The Armed Forces of the United Kingdom, 2014–2015

By Charles Heyman

This book has been published at regular intervals during the last 20 years, and the latest 2014 2015 addition is the one that deals with the most far reaching changes the UK Armed Forces have gone through for a generation. Although the UK's Armed Forces

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Feb 10, 2014
• ISBN: 9781473842816

Book preview

CHAPTER 1 – THE MANAGEMENT OF DEFENCE

GENERAL INFORMATION

Populations – European Union – Top Five Nations

Note: The above are the latest European Union (EU – 2013) estimates. The total estimated EU population is 498 million (27 countries). This compares with the population of the United States (315 million) the population of China (1,300 million), India 1,200 million and Russia 143 million.

UK Population – 63.2 million

(2011 census figures)

Figures rounded to the nearest whole number.

UK Population Breakdown – Military Service Groups

(2011 census figures)

There are 5.6 million males and 5.4 million females in the 0–14 age group and 20.7 million males plus 20.9 million females in the 15–64 age group.

Figures rounded to the nearest whole number.

UK Area (in square kilometres)

Note: Comparisons include Germany 356,854 sq kms and France 550,000 sq kms. The total area of the European Union is 4,324,782 sq kms. The United States is 9,826,630 sq kms; Canada 9,984,670 sq kms; China 9,640,821 sq kms India 3,166,414 sq kms and Russia 17,098,242 sq kms.

GOVERNMENT

The executive government of the United Kingdom is vested nominally in the Crown, but for practical purposes in a committee of Ministers that is known as the Cabinet. The head of the ministry and leader of the Cabinet is the Prime Minister and for the implementation of policy, the Cabinet is dependent upon the support of a majority of the Members of Parliament in the House of Commons. Within the Cabinet, defence matters are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Defence.

National Security Council This council is where the UK Government decides on the national defence and security objectives and the best way in which these objectives can be met using national resources. The National Security Council is chaired by the Prime Minister, and generally meets weekly with representation from across the major Departments of State. The Secretary of State for Defence attends as does the Chief of the Defence Staff when the need arises.

MILITARY TASKS AND DEFENCE PLANNING ASSUMPTIONS OF THE UK’S ARMED FORCES

The latest Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) stated that the contribution of the UK Armed Forces to the national security effort is defined by a number of Military Tasks (MT) and Defence Planning Assumptions (DPA).

Military Tasks

The seven military tasks are:

  Defending the UK and its Overseas Territories

  Providing strategic intelligence

  Providing nuclear deterrence

  Supporting civil emergency organisations in times of crisis

  Defending the UK’s interest by projecting power strategically and through expeditionary intervention

  Providing a defence contribution to UK influence

  Providing security for stabilisation

Defence Planning Assumptions

These assume that in the future the UK Armed Forces will have the size and shape that will enable them to conduct operations of the following type:

An enduring stabilisation operation at around brigade level (possibly up to 6,500 personnel) with maritime and air support as required, while also conducting:

One non-enduring complex intervention (up to 2,000 personnel), and

One non-enduring simple intervention (up to 1,000 personnel):

or alternatively:

Three non-enduring operations if the UK Armed Forces are not already engaged in an enduring operation:

or

For a limited time period, and with sufficient warning, committing all the UK’s effort to a one-off intervention of up to three brigades with air and maritime support at a level of about 30,000 personnel.

FUTURE FORCE 2020

In general terms the planning framework provided by the Military Tasks and Defence Planning Assumptions provides an outline for structure which the UK Government aims to establish by 2020.

The proposal is for the Future Force 2020 to have three main combined service elements:

  The Deployed Force

  The High Readiness Force

  The Lower Readiness Force

The Deployed Force

This will consist of those forces that are actually engaged in operations. Therefore aircraft engaged in operations (including the defence of the UK’s airspace), forces involved in operations in the South Atlantic, forces operating in Afghanistan (until late 2014) and other expeditionary operations plus the nuclear deterrent will all form elements of The Deployed Force.

The High Readiness Force

This force will consist of a range of maritime, air and land based units capable of deploying at short notice to meet the requirements of the Defence Planning Assumptions. Such forces would enable the UK to react quickly to a range of scenarios that might threaten our national security interests. These force elements would be capable of operating with allies or where necessary on ‘stand-alone’ UK operations.

The High Readiness Force will include an enhanced Special Forces capability.

We would expect the new Joint Forces Command to have operational control of the majority of future High Readiness Force (Deployed Force) operations.

The Lower Readiness Force

The Lower Readiness Force would consist of elements that have either recently returned from operations, or those that are preparing and training for inclusion in The High Readiness Force. Many Lower Readiness Force units (especially logistic) would be involved in supporting The Deployed Force on operations.

Royal Navy

Under the terms of the Future Force 2020 proposals the Royal Navy will provide a continuous nuclear deterrent system at sea, maritime defence of the United Kingdom and defence of territories in the South Atlantic. Forces assigned to these roles will include:

The Vanguard submarine force equipped with Trident submarine launched inter-continental ballistic missiles. Current plans are for the Vanguard class submarines to be replaced in the late 2020s (with the first submarine possibly being delivered in 2028).

Seven Astute class nuclear powered hunter killer submarines equipped with Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles. Astute class submarines are capable of operating at sea indefinitely.

Two new aircraft carriers, one of which will be kept at extended readiness. The aircraft carrier at sea will be equipped with Joint Strike Fighters and a range of helicopters that (depending on the operational requirement) could include Apache attack helicopters and possibly Chinook and Merlin support helicopters.

A balanced surface fleet of 19 frigates and destroyers.

Up to 14 mine counter- measures vessels to be based on the existing Hunt and Sandown class vessels. In addition there will be an ice patrol ship and an oceanographic survey capability.

The Royal Marine’s 3 Commando Brigade will provide an important maritime response capability to the High Readiness Force. 3 Commando Brigade will be able to land significant forces anywhere in the world.

Strategic transport will be provided by a force of up to 6 × roll-on, roll-off ferries.

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary will continue to supply and refuel Royal Naval vessels at sea worldwide.

Land Forces

Land force capabilities will be based around eleven brigades as follows:

A Reaction Force of three multi-role brigades in 3 (UK) Division each consisting of around 6,500 personnel that are comprised of main battle tanks, armoured reconnaissance units, armoured, mechanised and light infantry elements, plus artillery, engineers, army aviation units in support and a complete range of logistic support units. One brigade would always be part of the High Readiness Force and where necessary these brigades could be self supporting.

16 Air Assault Brigade would be the fourth brigade and would provide parachute and air assault units for rapid intervention operations at very short notice. This brigade would be self supporting for short duration operations.

All of the above could form part of a much larger organisation (possibly divisional size) under the command of a deployable UK divisional headquarters. For multinational operations the headquarters of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (HQ ARRC) would be available.

Another seven brigades in 1 (UK) Division. These brigades would be equipped at lighter scales and be composed of a mix of regular and reserve personnel. They would be at a lower state of readiness, and if required individual units could be attached to formations in the Reaction Force. Many of the units in these brigades would be able to provide ‘depth’ in any enduring operation.

The Royal Marines 3 Commando Brigade (a Royal Naval formation) would be available for Land Force operations as required.

There are plans for all UK Army units to have been withdrawn from their bases in Germany by 2020. A majority of land force units will be returned to the UK well before that date.

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force will continue to provide the air defence of the United Kingdom and territories in the South Atlantic. To meet this requirement, in the longer term, a fast jet force of both Eurofighter Typhoon and Joint Strike Fighter aircraft will provide air defence, precision ground attack and combat ISTAR capabilities.

In the short term elements of the Tornado fleet will be retained to support operations in Afghanistan and elsewhere should the operational requirement arise.

The Royal Air Force will also provide a fleet of strategic and tactical airlift aircraft based around approximately 7 × C-17, 22 × A400M and 14 × Airbus A330 tanker and transport aircraft. The Chinook helicopter fleet will be increased by 12 new aircraft and Merlin helicopters will be retained.

ISTAR capabilities will be enhanced to include a range of unmanned air systems that will complement existing manned aircraft. The UK may purchase 3 × KC-135 Joint Rivet signals intelligence aircraft to improve the existing ISTAR capability.

TOTAL BRITISH ARMED FORCES (MID 2013)

Regular: 170,710; Regular Army 99,730; Royal Navy 33,960 (including about 7,800 Royal Marines); Royal Air Force 37,030. (Figures are for trained and untrained)

By 2020 Regular Forces levels are planned to be about: Army 82,000; Royal Navy 30,000; Royal Air Force 33,000.

Note: Army figure includes about 3,800 Gurkhas and small numbers of Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel deployed overseas.

Volunteer Reserves: Army 24,690; Maritime 2,620; Royal Air Force 1,360. There are probably over 50,000 Regular Reserves who could be recalled in a major emergency.

Cadets: Army 75,360; Royal Navy 18,920 ; Royal Air Force 44,970 (includes Combined Cadet Force).

MOD Civilians: 65,400 (mid 2013)

CURRENT FORCE LEVELS

Strategic Forces: 4 × Vanguard Class submarines capable of carrying up to 16 × Trident (D5) Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBM) deploying with 40 × warheads per submarine. If necessary a D5 missile could deploy with 12 MIRV (multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles). Future plans appear to be for a stockpile of 120 operationally ready warheads and 58 missile bodies. Strategic Forces are provided by the Royal Navy.

Current plans appear to be for the Vanguard Class submarines to be replaced in the ‘2030s’.

Army: 93,940 (trained strength|) : moving to – 1 × Corps Headquarters (HQ ARRC – NATO Deployable HQ);1 × Reaction Force Divisional HQ (1 × Headquarters plus 5 × Brigades);1 × Adaptable Force Divisional HQ (1 × Headquarters plus 8 × Brigades); Force Troops Grouping (1 × Headquarters plus 8 Brigades); 8 × Regional Headquarters;1 × District HQ (London District).

These figures include: 3 × Armoured Infantry Brigades, 1 × Air Assault Brigade; 7 × Regional Infantry Brigades; 3 × Logistics Brigades; 1 × Artillery Brigade; 1 × Engineer Brigade; 2 × Signal Brigades;1 × Medical Brigade; 1 × Intelligence & Surveillance Brigade; 1 × Military Police Brigade. Major Units: 9 × Armoured Regiments; 32 × Infantry Battalions; 13 × Artillery Regiments; 16 × Engineer Regiments/ Major Units; 12 × Signal Regiments; 4 × Army Air Corps Regiments; 7 × Equipment Support Battalions; 12 × Logistic Regiments; 10 × Medical Regiments/ Field Hospitals.

Royal Navy: 31,420 (trained strength – including some 6,850 Royal Marines): 4 × Nuclear Powered Ballistic Missile firing (UK Strategic Deterrent); 7 × Nuclear Powered Submarines (attack type); 4 × Amphibious Assault Ships; 6 × Destroyers; 13 × Frigates (future combined total of 19); 15 × Minehunters and Minesweepers (future total of 14); 4 × Ocean survey vessels; 1 × Antarctic patrol ship; 2 × Patrol vessels and 16 × Patrol craft (fishery protection and patrol duties).15 × Fleet Air Arm Squadrons; New construction: 5 × Nuclear Attack Submarines; 2 × Aircraft Carriers. 6 × Destroyers (Planned to enter service from 2018).

Fleet Support Ships (Manned by Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel. Supply fuel, stores and ammunition at sea to fleet units) 2 × Fast fleet tankers; 2 × Small fleet tankers; 1 × Support tanker; 3 × Replenishment ships;1 × Casualty receiving facility/Aviation training ship; 1 × Forward repair ship; 3 × Landing Ships.

Royal Marines: 6,850: 1 × Commando Brigade Headquarters; 3 × Royal Marine Commando (Battalion Size); 2 × Commando Assault Helicopter Squadrons; 3 × Commando Assault Helicopter Squadrons; 1 × Commando Regiment Royal Artillery; 1 × Commando Squadron Royal Engineers; 1 × Commando Logistic Regiment; 4 × Commando Assault Squadrons (Landing craft); 1 × Fleet Protection Group; 4 × Nuclear Security Guarding Squadrons; 4 × Special Boat Service Squadrons.

Royal Air Force: 35,350 (trained strength) ; 11 × Strike/Attack/ Fast Jet Squadrons; 2 × Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) Squadrons; 2 × Airborne Early Warning Squadrons; 2 × ISTAR Squadrons; 5 × Transport Squadrons; 3 × Air to Air Refuelling Squadrons; 7 × Support Helicopter Squadrons; 2 × Search and Rescue Squadrons; 8 × Ground (Field) Defence Squadrons (RAF Regiment). With the following aircraft (numbers approximate): 108 × Typhoon (total of 160 on order); 88 × Tornado GR4/4A; 84 × Hawk (all types); 5 × Tristar (being withdrawn during 2014); 8 × Voyager (total of 14 on order replacing VC10 & Tristar); 4 × Sentry AEW; 3 × Sentinel; 5 × Shadow R1; 24 × Hercules C1/3/4/5 (8 × C1/C3 being withdrawn); 8 × C-17; 2 × BAe 146; 5 × Bae 125; 16 × Sea King HAR 3/3A; 5 × Reaper; 30 × Tucano (Training); 119 × Tutor (Training); 38 × Chinook (JFH) – 14 × Mk 6 on order; 25 × Merlin (JFH); 24 × Puma (JFH); (Mk 2 entering service); 22 × A400M Atlas will replace Hercules C1/C3 later in the decade; RAF Chinook, Merlin and Puma helicopters are assigned to the Joint Force Helicopter (JFH); RAF Merlin helicopters will transfer to the Royal Navy’s Commando Helicopter Force beginning in 2014.

Joint Forces: 1 × Joint Forces Command HQ; Joint Helicopter Command: 4 × Royal Naval Helicopter Squadrons; 5 × Army Aviation Regiments (already listed in the above Army entry plus 1 × TA Regiment); 7 × Royal Air Force Helicopter Squadrons (including 1 × RAuxAF Helicopter Support Squadron). Joint Special Forces Group: 1 × Regular Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment; 2 × Volunteer Reserve Special Air Service Regiments; 4 × Special Boat Service (SBS) Squadrons; 1 × Special Reconnaissance Regiment; 1 × Special Forces Support Group; 1 × Joint Special Forces Air Wing; NBC: Defence CBRN Wing: Defence Medical Services: Ministry of Defence Hospital Units; The Royal Centre for Defence Medicine: The Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (Headley Court); Defence Medical Services Training Centre (Aldershot); Defence Dental Services; Defence Medical Postgraduate Deanery.

National Police Forces: England and Wales 125,000 Scotland 14,000, Northern Ireland 11,000.

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE (MOD)

In 1963, the three independent service ministries (Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry) were merged to form the present MoD.

The UK MoD is the government department that is responsible for all defence related aspects of UK National Policy. This large organisation, which directly affects the lives of about half a million servicemen, reservists and MoD employed civilians, is controlled by The Secretary of State for Defence.

The Secretary of State for Defence has the following principal deputies;

  Minister of State for the Armed Forces

  Minister of State for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans

  Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology

  Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Security Strategy

  Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and the Lords Spokesman on Defence

The Secretary of State for defence is assisted by two advisers, one a civilian and the other a senior military officer:

Permanent Under Secretary of State (PUS): The PUS is responsible for policy, finance and administration in the MoD. As the MoD’s Principal Accounting Officer he is personally responsible to Parliament for the expenditure of all public money voted to the MoD for Defence purposes. The PUS is the most senior civilian in the MoD.

Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS): The CDS acts as the professional head of the Armed Forces and he is the principal military adviser to both the Secretary of State and to the Government.

Both the PUS and the CDS have deputies; the Second Permanent Under Secretary of State (2nd PUS), and the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS). The VCDS acts as the Chief Operating Officer in the Armed Forces Chain-of-Command.

DEFENCE COMMITTEES

In general terms defence is managed through a number of major committees that provide corporate leadership and strategic direction:

Defence Ministerial Committee – chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence

Defence Council – chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence

Defence Board – chaired by the Permanent Secretary

Chiefs of Staff Committee – chaired by the CDS

Service Boards (Admiralty Board, Army Board and Air Force Board)

Defence Ministerial Committee

This committee is chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence and enables ministers and high ranking officials to discuss the overall business of defence. The committee meets about eight times a year.

Defence Council

The Defence Council is the senior committee which provides the legal basis for the conduct and administration of defence and this council is chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence, The composition of the Defence Council is as follows:

Secretary of State for Defence

Minister of State for the Armed Forces

Minister of State for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Security Strategy

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and the Lords Spokesman on Defence

Permanent Secretary

Chief of the Defence Staff

Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff

Chief of the Naval Staff and First Sea Lord

Chief of the Air Staff

Chief of the General Staff

Chief of Defence Materiel

Chief Scientific Adviser

Director General Finance

Second Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Defence

Defence Board

Chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence this board is the MoD’s main corporate board providing senior leadership and direction to the implementation of defence policy. It is responsible for the full range of Defence business other than the conduct of military operations.

The current membership of the Defence Board is:

Secretary of State for Defence

Minister of State for the Armed Forces

Permanent Under Secretary

Chief of the Defence Staff

Vice Chief of the Defence Staff

Chief of Defence Materiel

Director General Finance

Audit Committee Chair (Non Executive Director)

Investment Approvals Committee Chair (Non Executive Director)

Appointments Committee Chair (Non Executive Director)

The Mod describes the objectives of the Defence Board’s core tasks as follows:

  Role of Defence: To help define and articulate the Department’s strategic direction, and provide a clear vision and set of values for defence.

  Targets and Objectives: To establish the key priorities and Defence capabilities needed to deliver the strategy.

  Resource Allocation: To ensure that Defence priorities and tasks are appropriately resourced.

  Performance Management: To manage corporate performance and resources in-year to deliver the required results.

Chiefs of Staff Committee

This committee is chaired by the CDS and is the MoD’s senior committee that provides advice on operational military matters and the preparation and conduct of military operations.

Single Service Boards

There are three single service boards: Admiralty Board, Army Board and the Air Force Board all of which are chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence. In general the purpose of the boards is the administration and monitoring of single service performance. Each of these three boards has an executive committee chaired by the single service chief of staff; Navy Board, Executive Committee of the Army Board and the Air Force Board Standing Committee.

MOD HEAD OFFICE

The MoD Head Office allocates resources to Top Level Budget Holders (TLB) who are then accountable to the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Permanent Under Secretary. TLB holders are now far more responsible for the way in which their resources are allocated than they were previously.

There are seven TLB holders:

  Navy Command

  Land Command

  Air Command

  Joint Forces Command

  Head Office & Corporate Services

  Defence Equipment & Support

  Defence Infrastructure Organisation

In general terms the Head Office structure resembles the following:

CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF

The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) is the officer responsible to the Secretary of State for Defence for the coordinated effort of all three fighting services. He has his own Central Staff Organisation and a Vice Chief of the Defence Staff who ranks as number four in the services hierarchy, following the three single service commanders. The current Chief of the Defence Staff is:

GENERAL SIR NICHOLAS HOUGHTON GCB CBE ADC GEN

General Nick Houghton was born in 1954 in Otley, West Yorkshire. He was educated at Woodhouse Grove School in Bradford, RMA Sandhurst and St Peter’s College, Oxford, where he completed an in-service degree in Modern History.

Commissioned into the Green Howards in 1974, he had a variety of Regimental and Staff appointments before attending the Army Command and Staff Courses at both Shrivenham and Camberley. Thereafter he was Military Assistant to the Chief of Staff British Army of the Rhine and a member of the Directing Staff at the Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham. At Regimental Duty he was both a Company Commander in, and Commanding Officer of, 1st Battalion The Green Howards in the Mechanised and Airmobile roles, and in Northern Ireland.

General Houghton was Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff, G3 (Operations & Deployment) in HQ Land Command 1994–1997 and attended the Higher Command and Staff Course in 1997. He commanded 39 Infantry Brigade in Northern Ireland from 1997 to 1999 and was the Director of Military Operations in the Ministry of Defence from December 1999 to July 2002.

General J N R Houghton GCB, CBE, ADC Gen. (MoD Crown Copyright 2013)

He was Chief of Staff of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps from July 2002 to April 2004 before becoming the Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Operations) from May 2004 to October 2005. He was the Senior British Military Representative Iraq and Deputy Commanding General of the Multi-National Force-Iraq from October 2005 until assuming the appointment as Chief of Joint Operations at PJHQ (UK) in March 2006.

From 2009 General Houghton was the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff and in July 2013 he became the Chief of the Defence Staff.

Vice Chief of the Defence Staff

Where appropriate the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff deputizes for the Chief of the Defence Staff. On a day to day basis he is responsible through the Central Staff for