclear Powered Ballistic Missile (UK Strategic Deterrent); 9 x Nuclear Powered Submarines (attack type – future total 7); 1 x Helicopter Carrier; 2 x Amphibious Assault Ships; 7 x Destroyers; 17 x Frigates (future combined total of 19); 16 x Minehunters and Minesweepers (future total of 14); 4 x Ocean survey vessels; 1 x Antarctic patrol ship; 4 x Patrol vessels and 16 x Patrol craft (fishery protection and patrol duties).

Fleet Support Ships (Manned by Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel. Supply fuel, stores and ammunition at sea to fleet units) 1 x Fast fleet tanker; 2 x Small fleet tankers; 3 x Support tankers; 2 x Replenishment ships; 1 x Aviation training ship; 1 x Forward repair ship; 4 x Landing Ships.

Royal Marines: 8,000: 1 x Commando Brigade Headquarters; 3 x Royal Marine Commando (Battalion Size); 2 x Commando Assault Helicopter Squadrons; 1 x Commando Light Heli...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• CHAPTER 1 – OVERVIEW
• CHAPTER 2 – ORGANISATIONS
• CHAPTER 3 – INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS
• CHAPTER 4 – UNITS OF THE REGULAR ARMY (DURING LATE 2011)
• CHAPTER 5 – THE HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY AND THE ROYAL ARMOURED CORPS
• CHAPTER 6 – ARMOURED AND PROTECTED VEHICLES
• CHAPTER 7 – INFANTRY
• CHAPTER 8 – ARTILLERY
• CHAPTER 9 – ARMY AVIATION
• CHAPTER 10 – ENGINEERS
• CHAPTER 11 – COMMUNICATIONS
• CHAPTER 12 – COMBAT SERVICE SUPPORT
• CHAPTER 13 – JOINT SERVICE UNITS
• CHAPTER 14 – RECRUITING, SELECTION, TRAINING
• CHAPTER 15 – RESERVE FORCES
• CHAPTER 16 – MISCELLANEOUS