TERRITORIAL ARMY STRUCTURE 2009

Plans to make the Territorial Army (TA) more capable and relevant to future operations were announced by Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram in March 2006.

The British Army is working through the force generation issues highlighted by recent experience on operations. FAS plans for the TA and Regular Reserves include the following elements:

• The Army Board has agreed the new indicative structure, which sees the TA remain at its current size of about 42,000 (including Officer Training Corps). Some adjustment and re-roling will be required.

• The future TA structure will ensure a more relevant, capable and usable TA.

• The Infantry TA has reduced from 15 to 14 battalions and has integrated into the new infantry structure, restoring a true sense of identity at TA battalion level.

• In future, a unit will deploy with its Deployable Component (for the more likely routine operations) drawing on its Contingent Component (normally from the TA) for the most demanding operations. A unit will also have an Enabling Component (consisting of an established Rear Party and an Infrastructure Element for security and support).

Under the FAS plan, the TA order of battle has been revised to reflect the requirement to augment the regular deployable units (adjusted under FAS) for the most demanding Deliberate Intervention operations, as outlined below.
 

ROYAL ARMOURED CORPS 

The Yeomanry will retain a broadly similar structure, with four regiments covering the national area.  As a platform-centric Arm, the RAC has a requirement for the provision of AFV crewmen Individual Reinforcements (IRs), which will be a force driver above the Contingent Component (CC) requirement.  In outline:

• One Yeomanry Regiment of up to five squadrons will be earmarked to provide IRs and formed troops to the Joint NBC Regiment and NBC IRs to formation reconnaissance regiments; the detailed requirement is subject to the Jt NBC Regt Study. 

• One Yeomanry Regiment will provide the RHQ and one squadron of the Armoured Replacement Regiment.  In addition, this Yeomanry Regiment will provide the CC and IRs to armoured regiments. 

• One Yeomanry Regiment will provide the balance of the CC and IRs to armoured regiments. 

• One Yeomanry Regiment will provide the CC and IRs to formation reconnaissance regiments.

ROYAL ARTILLERY   

The RA will continue to provide seven regiments, although the requirement for formed TA Ground-Based Air Defence (GBAD) regiments will be removed.  The RA TA will adjust to provide the following:

• One Regiment will provide a RHQ, a long range communications capability and up to four patrols batteries; three from the TA, the fourth from the Regular Battery (4/73 Bty, 5 Regt RA).

• Three close support regiments will support the three Regular AS 90 SPA regiments and two Regular light gun regiments. This represents an addition of one gun regiment.

• Two general support regiments, one providing support to the Regular regiments and the other support to HQ 1 Arty Bde and the Regular UAV Regiment.

• One GBAD Regiment, providing support to the Regular RAPIER SAM Regiment and IRs and support to the Regular HVM SAM Regiment. 

ROYAL ENGINEERS    

The RE TA will include the current five regiment structure, potentially supplemented by one new regiment with additional sub-units. RE TA will be structured to provide sub units for discrete tasks. Where possible this will be achieved through capability pairing mechanisms. In addition, the RE TA will be designed to provide the following:

• A formed Air Support Squadron capable of independent operation.

• A formed Squadron to 33 Engr Regt (EOD).

• A formed Topographic Squadron to 42 Engr Regt (Geo).

• A formed Amphibious Troop to 28 Engr Regt.

• Military Works Force (V), providing specialist infrastructure support to the Force.

The Royal Signals TA will be structured as follows:

• Three Ptarmigan regiments based within 11 Sigs Bde, providing a composite Ptarmigan Regiment to the ARRC.

• Within 2(NC) Sigs Bde, a total of eight signals regiments (including 36 and 40 Sigs Regts) and four sub-units that will provide National Communications units in support of the Home Defence role, plus other bespoke support.

• 63 Sigs Sqn (SAS) will continue to support the SAS.

• An Air Support Signal Troop will be provided for Joint Helicopter Command

• In addition, Royal Signals TA will provide individual augmentees to Regular regiments.

 

 

INFANTRY    

The Infantry will be organised to support and complement the regular regimental structure, thereby restoring a true sense of identity at TA battalion level. There are now 14 x TA infantry battalions. These battalions provide reinforcement of the regular infantry, and resilience to the infantry structure in meeting enduring commitments when Defence Planning Assumptions are exceeded. Manpower has also been included to force-generate the capability of seven Defence Troops for Armoured and Formation Reconnaissance Regiments.

The affiliation of TA battalions will be driven by the revised Future Infantry Structure (FIS), assigning one TA battalion to each new two or three battalion regular regiments, and two TA battalions to a large regular regiment. To ensure viability, restructuring will be conducted on the basis of a minimum of 400 soldiers per battalion.
 

ARMY MEDICAL SERVICES    

The AMS will comprise  two Divisional General Support Medical Regiments and one Medical Evacuation Regiment, together with 11 Field Hospitals and six squadrons.  TA AMS will provide:

• A Divisional General Support Medical Regiment (V) for the Divisional Rear Area.

• A composite Field Support Hospital of 400 beds and a Biological Warfare (BW) facility of 50 beds. 

• A Field Hospital of 25 beds will be provided for enduring operations.

• TA medical sub-units embedded in the close support and general support medical regiments, to provide individual augmentees. 

• Other Support requirements are to be assessed. 

ROYAL LOGISTIC CORPS    

The RLC structure will be based around the provision of TA to second line, third line and theatre enabling units. The new structure will include 15 regiments and the Catering Support Regiment RLC (V).

The REME TA will consist of four battalions, providing:

• A formed Battalion to support Theatre Troops and the Lines of Communications (LoC).

• Formed Role 1 support. 

• Individual augmentees, attributed to Regular REME units and to Role 1 support to other Arms and Services (subject to further scrutiny during implementation).  

ADJUTANT GENERAL'S CORPS    RMP

The RMP manpower liability has increased to become 4 RMP companies and 1 MPS(V) company. They will be structured to serve with their Regular counterparts to provide:

• Formed platoons to augment the RMP companies deploying with manoeuvre and logistic brigades.

• Formed sub-units to provide enhanced Line of Communication coverage.

• A dedicated deployable Prisoner of War (PW) handling capability.

 

INTELLIGENCE CORPS    

The TA Intelligence Corps structure is likely to be based on two TA battalions and will provide individual augmentees to tactical HQs and units, and to operational and strategic HQs.  It will also provide formed Field Interrogation Teams.

 

 

ARMY AIR CORPS    

The AAC TA will be structured as follows:

• 7 Regt AAC (V) will continue to provide aviation support to HQ LAND for UK Mainland tasking only.

• 6 Regiment AAC (V) will form in East Anglia to support the Attack Helicopter Regiments.

• The remainder of the AAC TA will operate from two TA squadrons, to be embedded in the Regular structure. These will provide Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) pilots, additional capability and LUH door gunners.