British Armed Forces
The Armed Forces mainly recruits within the United Kingdom, and normally has an annual recruitment target of around 24,000.[78] The minimum recruitment age is 16½ years (although personnel may not serve on operations below 18 years); the maximum recruitment age is 32-years. The normal term of engagement is 22 years, however the minimum service required before resignation is 4 years.[79] Low unemployment in Britain has resulted in the Army having difficulty in meeting its target, and in the early years of the 21st century there has been a marked increase in the number of recruits from other (predominantly Commonwealth) countries.[80][81]
Citizens of Commonwealth countries, the Republic of Ireland, and dual-nationals are eligible to join the British Armed Forces.[80] In 2005, the proportion of foreign nationals in the Armed Forces rose from a 2004 figure of 7.5 to almost 10 percent. While the Army has been the destination for the majority of recruits, large contingents exist in the Navy and Air Force.[82] Excluding the Brigade of Gurkhas and the Royal Irish Regiment, 7,155 personnel were recorded as being of foreign nationality in 2005.[82] The largest tri-service national groups recorded in 2005 were Fijian (2,040), Jamaican (1,030), South African (710), Zimbabwean (590), Ghanaian (590), and Irish (335).[82] Smaller contingents were drawn from countries such as Australia (110) and Canada (105), and islands nations with relatively small populations.[82] A Grenadian, Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry, was awarded the Victoria Cross in 2005 for actions in Iraq.[80]
Specific initiatives to develop female and ethnic minority representation in the Armed Forces has yielded percentage increases of 3.4 and 4.5 since 1997.[83][84][85][19] In 1997, there were 14,830 (5.7%) women and 2.184 (1.0%) personnel who identified as an ethnic minority.[19] This had increased to 17,870 (9.1%) and 10,180 (5.5%) in 2006. A higher percentage of personnel have attained higher-rank since 2000. Notably included among these officers are Rear-Admiral Amjad Hussain, Air Commodore David Case, Commodore Carolyn Stait, and Squadron Leader Nicky Smith.[86][87] Women have been fully integrated into the British Armed Forces since the early 1990s; however, they remain excluded from primarily combat units in the Army, Royal Marines, Royal Air Force Regiment, and the submarine service.[88] Since 2000, sexual orientation has not been a factor considered in recruitment and homosexuals can serve openly in the armed forces, unlike in the United States armed forces for example, the army actively recruits at Gay Pride parades.
[
Current operations
There were over 30,000 members of the British Armed Forces deployed abroad in January 2007, serving in various capacities.[89][90] Peackeeping, humanitarian aid, and disaster relief tasks have increased in recent years, many under the auspices of the United Nations and NATO.[91] The Armed Forces most recently contributed to the international humanitarian and reconstruction efforts that occurred in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami and 2005 earthquake in Pakistan.[92][93]
Within the United Kingdom, there were approximately 140,000 personnel stationed in England, 13,200 in Scotland, 7,000 in Northern Ireland, and 6,200 in Wales.[94] The conflict in Northern Ireland has required the Armed Forces to provide "Military Aid to the Civil Power" since 1969, with a presence that peaked at over 20,000 regular personnel in 1972.[95] Sectarian and paramilitary violence has subsided since the Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998.[96] The IRA declared an end to its campaign in 2005. Operational support for the Police Service of Northern Ireland, known as Operation Banner, officially ended on 1 August 2007 and result in the reduction of the miliary presence to the size of a peacetime garrison.[97]
Personnel are based in a number of overseas territories, though internal security for the majority is provided solely by small police forces. Garrisons and facilities exist in Ascension Island, Diego Garcia, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, and the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus.[6] These deployments accounted for over 5,000 personnel in 2006.[89] Locally-raised units are maintained in Bermuda (The Bermuda Regiment), the Falkland Islands (Falkland Islands Defence Force), and Gibraltar (Royal Gibraltar Regiment). Though their primary mission is "home defence", individuals have volunteered for operational duties. The Royal Gibraltar Regiment has recently mobilised section-sized units for attachment to regiments deployed to Iraq.[98][99]
[
Recent Defence Reviews
- Options for Change (1993)
- Strategic Defence Review (1998)
- Delivering Security in a Changing World [3] (2003)
[
See also
- Banknotes of the British Armed Forces
- European Security and Defence Policy
- Military of Scotland
- Military of the Falkland Islands
- Irish Defence Forces
[
Notes
- ^ Armed Forces Act 1976, Arrangement of Sections, raf.mod.uk
- ^ a b c d e f Strength of UK Regular Forces by Service and whether trained or untrained at 1 April each year, dasa.mod.uk
- ^ [1]
- ^ The Mission of the Armed Forces, armedforces.co.uk
- ^ Permanent Joint Operating Bases, northwood.mod.uk
- ^ a b House of Commons Hansard, publications.parliament.uk
- ^ Chandler & Beckett (2003), p343
- ^ Colman (2005), A 'Special Relationship'?: Harold Wilson, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Anglo-American Relations' at the Summit’, 1964-68, p77
- ^ a b c Focus on Europe, raf.mod.uk
- ^ Johnman & Gorst (1997), The Suez Crisis, p166
- ^ Lider (1985), British Military Thought After World War II, p525
- ^ Lee (1996), Aspects of British Political History 1914-1995, 273
- ^ Pierre (1972), Nuclear Politics: the British experience with an independent strategic force: 1939-1970, p100
- ^ Hack (2000), Defence and Decolonisation in South-East Asia: Britain, Malaya, Singapore, 1941-1968, p285
- ^ Chandler & Beckett (2003), p345
- ^ Kennedy (2004), British Naval Strategy East of Suez, 1900-2000: Influence and Actions, p193
- ^ Kennedy (2004), British Naval Strategy East of Suez, 1900-2000: Influence and Actions, p193
- ^ a b c d e f g 1998 Publication, dasa.mod.uk
- ^ Chandler & Beckett (2003), p421
- ^ Kennedy (2004), British Naval Strategy East of Suez, 1900-2000: Influence and Actions, p246
- ^ a b Harding (2005), The Royal Navy 1930-2000: innovation and defence, p220
- ^ a b Chandler & Beckett (2003), pp350-351
- ^ Hollowell (2003), Britain Since 1945, p16
- ^ Chandler & Beckett (2003), p358
- ^ Strachan (2006), Big Wars And Small Wars: The British Army And the Lessons of War in the Twentieth Centur, p158
- ^ Frantzen (2005), Nato And Peace Support Operations, 1991-1999: Policies And Doctrines, p104
- ^ Frantzen (2005), NATO and Peace Support Operations, 1991-1999: policies and doctrines, p95
- ^ a b Dorman (2005), Overstretch: Modern Army's weakness, news.bbc.co.uk
- ^ Chandler & Beckett (2003), p434
- ^ BBC (2007), Military 'faces retention crisis', news.bbc.co.uk
- ^ Chandler & Beckett (2003), P418
- ^ Kennedy, British Naval Strategy East of Suez, 1900-2000: Influence and Actions, p261
- ^ Hansard (1998), House of Commons, publications.parliament.uk
- ^ Chandler & Beckett (2003), p418
- ^ Permanent Joint Headquarters, armedforces.co.u
- ^ BBC (2004), The armed forces of the future, news.bbc.co.uk
- ^ a b Delivering Security in a Changing World Future Capabilities, mod.uk
- ^ BBC News (2004), Hoon confirms super-regiment plan, news.bbc.co.uk
- ^ Future Army Structure, armedforces.co.uk
- ^ Tim Radford Military dominates UK science, says report The Guardian 20-1-2005
- ^ UK armed forces 'below strength' bbc.co.uk 3-10-2006
- ^ Queen and Armed Forces, royal.gov.uk
- ^ United Kingdom (05/06), state.gov
- ^ Civilian personnel by budgetary area and grade equivalence, at 1 April each year, dasa.mod.uk
- ^ a b Defence Organisation, mod.uk
- ^ Defence Council and Chief of the Defence Staff, armedforces.co.uk
- ^ Hansard (1998), House of Commons Written Answers, publications.parliament.uk
- ^ a b UKDS 2005 - Glossary & Abbreviations: N
- ^ Personnel Support Brief - Summer 2006, rncom.mod.uk
- ^ Fleet Today, royal-navy.mod.uk
- ^ RFA Fleet Today, royal-navy.mod.uk
- ^ Number of vessels in the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, and squadrons in the Fleet Air Arm at 1 April each year, dasa.mod.uk
- ^ Hampshire (1975), The Royal Navy Since 1945: its transition to the nuclear age, p248
- ^ Fleet Command and Organisation, armedforces.co.uk
- ^ https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/static/content/209.html
- ^ BBC News (2002), UK's mountain warfare elite, news.bbc.co.uk
- ^ The Commando Role for 1 RIFLER, army.mod.uk
- ^ Commando Logistic Regiment, royalnavy.mod.uk
- ^ a b Strength of the Reserve Forces at 1 April each year, dasa.mod.uk
- ^ Future Army Structure, armedforces.co.uk
- ^ Defence Organisation, mod.uk
- ^ Divisions and Brigades, army.mod.uk
- ^ Number of Regiments, Infantry battalions & Major Headquarters, in the Regular & Territorial Army at 1 April each year, dasa.mod.uk
- ^ HQ Land Command, armedforces.co.uk/
- ^ The Mercian Regiment is to be formed in August 2007, to become the final regiment created a result of the infantry amalgamations under FAS
- ^ Arms and Services, army.mod.uk
- ^ Hansard House of Commons, publications.parliament.uk
- ^ House of Commons Hansard, publications.parliament.uk
- ^ a b RAF - Structure, raf.mod.uk
- ^ Transforming the Royal Air Force,raf.mod.uk
- ^ Royal Air Force Squadrons, raf.mod.uk
- ^ Aircraft Order of Battle, scramble.nl
- ^ Royal Air Force - Equipment, .raf.mod.uk
- ^ The Royal Air Force Regiment, raf.mod.uk
- ^ RAF Regiment, armedforces.co.uk
- ^ Ministry of Defence, Statement on Defence 1952, HMSO, 1952
- ^ Hansard House of Commons, publications.parliament.uk
- ^ BBC News (2007), Recruitment Age for Army Raised, news.bbc.co.u
- ^ a b c Evans (2005), How British Army is fast becoming foreign legion, timesonline.co.uk
- ^ Wilson (2006), One in 10 soldiers is recruited overseas, telegraph.co.uk
- ^ a b c d Hansard House of Commons, publications.parliament.uk/
- ^ Hansard House of Commons, publications.parliament.uk
- ^ Strength of UK Regular Forces by sex and Service at 1 April each year, dasa.mod.uk
- ^ Strength of UK Regular Forces by ethnic origin and rank at 1 April each year, dasa.mod.uk
- ^ Naval base appoints female chief, news.bbc.co.uk
- ^ Honour for high-flying woman, news.bbc.co.uk
- ^ Women in the Armed Forces, .mod.uk
- ^ a b House of Commons Hansard, publications.parliament.uk
- ^ Where are British troops and why?, news.bbc.co.uk
- ^ Ministry of Defence Policy Paper Paper No.2 - Multinational Defence Co-operation, mod.uk
- ^ Operation Garron, operations.mod.uk
- ^ Pakistan Earthquake Relief Operations: Chronology of Events, operations.mod.uk
- ^ Numbers of UK armed forces committed to Northern Ireland, dasa.mod.uk
- ^ Jackson, Ireland, 1798-1998: Politics and War, p404
- ^ BBC News, Good Friday Agreement, news.bbc.co.uk
- ^ BBC News (2006), Troop withdrawal plan published, news.bbc.co.uk
- ^ The Royal Gibraltar Regiment, 1rg.gi
- ^ More soldiers from Royal Gibraltar Regiment in overseas duties in regiment's history, panorama.gi
[
References
- Chandler, David (2003), The Oxford History of the British Army, Oxford Paperbacks ISBN 0-19-280311-5
- Manpower update, BBC News.
- Manpower, etc
[
External links
- British Ministry of Defence
- Military Knowledge Online - an MoD website
- Defence expenditure 2005-2007 (PDF)
- UK Military News & Information Portal
- kamouflage.net > global search: Europe > United Kingdom > index
- The Defence Suppliers Directory
- Military Suppliers Directory
- British Armed Forces unofficial site
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