Army Special Operations Brigade

Last updated

Army Special Operations Brigade
Special Operations Brigade TRF.png
Brigade flash
Active2021 – present
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
BranchFlag of the British Army.svg  British Army
TypeSpecial operations-capable [1]
Role Special Operations
Unconventional Warfare
Security Force Assistance
Foreign internal defence
Counterinsurgency
Size Brigade
Part of Field Army Troops
Commanders
Current
commander		Brigadier Rob Hedderwick

The Army Special Operations Brigade, previously called the Specialised Infantry Group, is a formation of the British Army, initially created as a result of the Army 2020 Refine reorganisation, intended to train foreign forces. [2] [3] Its name and role was adapted after the Defence in a Competitive Age reforms, to a unit that not only trains partner nations, but also fights alongside them in "complex high-threat environments". [4] [5]

Contents

History

Specialised Infantry Group

The group was formed to work alongside partner forces, [3] a role which has similarities to that of the US Army Security Force Assistance Brigades. [6] [7] Initially formed in October 2017 with the 4th Battalion, The Rifles (4 Rifles) and Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (1 Scots). [8] [9] [10] [2] [3] in July 2018, the 2nd Battalion, Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment was added to the Group. [8] [9] [10] [3] and in January 2019, a fourth battalion, the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, was added and this was followed by the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles in 2020. [9] [11] [10] [12] [3] [13]

In February 2018, 4 Rifles deployed for the first time to Kuwait to work with the Kuwait Army and Kuwait National Guard. [14] R Company, It also trained the Afghan Army and forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. [15] In July 2018, C Company from the 2 PWRR was dispatched to Nigeria, where 1 Scots also trained the Nigerian Army for their fight against Boko Haram. [16]

Army Special Operations Brigade

In August 2021 the group was re-designated as the Army Special Operations Brigade, [17] with the four battalions of the newly created Ranger Regiment and two reinforcement companies of the Royal Gurkha Rifles along with 255 Signal Squadron under command, [18] and 1 Squadron Honourable Artillery Company attached to provide long-range surveillance patrols. [19] [20]

The mentoring and training role that was previously undertaken by the Specialised Infantry Group, will be taken on by a new brigade, formed through the conversion of 11th Infantry Brigade, into the 11th Security Force Assistance Brigade. [4] [21] [22]

The inaugural Brigade Commander was Brigadier Angus Fair DSO* OBE who formerly commanded the Specialised Infantry Group. [23] [24] [25]

By 2024, the brigade had been transferred from the disbanded 6 (UK) Division to Field Army Troops. [26]

Structure

Former Structure (2021)

The structure of the Specialised Infantry Group in March 2021 was as follows:

Future Structure (2030)

Graphic representing the structure of the new brigade. British Army Special Operations Brigade - Organization 2024.png
Graphic representing the structure of the new brigade.

The future structure of the brigade (by 2030) will be: [38] [5] [39]

See also

Related Research Articles

The Infantry of the British Army comprises 49 infantry battalions, from 19 regiments. Of these, 33 battalions are part of the Regular army and the remaining 16 a part of the Army Reserve. The British Army's Infantry takes on a variety of roles, including armoured, mechanised, air assault and light.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brigade of Gurkhas</span> British Army units composed of Nepalese Gurkhas

Brigade of Gurkhas is the collective name which refers to all the units in the British Army that are composed of Nepalese Gurkha soldiers. The brigade draws its heritage from Gurkha units that originally served in the British Indian Army prior to Indian independence, and prior to that served for the East India Company. The brigade includes infantry, engineering, signal, logistic and training and support units. They are known for their khukuri, a distinctive heavy knife with a curved blade, and have a reputation for being fierce and brave soldiers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Gurkha Rifles</span> Infantry regiment of the British Army

The Royal Gurkha Rifles (RGR) is a rifle regiment of the British Army, forming part of the Brigade of Gurkhas. Unlike other regiments in the British Army, RGR soldiers are recruited from Nepal, which is neither a dependent territory of the United Kingdom nor a member of the Commonwealth.

The Rifles is an infantry regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of four Regular battalions and three Reserve battalions. Each Regular battalion was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light Division. Since formation, the regiment has been involved in the later stages of the Iraq War and in the War in Afghanistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team</span> Active British Army formation

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 British Army primarily divides its infantry into regiments, which are subdivided into battalions. However, for various reasons, since the end of the Second World War it has also maintained companies that are intended to provide increments and reinforcements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Armoured Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)</span> Inactive British Army formation

The 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army with a long history including service during both the First and the Second World Wars. It was based at Tidworth Camp. Previously, it has been designated 1st (Guards) Brigade, 1st Infantry Brigade, 1st Mechanised Brigade, and under the initial Army 2020 reforms assumed the title of 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade. Under the Future Soldier programme, the brigade merged with the 1st Artillery Brigade to form the 1st Deep Recce Strike Brigade Combat Team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">38th (Irish) Brigade</span> Military unit

The 38th (Irish) Brigade, is a brigade formation of the British Army that served in the Second World War. It was composed of North Irish line infantry regiments and served with distinction in the Tunisian and Italian Campaigns. Following the end of the war, the brigade was disbanded, but was reformed in sixty years later in 2007 and remains the regional formation for Northern Ireland.

The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland was a battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The battalion formed on 1 August 2006 when its antecedent regiments - the Royal Scots and the King's Own Scottish Borderers - amalgamated just after the formation of the Royal Regiment of Scotland in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11th Security Force Assistance Brigade</span> British Army unit

The 11th Security Force Assistance Brigade is a brigade of the British Army which is intended to train and assist foreign forces. In 2021, under the Future Army changes, the brigade was redesignated, formerly being the 11th Infantry Brigade & HQ South East. Prior to the Army 2020 changes in 2013, the brigade was temporarily activated for deployment to Afghanistan. Originally formed in the Second Boer War, the brigade was engaged during both World Wars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aldershot Garrison</span> Military installation in Hampshire, England

Aldershot Garrison, also known as Aldershot Military Town, is a major garrison in South East England, between Aldershot and Farnborough in Hampshire. The garrison was established when the War Department bought a large area of land near the village of Aldershot, with the objective of establishing a permanent training camp for the Army. Over time, this camp grew into a military town and continues to be used by the Army to the present day. It is home to the headquarters of the Army's Regional Command and Home Command, and it is also the headquarters for the Army Special Operations Brigade. The garrison plays host to around 70 military units and organisations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bulford Camp</span> Military camp on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England

Bulford Camp is a military camp on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England. Established in 1897, the site continues in use as a large British Army base. The camp is close to the village of Bulford and is about 2+1⁄4 miles (3.6 km) north-east of the town of Amesbury. The camp forms part of the Tidworth, Netheravon and Bulford (TidNBul) Garrison.

A large regiment is a multi-battalion infantry formation of the British Army. First formed in the 1960s, large regiments are the result of the amalgamation of a number of existing single-battalion regiments, and perpetuate the traditions of each of the predecessor units.

Army 2020 Refine was the name given to the restructuring of the British Army in the mid-to-late 2010s, in light of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015. As its name suggests, it was a "refinement" of Army 2020, an early 2010s reorganisation of the Army to be completed by 2020, originally conducted in light of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Structure of the British Army</span> Organisation of the British Army

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gurkha Allied Rapid Reaction Corps Support Battalion</span> Military unit

The GurkhaAllied Rapid Reaction Corps Support Battalion, or simply the GurkhaARRC Support Battalion is a combat support unit of the British Army, and one of only three units permanently assigned to NATO. For administrative purposes, the Gurkha ARRC Support Battalion falls under the oversight of the Royal Logistic Corps, though employs members from many other cap badges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ranger Regiment (United Kingdom)</span> Special Operations unit of the British Army

The Ranger Regiment is a special operations-capable unit of the British Army which was formed on 1 December 2021 under the Future Soldier reform and is part of the Army Special Operations Brigade previously called the Specialised Infantry Group. It is intended to be used primarily in an unconventional warfare and foreign internal defence capacity in a similar manner to the US Green Berets.

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.

References

  1. ↑ Defence in a Competitive Age (PDF). Ministry of Defence. March 2021. pp. 46, 68. ISBN   9781528624626 . Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Defence review to see dozens of sites close". BBC News. 7 November 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Specialised Infantry Group". army.mod.uk. British Army. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 "New British Army brigade: reshaping UK special operations for the better?". IISS. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Army Special Operations Brigade" . Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  6. ↑ Matisek, Jahara; Williamson, Joshua (June 2020). "Limited Wars in the Periphery: The Dilemma of American Military Assistance". Expeditions with MCU Press. doi:10.36304/ExpwMCUP.2020.03.
  7. ↑ Matisek, Jahara; Reno, William (2019). "Getting American Security Force Assistance Right: Political Context Matters" (PDF). Joint Force Quarterly. 92 (1st quarter): 65–73.
  8. 1 2 "Leadership in The Specialised Infantry: An Interview with Brigadier James Roddis". thearmyleader.co.uk. The Army Leader. 8 December 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 "Army 2020 Refine Structure" (PDF). britisharmedforcesreview. HM Armed Forces Review. 15 October 2019. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  10. 1 2 3 "Written Statement: Strategic Defence and Security Review – Army:Written statement – HCWS367". parliament.uk. Hansard. 15 December 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2019. Specialised Infantry Battalions
  11. ↑ "New Gurkha battalion to be established as brigade grows". gov.uk. London. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  12. ↑ "New 3rd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles Will Begin Recruiting 2019". warfare.today. 12 March 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  13. ↑ Latter, Mick (3 February 2020). "The Third Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles reformation parade".
  14. ↑ Grzeszczyk, Sian (21 February 2018). "EXCLUSIVE: Specialist British Soldiers' First Operational Deployment In Kuwait". Forces News. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  15. ↑ Wiltshire, Amy (2 May 2019). "Duchess Of Cornwall Presents 4 RIFLES With Medals". Forces News. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  16. ↑ Cotterill, Tom (23 July 2018). "Portsmouth soldiers teach Nigerian Army how to defeat brutal terror group Boko Haram". Portsmouth News. Portsmouth. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  17. ↑ "First glimpse of 'Future Soldier'". Soldier Magazine. 1 August 2021. p. 14.
  18. 1 2 "Unit Details". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  19. ↑ Gregory, Lieutenant General Sir Andrew (25 November 2021). "The Integrated Review". Ministry of Defence. p. 1. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  20. ↑ Gregory, Lieutenant General Sir Andrew (25 November 2021). "The Integrated Review". Ministry of Defence. p. 2. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  21. ↑ "New Army Ranger Regiment: What We Know So Far". Forces Network. 24 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  22. ↑ "New Army Ranger Regiment: What We Know So Far". Forces Network. 6 April 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  23. ↑ Nicholls, Dominic (25 November 2021). "'Emotional intelligence' key for Army's new Rangers units" . The Telegraph. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  24. ↑ Luscombe, Stephen. "Light Dragoons". The British Empire. Retrieved 13 December 2021. Angus George Costeker Fair
  25. ↑ "Aldershot Soldiers Receive Operational Medals". British Army (Press release). 14 November 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  26. ↑ "Formations, Divisions & Brigades | The British Army". 10 November 2024.
  27. ↑ "Specialised Infantry Group". army.mod.uk. British Army. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  28. ↑ Weir, Fiona (2 October 2014). "Warm Welcome for 1 SCOTS in Holywood". Forces Network. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  29. ↑ "Army 2020 Refine changes since 2017" (PDF). Dropbox. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  30. 1 2 3 Fallon, Michael (15 December 2016). "Strategic Defence and Security Review – Army: Written statement – HCWS367". Hansard. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  31. 1 2 3 4 "Regiments to change bases, in major Army restructure". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  32. 1 2 "Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  33. 1 2 British Army Newsletter | Summer 2020 | Issue 5 | In Front.
  34. 1 2 "Duke of Lancaster's Regiment". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  35. ↑ Garrison, Aldershot (Winter 2020). "The Garrison: Aldershot Garrison, Home of the British Army, Issue #7: Winter 2020". Aldershot Garrison. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  36. 1 2 "4 RIFLES". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  37. ↑ "New specialist Gurkha battalion established". Ministry of Defence. 14 March 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  38. ↑ "Unit Details". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  39. ↑ "New Army Ranger Regiment: What We Know So Far". Forces Network. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  40. ↑ "6th (United Kingdom) Division". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  41. ↑ Weir, Fiona (2 October 2014). "Warm Welcome for 1 SCOTS in Holywood". Forces Network. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  42. ↑ "Army 2020 Refine changes since 2017" (PDF). Dropbox. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  43. 1 2 3 Fallon, Michael (15 December 2016). "Strategic Defence and Security Review – Army: Written statement – HCWS367". Hansard. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  44. ↑ Latter, Mick (30 November 2021). "F (Falklands) Company, Formation Parade 18th November 2021". Welcome to the Gurkha Brigade Association. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  45. ↑ Garrison, Aldershot (Winter 2020). "The Garrison: Aldershot Garrison, Home of the British Army, Issue #7: Winter 2020". Aldershot Garrison. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  46. ↑ Rushworth, Will (9 February 2022). "4 RANGER'S GURKHAS DEPLOYED ACROSS AFRICA" (PDF). 4 RIFLES. Bugle. No. 19 Spring 2022. Kettering: Crest Publications. p. 30. … G (Coriano) Coy, the newest addition to 4 RANGER, …
  47. ↑ Peach, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart (2012). "Defence and Intelligence" (PDF). Geospatial World Forum. Joint Forces Command. p. 3. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  48. ↑ The Integrated Review, Lt Gen Andrew Gregory CBE, Master Gunner St James's Park, 25 November 2021
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.