21 Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare) | |
---|---|
Active | 5 March 1943 – 1954 (as 12th (Air Formations) Signals) 1954 – 1958 (as 83 Group (12) Air Formation Signal Regiment) Contents1958 – 1959 (as 12th Air Formation Signal Regiment) 1959 – 1971 (as 21st Signal Regiment (Air Formation)) 1971 – 2014 (as 21 Signal Regiment 2014 – 2022 (as 21 Signal Regiment) 2022 – current (as 21 Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare)) [1] |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | British Army |
Type | Military Communications |
Role | Electronic Warfare and Signals Intelligence (EWSI) |
Size | Regiment 340 personnel (2020) [2] |
Part of | Cyber and Electro Magnetic Activities Effects Group |
Garrison/HQ | Azimghur Barracks, Colerne, Wiltshire – to move to Imjin Barracks, Innsworth NB 2028 |
Insignia | |
Cap Badge | |
Tactical Recognition Flash |
21 Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare) is an electronic warfare and signals intelligence regiment of the Royal Corps of Signals within the British Army. The regiment was, until the initial Army 2020 reforms, the only signal regiment to support the Royal Air Force. [3] [4]
The regiment can trace its roots to the 12th (Air Formations) Signals formed in 1943, in Kirkburton, England, for the purpose of supporting the Second Tactical Air Force in the forthcoming invasion of France on D-Day. [5] [6] [4]
The regiment was divided into two companies in 1944 upon moving into Normandy, France;
At the end of the Second World War, the regiment's two companies were stationed at Bad Eilsen and Bueckeburg in Western Germany, supporting the Royal Air Force's Second Tactical Air Force (2TAF). [7] [8] [4]
From 1952 to 1958, the unit supported the West Germany-based No. 83 Group RAF. [4]
In 1954, the regiment expanded to become 83 Group (12) Air Formation Signal Regiment. [4]
In 1958, No. 83 Group RAF was disbanded, [9] and the regiment was renamed 12th Air Formation Signal Regiment, before being redesignated in 1959 as 21st Signal Regiment (Air Formation). [10] [11] [4]
In July 1971, the regiment was re-designated as 21 Signal Regiment (Air Support). [10] [4]
From 1971 until 1992, the regiment was part of the 4 Signal Group supporting the British Army of the Rhine and was based at RAF Wildenrath. [12] [11] It also took on the additional role of providing communication links for the RAF Germany Harrier Force. [4] [13]
After the Options for Change restructuring in 1990, the regiment moved from Laarbuch to Azimghur Barracks, Colerne, where it remains presently. [10] [11] [4]
During Operation Telic in Iraq, the regiment provided ground to air tactical communications to aircraft within RAF Support Helicopter Force, which operated under the command of JHC (and consisted of Puma, Merlin and Chinook helicopters as well as around 1,100 personnel). [14] [4]
In 2011, 21st Signal Regiment (Air Support) deployed to Afghanistan for a 6 month operational tour of duty on Operation Herrick. Members of 214 Signal Squadron supported 3 Commando Brigade, and subsequently 20 Armoured Brigade, by delivering communications to the front line, as well as installing equipment that allowed tactical commanders to direct their troops, target insurgents, and support helicopter operations including casualty evacuation (CASEVAC). [15]
Elements of 21st Signal Regiment (Air Support) also deployed to Afghanistan in October 2013, and operated within Helmand, Kandahar and Kabul. [16]
As part of the initial Army 2020 reforms, the regiment was no longer designated as an Air Support Signal Regiment and 244 (now carrying the Air Support designation) and 214 Signal Squadrons were transferred to 30 Signal Regiment and 2 Signal Regiment respectively. [17] [18]
After the initial Army 2020 reforms, the regiment was assigned as part of 7th Signal Group within 11th Signal Brigade and Headquarters West Midlands, [19] and was classified as a Multi-Role Signal Regiment. [20]
Following further changes under Army 2020 Refine, from 2018 to 2022 the regiment supported 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade as the Brigade transitioned to become the Army’s first STRIKE Brigade (1st Deep Recce Strike Brigade). [21]
In 2021, it was announced that under the Army's Future Soldier programme, the regiment would re-role to become the Army's second dedicated Electronic Warfare and Signals Intelligence (EWSI) unit. [22]
In 2024, 21 Signal Regiment joined the newly formed Cyber and Electro Magnetic Activities (CEMA) Effects Group, within Field Army Troops. The Group commands the Army’s two Electronic Warfare and Signals Intelligence (EWSI) regiments, 21 and 14 Signal Regiments, as well as the cyber regiment, 13 Signal Regiment. [23]
21 Signal Regiment is set to move from Azimghur Barracks, Colerne to Imjin Barracks, Innsworth NB (not before) 2028, to be based alongside 14 Signal Regiment, the British Army's only other Electronic Warfare and Signals Intelligence regiment. [23]
The current organisation of the regiment is: [24] [20]
Previously, the regiment included 204 Signal Squadron, before the squadron was disbanded in 2018, with personnel bolstering the other squadrons throughout 21 Sig Regt. [25]
Bath – 21 Signal Regiment was granted Freedom of the City in 2011. [26] [27]
The Royal Corps of Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. Signals units are among the first into action, providing the battlefield communications and information systems essential to all operations. Royal Signals units provide the full telecommunications infrastructure for the Army wherever they operate in the world. The Corps has its own engineers, logistics experts and systems operators to run radio and area networks in the field. It is responsible for installing, maintaining and operating all types of telecommunications equipment and information systems, providing command support to commanders and their headquarters, and conducting electronic warfare against enemy communications.
The Army Air Corps (AAC) is the aviation arm of the British Army, first formed in 1942 during the Second World War by grouping the various airborne units of the British Army. Today, there are eight regiments of the AAC, as well as two independent flights and two independent squadrons deployed in support of British Army operations around the world. Regiments and flights are located in the United Kingdom, Kenya, and Canada. Some AAC squadrons provide the air assault elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, through Joint Aviation Command.
A group is a military unit or a military formation that is most often associated with military aviation.
This is a list of British ground forces in the Falklands War. For a list of ground forces from Argentina, see Argentine ground forces in the Falklands War
British Forces Overseas Hong Kong comprised the elements of the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force stationed in British Hong Kong. The Governor of Hong Kong also assumed the position of the commander-in-chief of the forces and the Commander British Forces in Hong Kong took charge of the daily deployment of the troops. Much of the British military left prior to the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997. The present article focuses mainly on the British garrison in Hong Kong in the post Second World War era. For more information concerning the British garrison during the Second World War and earlier, see the Battle of Hong Kong.
16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, known simply as 16 Air Assault Brigade from 1999 – 2021, is a formation of the British Army predominantly based in Colchester, Essex. It makes up the Air Assault Task Force, a battlegroup held at high readiness, and is the only brigade in the British Army focused on operating via parachute, helicopter and air-landing.
The Royal Australian Corps of Signals (RASigs) is one of the 'arms' of the Australian Army. It is responsible for installing, maintaining, and operating all types of telecommunications equipment and information systems. The motto of the Signals Corps is Certa Cito and is translated as 'Swift and Sure', signifying the aim of the signal service – that communication be carried out with maximum speed and certainty. Like their British counterparts, the Royal Australian Corps of Signals' flag and hat badge feature Mercury, the winged messenger of the gods, affectionately referred to by members of the corps as "Jimmy".
Royal Air Force Gütersloh, more commonly known as RAF Gütersloh, was a Royal Air Force Germany military airfield, the nearest Royal Air Force airfield to the East/West German border, in the vicinity of the town of Gütersloh. It was constructed by the German government prior to the Second World War. The station was captured by the American forces in April 1945 and was handed over to the RAF in June 1945 as Headquarters No. 2 Group RAF.
Colerne Airfield, now known as Azimghur Barracks, is a British Army facility just north-west of the village of Colerne, Wiltshire, England. It is set to close in 2029.
The 2nd Signal Brigade, was a military formation of the British Army composed of Royal Corps of Signals units. The brigade was first formed following the reorganisation of the old Territorial Army in 1967, and was disbanded in 2012 under the Army 2020 programme. However, later the 2nd Signal Group was formed continuing the lineage of the old brigade, before it was disbanded in 2018.
The 11th Signal and West Midlands Brigade was a signal formation of the British Army's 3rd UK Division. By November 2024, it had been disbanded, with its sub-units resubordinated.
Ministry of Defence Stafford otherwise known as MOD Stafford, Stafford Station or Beacon Barracks is a Ministry of Defence site in Stafford, in England. It was formerly Royal Air Force Stafford or more simply RAF Stafford, a non-flying Royal Air Force station.
Cawdor Barracks is a British Army installation located 6.3 miles (10.1 km) east of St Davids, Pembrokeshire and 9.8 miles (15.8 km) south west of Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
The 14th Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare) is a part of the British Army's Royal Corps of Signals. The regiment's role is to provide electronic warfare (EW) capability in support of deployed Land Commanders, in order to enable operations in the electronic battlespace. It is the only British Army regiment capable of conducting sustainable electronic warfare in support of national operations worldwide. The regiment is currently based at Cawdor Barracks, on the site of the former RAF Brawdy, near Haverfordwest, in South Wales.
The page contains the current structure of the British Army. The British Army is currently being reorganised to the Future Soldier structure.
The following is a hierarchical outline for the structure of the British Army in 1989. The most authoritative source for this type of information available is Ministry of Defence, Master Order of Battle, and United Kingdom Land Forces, HQ UKLF, UKLF ORBAT Review Action Plan, HQ UKLF, 1990.
The 12th Signal Brigade, later 12th Signal Group was a military communications formation of the British Army commanding regiments of the Royal Corps of Signals. Initially formed in 1967, the brigade would provide rear defence communications for the British Army of the Rhine until its disbandment in 1992. In 2004, the group was reformed to provide territorial army and rear support to the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in Germany. However, in 2009 the group was disbanded following reductions to the Royal Corps of Signals and Territorial Army.
224 Signal Squadron (Cyber) is a company sized military communications unit of the British Army's Royal Corps of Signals and forms part of the corps' new 13th (Cyber) Signal Regiment. The squadron was originally formed in 1959 as part of the army's wider expansion of the Royal Signals, but disbanded in 1980 afters its tasks were taken over by a joint communications training group. In 2020, the squadron was reformed as part of the June 2020 reorganisation of the corps.
Future Soldier is a reform of the British Army resulting from the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy published in March 2021. The aim of the reform is to create a more lethal, agile and expeditionary force, able to fight and win wars and to operate in the grey-zone between peace and war. Future Soldier was published on 25 November 2021 and deals with the organizational changes of the British Army, with changes to personnel and equipment were set out in the Defence in a Competitive Age paper published on 22 March 2021.
The Cyber and Electro Magnetic Activities Effects Group is a combat support formation of the British Army formed in 2024. The group brings together three specialist regiments of the Royal Corps of Signals under Commander Field Army.