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HQ Land Command is located at Erskine Barracks, Wilton near
Salisbury and controls about 80% of the troops in the British Isles and
almost 100% of its fighting capability. HQ Land Command replaced HQ United
Kingdom Land Forces (HQ UKLF) in 1995.
Land Command's role is to deliver and sustain the Army's operational
capability, whenever required throughout the world, and the Command
comprises all operational troops in Great Britain, Germany, Nepal and
Brunei, together with the Army Training Teams in Canada, Belize and Kenya.
Land Command has almost 75,000 trained Army personnel the largest single
Top Level Budget in Defence, with a budget of over £5.6 billion annually. It
contains all the Army's fighting equipment, including Attack Helicopters,
Challenger 2 Tanks, Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicles, AS90 and the Multi
Launched Rocket System (MLRS).
Land Command is one of the three central command agencies in the British
Army, the other two being the Adjutant General (with responsibility for
administration, personnel and training) and Director General Logistics
(Land) responsible for supply and logistics. The Command is responsible
for providing all the Army's fighting troops throughout the World. These
are organised into eight formations and are commanded by Major Generals.

THE
STRUCTURE OF LAND COMMAND

Future plans for HQ Land
Command: Work to consider the benefits of rationalisation and collocation
of the two main Army HQs - HQ Land Command (Wilton) and HQ
Adjutant-General (Upavon) appears to be continuing. The Army is currently
determining the possible size and structure of the new HQ organisation
and, in parallel, assessing a number of local site options.
As of late 2006 there were 597 military and 759 civilian posts at HQ Land
Command 325 military and 470 civilian posts at the Adjutant-General's
headquarters in Upavon.
It would appear that Andover is the preferred site option for the new
Headquarters Land Forces and subject to final decisions it is possible
that from 1 April 2009, Headquarters Land Forces will be fully operational
in its new location. This will provide the Army with a headquarters of
about 1,750 military and civilian staff. Compared to current headquarters
staffing levels this represents a reduction of about 240 civilian and 100
military posts and a probable significant reduction in running costs.
Field Army
The Commander Field Army has operational command of all Field Army
Formations. This includes training designated forces for all types of
military operations and providing appropriate military capability to
Permanent Joint Headquarters and/or the Joint Rapid Reaction Forces as
required.
Major units under the direct command of the Field Army include:
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1 (UK) Division (Ready Division)
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3 (UK) Division (Ready Division)
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Combat Service Support Group (United Kingdom)
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Combat Service Support Group (Germany)
Service personnel total for the Field
Army at 1 April 2006 was 49,000 (including 4,400 officers).
Joint Helicopter Command (JHC)
The Joint Helicopter Command's primary role is to deliver and sustain
effective Battlefield Helicopter and Air Assault assets, operationally
capable under all environmental conditions, in order to support UK's
defence missions and tasks. JHC major formations are as follows:
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All Army Aviation Units
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RAF Support Helicopter Force
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Commando Helicopter Force
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Joint Helicopter Force (Northern Ireland)
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16 Air Assault Brigade
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Combat Support Units
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Combat Service Support Unit
-
Joint Helicopter Command and Standards Wing
Service personnel total for the Joint
Helicopter Command at 1 April 2006 was 12,300 (includes RAF and Royal Navy
personnel and 1,400 officers).
Commander Regional Forces
The Commander Regional Forces maintains, and where possible, enhances the
provision of the military capability and infrastructure support required
to meet Land Command’s operational requirements.
In addition, Commander Regional Forces at HQ LAND is the Inspector General
of the Territorial Army, with addition responsibilities for Cadets and the
University Officer Training Corps (UOTC).
Major units that assist Commander Regional Forces are amongst the
following:
-
2 Division (Regenerative Division)
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4 Division (Regenerative Division)
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5 Division (Regenerative Division)
-
United Kingdom Support Command (Germany)
-
London District
-
Land Support Management Group
Service personnel total for the
Commander Regional Forces at 1 April 2006 was 12,500 (including 1,400
officers).
Commander Land Support
The Defence Supply Chain provides a range of support functions to enable
the British armed forces to carry out operations. These include storing
and distributing all the supplies needed by the forces, such as equipment,
mail, medical supplies, fuel, clothing, food and ammunition, as well as
transporting personnel and freight anywhere in the world.
Personnel total for the Commander Land Support grouping at 1 April 2006
was 400 service and 800 civilian personnel.
Note: HQ Land also has
responsibility for overseas detachments including Belize, Canada, Brunei,
Nepal and Kenya. Troops in Northern Ireland, Cyprus and the Falkland
Islands are commanded from the MoD via PJHQ. Overseas operations in
Afghanistan, the Balkans, Iraq, and Sierra Leone are also the
responsibility of PJHQ.
Theatre Troops
Commander Theatre Troops is responsible for the following:
1 Artillery Brigade
16 Regiment RA
1 Signal Brigade
2 (NC) Signal Brigade
11 Signal Brigade
8 Force Engineer Brigade
2 Medical Brigade
1 Reconnaissance Brigade
1 Military Intelligence Brigade
101 Logistic Brigade
102 Logistic Brigade
104 Logistic Brigade
Equipment Support Theatre Troops
HQ RLC TA

READY DIVISIONS
There are two 'Ready'
Divisions: the
1st (UK) Armoured Division, based in Germany, and the
3rd (UK) Division in the United Kingdom. Both of these
divisions are earmarked to form part of the
Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC), NATO's premier
strategic formation, but they also have the flexibility to be employed
on rapid reaction tasks or in support of other defence roles.
In addition to their operational roles, they also
command the Army units in specified geographic areas. In the case of the
1st Division, this area is made up of the garrisons in Germany where the
Division's units are based; and in the case of the 3rd Division, the South
West of England.

REGENERATIVE DIVISIONS
There are three Regenerative Divisions, based on old
Military Districts of the United Kingdom. These are the 2nd
Division, with its Headquarters in Edinburgh, the
4th Division, with its Headquarters at Aldershot, and the 5th Division with its
Headquarters at Shrewsbury. These Regenerative Divisions are responsible
for all non-deployable Army units within their boundaries, and could
provide the core for three new divisions, should the Army be required to
expand to meet a major international threat.

MILITARY
DISTRICTS
Two Districts remain:
London (although subordinated to 4th Division for budgetary
purposes), and the United Kingdom Support Command (Germany). The United Kingdom
Support Command (Germany) with its Headquarters at Rheindahlen has similar
responsibilities, but also provides essential support functions for the
1(UK) Armoured Division and the Headquarters of the ARRC.
London District
London District is responsible for all Army units within the M25 boundary.
The activity for which the Headquarters and the District is most well
known is State Ceremonial and Public Duties in the Capital. The district
insignia shows the Sword of St Paul representing the City of London and
the Mural Crown representing the County of London. The District has its
Headquarters in Horse Guards and is commanded by a Major General.
Between 500 and 600 troops are involved at any one time in MoD-sponsored
equipment trials, demonstrations and exhibitions. Public Duties in London
also take up two/three battalions at any one time. All troops not
otherwise operationally committed are also available to provide Military
Aid to the Civil Authorities in the United Kingdom. London District is
responsible for all Army units within the M25 boundary.

These divisional and
district areas are further sub-divided into brigades and garrisons, which
also have a varying mix of operational and infrastructure support
responsibilities. As a result of the Defence Costs Studies, some brigade
headquarters, which previously had purely operational functions, have been
amalgamated with garrison headquarters to achieve savings and greater
efficiency.
The United Kingdom
Support Command – Germany (UKSC(G))
The United Kingdom Support Command – Germany (UKSC(G)) with its
Headquarters at Rheindahlen has about 3,600 personnel and provides
essential support functions for 1 (UK) Armoured Division and the
Headquarters of the ARRC.
HQ UKSC(G) also commands the only garrison west of the River Rhine,
designated Rhine Garrison, which comprises mainly a signal brigade and
logistic support units.
It also has administrative responsibility for the four other British Army
Garrisons in Germany - at Osnabrück, Bergen-Hohne, Paderborn and
Gütersloh.
There are two Combat Service Support (CSS) Groups:
Combat Service Support Group (United Kingdom) consists of a supply
regiment, two transport regiments, general support medical regiment which
has both Regular and Territorial Army squadrons, three field hospitals,
and a field medical equipment depot. For operations, the group may have
assigned to it two Territorial Army transport regiments, five Territorial
Army field hospitals, and a Territorial Army Royal Electrical and
Mechanical Engineers maintenance battalion.
Combat Service Support Group (Germany) consists of a supply
regiment; two transport regiments, and a general support medical regiment
which has both Regular and Territorial Army squadrons. For operations, the
group may have assigned to it a Territorial Army transport regiment, six
Territorial Army field hospitals, a Territorial Army field medical
equipment depot, and a Territorial Army Royal Electrical and Mechanical
Engineers maintenance battalion.
Other areas and tasks
Although Land Command is not responsible for running operations in
Northern Ireland, the Former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone,
Cyprus, the Falkland Islands and Iraq (a responsibility of PJHQ), it will
provide the operational troops for these areas. Some 5,000 troops will be
stationed in Northern Ireland from 2008; and a further 15,000 are deployed
in Afghanistan, Cyprus, the Balkans, Sierra Leone the Falkland Islands and
Iraq.
Some 500 troops are involved at any one time in MoD-sponsored equipment
trials, demonstrations and exhibitions. Public Duties in London take up
two/three battalions at any one time. All troops not otherwise
operationally committed are also available to provide Military Aid to the
Civil Authorities (MACA) in the United Kingdom.

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