Editor's Foreword

Inf 13 bn
SF 2 regt (SAS)
AB 1 bn
Obs 1 regt
Arty 3 lt regt, 1 UAV regt
MLRS 1 regt
Engr 5 regt, 1 EOD regt, 1 sqn, 1 geo sqn , 1 cdo
sqn
Avn 2 regt
AD 1 regt
EQUIPMENT By TyPE
MBT 386 CR2 Challenger 2
RECCE 475: 137 Sabre; 327 Scimitar; 11 Tpz-1 Fuchs
AIFV 575 MCV-80 Warrior
APC 2,718
APC (T) 1,883: 380 Bulldog Mk 3 (106 up-armoured for
Iraq); 771 AFV 432; 597 FV 103 Spartan; 135 FV4333
Stormer
APC (W) 835: 649 AT105 Saxon (only Northern Ireland);
186 Mastiff
TYPE VARIANTS 1,675 AIFV/APC
CPV 100 Jackal
ARTY 877
SP 155mm 178 AS-90 Braveheart
TOWED 105mm 166 L-118 Light gun/L-119
MRL 227mm 63 MLRS; GMLRS
MOR 470: 81mm SP 110; 81mm 360
AT • MSL 800+
SP 60 Swingfire (FV 102 Striker)
MANPATS 740 Milan; TOW
RL 94mm LAW-80
AC • RECCE 3 BN-2T-4S Defender (4th on order); 1
Beechcraft King Air 350ER (3 more on order)
HELICOPTERS
ATK 66 AH-64D Apache
OBS 133 SA-341 Gazelle
ASLT 99: 77 Lynx AH MK7*; 22 Lynx AH MK9
UAV • TACTICAL Hermes 450; Desert Hawk; Buster;
Watchkeeper (Test)
AD • SAM 339+
SP 135 HVM
TOWED 57+ Rapier FSC
MANPAD 147 Starstreak (LML)
RADAR • LAND 157: 4-7 Cobra; 150 MSTAR
PATROL AND COASTAL COMBATANTS • MISC
BOATS/CRAFT 4 workboats
AMPHIBIOUS 4 LCVP
LOGISTICS AND SUPPORT 6 RCL
Royal Navy 34,650; incl 420 active reservists
The Royal Navy has undergone major changes to its
organisational structure since 2002.
Administratively, the Fleet and Personnel/Training
Headquarters are now placed within a unified structure
based at Whale Island, Portsmouth. This new Fleet
Headquarters has three main roles: Force Generation,
Force Deployment and Resource Management.
Operationally, Full Command is held by Commander
in Chief FLEET with operational command and control
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169
delegated for all Units not involved in operations to
Commander Operations, a 2 star based at Northwood,
London. The 2002 review created permanent Battle Staffs
allowing for operations to be commanded by either one
of two 2 star Commanders or two subordinate 1 star
Commanders, depending on the scale of the operation.
RN and RM units are also frequently assigned to UK
Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF), under the operational
command of the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ).
In addition the RN may declare units to various national,
NATO, EU or UN commands and groups not listed here.
Below the Fleet HQ, RN surface and sub-surface units
are structured administratively into three Flotillas based
in Portsmouth, Devonport and Faslane. Aircraft are
split between two Typed Air Stations at Culdrose and
Yeovilton with a SAR detachment at Prestwick Airport,
Scotland. Royal Marines remain under 3 Cdo Bde with a
1 star RM commander, RM Units are located at Arbroath,
Plymouth, Taunton and Chivenor.
EQUIPMENT By TyPE
SUBMARINES 12
STRATEGIC • SSBN 4:
4 Vanguard, opcon Strategic Forces, each with 4 533mm
TT each with Spearfish HWT, up to 16 UGM-133A
Trident D-5 SLBM (Each boat will not deploy with more
than 48 warheads, but each missile could carry up to 12
MIRV, some Trident D-5 capable of being configured
for sub strategic role)
TACTICAL • SSN 8:
1 Swiftsure each with 5 single 533mm TT each with
Spearfish HWT/ 5 UGM–84 Harpoon tactical USGW
7 Trafalgar each with 5 single 533mm TT each with
Spearfish HWT/12 Tomahawk tactical LAM/5 UGM 84
Harpoon tactical USGW
1 Astute each with 6 single 533mm TT with Spearfish
HWT/UGM-84 Harpoon tactical USGW/Tomahawk
tactical LAM (Total load at 38 weapons) (First of class
undergoing initial sea trials.) Additional vessels in
build.
PRINCIPAL SURFACE COMBATANTS 25
AIRCRAFT CARRIERS • CV 2:
2 Invincible with either 3 single MK 15 Phalanx-1B or
Goalkeeper CIWS, (capacity ‘tailored air group’ 8–12
Harrier GR9A; 4 Merlin HM MK1 ASW hel; 4 Sea King
ASAC MK7 AEW hel)
DESTROYERS • DDGH 6
2 Type-42 Batch 2 each with 1 twin (2 eff.) with 22 Sea
Dart SAM, 2 single MK 15 Phalanx CIWS, 1 114mm
gun, (capacity 1 Lynx utl hel), (1 decommissioning late
’09; 2 additional units at extended readiness)
4 Type-42 Batch 3 each with 1 twin (2 eff.) with 22 Sea
Dart SAM, 2 single MK 15 Phalanx-1B CIWS, 1 114mm
gun, (capacity 1 Lynx utl hel)
1 Daring (Type-45) (capacity either 1 Lynx MKS ASW
hel or 1 Merlin HM MK1 ASW hel) (First of class
undergoing sea trials, ISD expected ‘10, additional
vessels in build)
FRIGATES • FFG 17
4 Cornwall (Type-22 Batch 3) each with 2 Mk 141
Harpoon quad (8 eff.) each with RGM-84C Harpoon
Europe (naTO)