tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post1283420823776203005..comments2024-02-29T11:45:01.870+01:00Comments on UK Armed Forces Commentary: Just how bad is it...?Gabrielehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623558391676151582noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-23443326544582583292013-03-25T21:41:36.370+01:002013-03-25T21:41:36.370+01:00I meant to put the Field Hospitals in the 101st &a...I meant to put the Field Hospitals in the 101st & 102nd Logistics Brigades not the 104th (Theatre Support) Logistics Brigade.<br />Mountienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-21024755969996358472013-03-25T21:37:19.772+01:002013-03-25T21:37:19.772+01:00Here is an alternative force structure. Reduces t...Here is an alternative force structure. Reduces the number of infantry battalions by 3, including 3 PARA. 2 PARA would be transferred to the Special Forces Support Group along with 1 PARA and both employed similar to the US Army Ranger Battalions. Each of the infantry's administrative divisions would be reduce to 4 battalions, except for the Guards Division which would retain 5 battalions. The Rifles would also reduce to 4 battalions, the Parachute Regiment would reduce to 2 and the Gurkha's would maintain its 2. This would mean a total of 27 regular infantry battalions and 2 PARA battalions. The reduction in infantry battalions and support brigade headquarters would allow the combat and logistics brigades to be properly manned.<br /><br />2 x Multi-Role Division (1st & 3rd)<br />--1 x HQ & Signal Regiment<br />--1 x Military Intelligence Battalion<br />--1 x Force Reconnaissance Regiment (FRES-SV)<br /><br />-1 x Armoured Brigade (7th & 20th)<br />----Command Support Regiment (Signal, Military Intelligence & MP sub-units)<br />--3 x Armoured Infantry Battalion (Warrior)<br />--1 x Armoured Regiment (Challenger II)<br />--1 x Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery (AS90 & GMLRS)<br />--1 x Armoured Engineer Regiment (Titan & Trojan)<br />--1 x Sustainment Regiment (Logistics, Equipment Support & Medical sub-units) <br /><br />-2 x Infantry Brigades (4th, 12th, 19th & 52nd)<br />--Command Support Regiment (Signal, Military Intelligence & MP sub-units)<br />--3 x Mechanized Infantry Battalion (FRES-UV)<br />--1 x Medium Armoured Regiment (FRES-SV in fire support role)<br />--1 x Field Artillery Regiment (M777 & HIMARS)<br />--1 x Field Engineer Regiment<br />--1 x Sustainment Regiment (Logistics, Equipment Support & Medical sub-units)<br /><br />-1 x Logistics Brigade (101st & 102nd)<br />--HQ & Signal Squadron<br />--1 x General Support Logistics Regiment, RLC (6th & 9th)<br />--1 x General Support Maintenance Battalion, REME (101st & 104th)<br />--1 x General Support Medical Regiment, RAMS (4th & 5th)<br />--1 x General Support Engineer Regiment, RE (28th & 36th)<br />--1 x Military Police Regiment (1st & 3rd)<br /><br />Theatre Support Troops<br /><br />-1 x Rapid Reaction Brigade (1st Guards)<br />--Command Support Regiment (Signal, Military Intelligence & Military Police sub-units)<br />--3 x Air Assault/Light Role Infantry Battalions (5 Guards battalions rotate. 3 in the brigade and 2 on public order duties)<br />--1 x Light Armoured Regiment (Jackal) (Household Cavalry Regiment)<br />--1 x Light Artillery Regiment (L118) (7th RHA)<br />--1 x Air Assault Engineer Regiment (23rd)<br />--1 x Sustainment Regiment (Logistics, Equipment Support & Medical sub-units)<br /><br />-1 x Logistics Brigade (104th)<br />--HQ & Signal Squadron<br />--2 x Theatre Logistics Regiment, RLC (7th & 27th)<br />--2 x Theatre Support Battalion, REME (102nd & 103rd TA)<br />--1 x Port & Maritime Regiment, RLC (17th)<br />--1 x Postal, Courier & Movements Regiment, RLC (24th)<br />--1 x Explosive Ordnance Disposal (11th)<br />--1 x Military Working Dog Regiment, RAVC (1st)<br />--1 x Military Police Regiment (4th)<br />--1 x Field Hospital (22nd & 34rd)<br /><br />-1 x Army Aviation Brigade (16th)<br />--HQ & Signal Squadron<br />--1 x Training Regiment, AAC<br />--4 x Regiments, AAC (Apache, Wildcat & UAV) (1st, 3rd, 4th & 5th)<br />--1 x Aviation Support Battalion, REME (7th)<br />--1 x Aviation Logistics Regiment, RLC (13th)<br /><br />-1 x Signal Brigade (1st)<br />--Brigade Headquarters<br />--2 x Signal Regiment (22nd & 30th)<br />--1 x Information Support Signal Regiment (15th)<br />--1 x ECM Signal Regiment (10th)<br />--1 x Electronic Warfare Regiment (14th)Mountienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-21717014906234333192012-04-02T19:36:25.699+02:002012-04-02T19:36:25.699+02:00Gabriele
Let’s just take Benjamin’s point first ...Gabriele <br /><br />Let’s just take Benjamin’s point first of all. He says, “This is "The Telegraph", not known for being accurate with Defence stories...”<br /><br />Well, sometimes maybe but does the fact that the ”Telegraph” story has not been denied or commented on by the MOD yet, suggest that it is predominantly true? I am fervently hoping that it is not but I am getting pessimistic. Sorry not to be able to raise your spirits to any greater degree.<br /><br />I agree with the other contributors that yours is an outstanding post that summarizes the present situation and points out the fallacies and deficiencies in the Government’s way of thinking only too well.<br /><br />Perhaps, on second thoughts, this might be a “feeler” leak by the MOD, testing the waters for change, as it were, but with less than a fortnight to go before all is revealed, it does seem unlikely.<br /><br />What the hell are they doing with the infantry regiments? Down by 11. Madness! We shall never be able to fight any sustainable campaign again. General Sir Michael Rose said a decade ago that if the cuts then being made went ahead, then the time would come when the British Army would lose a campaign. We came pretty close to doing that in Iraq. If these cuts go ahead, you can wave farewell to the British Army remaining an effective force. And the reductions to the Artillery and Engineer numbers. Lunacy!MikeWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-46338051138623491602012-04-02T19:04:12.436+02:002012-04-02T19:04:12.436+02:00I have a 125 men figure in my mind for a 6-gun bat...I have a 125 men figure in my mind for a 6-gun battery of L118 in 29 Commando RA, inclusive of 3 observation posts, but it is something i remember in my mind and it might or might not be correct. I might be confusing figures up. I've tried looking into my notes, but so far found nothing useful. <br /><br />As to 6 guns, that is not so relevant since AS90 batteries also are effectively down to six guns. As to manpower, i'm not really sure, i'll tell you what! I think an L118 gets a 7 men complement, while an AS90 has a crew of 5. <br />However the AS90 should be heavier on manpower still, when everything is counted in. <br />For sure, it is heavier on REME attachments, no doubt on this.Gabrielehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01623558391676151582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-21594597243003450512012-04-02T18:47:56.628+02:002012-04-02T18:47:56.628+02:00Hi Gabriele,
Yes, I can't find much on Regime...Hi Gabriele,<br /><br />Yes, I can't find much on Regiment or battery strength, and I can't get in touch with the long snipers that I know!<br /><br />But, If all the 7 regiments that are attached to brigades are to have the light gun, there would be some saving in manpower there, as I think there are only 6 light guns to a battery? and light gun batteries are lighter on man power than AS90s?<br /><br />I still think Artillery regiment strength is around 400, as they only have 3 batteries and an HQ battery in most cases.<br /><br />At a strength of 5000, I still think there will be enough regiments to support 7 brigades, plus maybe 5 further regiments. This would fit with a third cut in numbers, down from 7500 to 5000. <br /><br />So, I still think it will be a 7 brigade structure. However, MRBs may still have 4 battalions, artillery, engineers, but only one RAC regiment!<br /><br />I am not sure about the infantry being only 25 battalions, my own feeling, is still a cut of 6 or 8 battalions, leaving either 27 or 29 battalions.<br /><br />I am taking the telegraph article, at face value at the moment, as it's all we have to go on.<br /><br />Regards<br />PhilAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-33800896677710340992012-04-02T17:27:30.528+02:002012-04-02T17:27:30.528+02:00I will try, but it is very hard to come up with a ...I will try, but it is very hard to come up with a data for the manpower of the current regiments, and without this info there's no chance of making an accurate estimate worth the time and effort! <br /><br />If someone finds a document with the RA regiments manpower, please share, and we'll try looking into it.Gabrielehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01623558391676151582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-32604675953730380742012-04-02T16:24:33.734+02:002012-04-02T16:24:33.734+02:00Hi Gabriele,
Given the Royal Artillery numbers, c...Hi Gabriele,<br /><br />Given the Royal Artillery numbers, can you work out how many regiments will be left?<br /><br />I am guessing the average strength of a Regiment to be around 400? with 1 regiment per brigade, 1 training regiment, 1 air defence, 1 GLMRS, 1 surveillance and targeting. I make that 11 regiments, a strength of about 4,400?<br /><br />I assume that all MRB artillery regiments will only now have the light gun?<br /><br />I ask this, as I think it would shed some light on the future force structure.<br /><br />Regards<br />PhilAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-88637687355842081402012-04-02T15:35:44.190+02:002012-04-02T15:35:44.190+02:00@Neil
Thank you, glad that my article comes usef...@Neil <br /><br />Thank you, glad that my article comes useful, even if it was painful to write about such a sad story. <br />And no, unfortunately it's no April fools... <br /><br />@Benjamin <br /><br />Welcome on my blog. <br />And yes, i know the Telegraph is not always very reliable about defence, but they are not entirely unaccurate either. <br />And i fear that this particular article might be particularly close to reality, unfortunately. <br /><br />Note, however, that their article leaves enough details out that it can imply a lot of different things. <br />The Royal Artillery reduction, for example: it is not at all clear if regiments whole will vanish or if manpower can be cut back in other ways. <br />For example: the RA as it is is going down from 17 AS90 batteries to 10. This is bound to save manpower. <br />40 Regiment is gone, and so along. <br /><br />I've tried using historical numbers to see how much sense the article makes, but it is not easy! We'll have to wait for announcements.Gabrielehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01623558391676151582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-41653140575670748062012-04-02T15:14:22.267+02:002012-04-02T15:14:22.267+02:00This is "The Telegraph", not known for b...This is "The Telegraph", not known for being accurate with Defence stories...Benjamin of Wighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03638987247523360801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-40543927360055165682012-04-02T14:51:14.835+02:002012-04-02T14:51:14.835+02:00P.S. No chance of this being an April fools articl...P.S. No chance of this being an April fools article?Neilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-12896193033571120082012-04-02T14:49:32.439+02:002012-04-02T14:49:32.439+02:00Hi Gabriele
I believe the above mentioned are the...Hi Gabriele<br /><br />I believe the above mentioned are the results of politics intervening in military matters. I don't think there is a lot more to add to what you have said.<br /><br />I just want to say I think this a brilliantly written article and you summed up the whole situation very nicely.<br /><br />Good job!Neilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-89204439191479006492012-04-01T18:41:43.344+02:002012-04-01T18:41:43.344+02:00Hi Gabriele,
I was also shocked by the Telegraph ...Hi Gabriele,<br /><br />I was also shocked by the Telegraph article.<br />If it’s all true, it will be a big shock to the Army. I wait to see if the Army dismiss this article.<br /><br />However, the promise to keep every cap badge, cannot in my view be kept. Regiment’s have to be amalgamated. The figure that shocked me was the report to cut the Royal Artillery by a third, when as I understand the situation, the RA are already at five MRB unit strength?<br /><br />What does not shock me, the reduction in Ghurkha numbers. Since the Ghurkha rights issue, the writing has been on the wall for a big cut in there numbers, and with Nepal now stirring things up to add to the call for the reduction in numbers. However, I can’t see a British battalion being posted to Brunei.<br /><br />The foot Guards issue, well if they don’t suffer at least a reduction in numbers there will be a lot of blood on the walls!<br /><br />The cut to the RAC I think has been on the cards. I think we will see only one RAC per brigade, maybe with an extra squadron with MBT? Or a single MBT regiment not brigaded as a force asset. Or even an armoured brigade? I can see the RAC reduced to one per MRB brigade, if there is such a thing an MRB anymore.<br /><br />As I have said before, I don’t think the cut to 82.000 will support 5 MRB, 16 AA and the army elements of 3 CDO. You can’t nearly cut 20.000 a still get the same number of fighting units.<br /><br />I await the 12th of April with trepidation!<br /><br />Regards<br />PhilAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com