TOTAL BRITISH ARMED FORCES

OVERVIEW (early 2018)

STRATEGIC FORCES

4 x Vanguard Class submarines capable of carrying 16 x Trident II (D5) Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBM) deploying with 40 x 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 available warheads and 58 missile bodies. Strategic Forces are provided by the Royal Navy.

We would expect the UK Government to replace the Vanguard Class submarines in the mid to late 2030s.

ROYAL NAVY

Major Royal Navy Elements: 30,200 (trained strength – early 2015 - including some 7,000 Royal Marines): 4 x Nuclear Powered Ballistic Missile firing (UK Strategic Deterrent); 6 x Nuclear Powered Submarines (attack type); 4 x Amphibious Assault Ships; 6 x Destroyers; 13 x Frigates (future combined total of 19); 15 x Minehunters and Minesweepers (future total of 14); 9 x Fleet Air Arm Squadrons (front line); New construction: 5 x Nuclear Attack Submarines; 2 x Aircraft Carriers. 6 x Destroyers Planned to enter service from 2018).

Royal Marines: 7,000; 1 x Commando Brigade Headquarters; 3 x Royal Marine Commando (Battalion Size); 2 x Commando Assault Helicopter Squadrons; 1 x Commando Regiment Royal Artillery (under command); 1 x Commando Squadron Royal Engineers (under command); 1 x Commando Logistic Regiment; 4 x Commando Assault Squadrons (Landing craft); 1 x Fleet Protection Group; 4 x Nuclear Security Guarding Squadrons; 4 x Special Boat Service Squadrons.




ARMY

83,340 trained and untrained personnel

Army: 83,340 (trained strength early 2015): 1 x Corps Headquarters (HQ ARRC - NATO Deployable HQ);1 x Reaction Force Divisional HQ (1 x Headquarters plus 5 x Brigades including 1 x Air Assault Brigade and 1 x Logistic Brigade);1 x Adaptable Force Divisional HQ (1 x Headquarters plus 8 x Brigades including 1 x Logistic Brigade); Force Troops Command (1 x Headquarters plus 8 Brigades); 8 x Regional Headquarters; 1 x District HQ (London District).

These figures include:

Formations: 3 x Armoured Infantry Brigades, 1 x Air Assault Brigade; 7 x Regional Infantry Brigades; 3 x Logistics Brigades; 1 x Artillery Brigade; 1 x Engineer Brigade; 2 x Signal Brigades; 1 x Medical Brigade; 1 x Intelligence & Surveillance Brigade; 1 x Military Police Brigade.

Major Units: 9 x Armoured Regiments; 31 x Infantry Battalions (plus 1 x public duties company); 13 x Artillery Regiments; 10 x Engineer Regiments/Major Units; 11 x Signal Regiments; 4 x Army Air Corps Regiments; 6 x Equipment Support Battalions; 12 x Logistic Regiments; 9 x Medical Regiments/ Field Hospitals; 3 x Intelligence Battalions; 4 x Military Police Regiments.

ROYAL AIR FORCE

Major Royal Air Force Elements: 32,180 (trained strength late 2015) ; 11 x Strike/Attack/ Fast Jet Squadrons; 2 x Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) Squadrons; 2 x Airborne Early Warning Squadrons; 2 x ISTAR Squadrons; 5 x Transport Squadrons; 3 x Air to Air Refuelling Squadrons; 7 x Support Helicopter Squadrons; 2 x Search and Rescue Squadrons; 8 x Ground (Field) Defence Squadrons (RAF Regiment). With the following aircraft (numbers approximate): 112 x Typhoon (total of 160 on order); 90 x Tornado GR4/4A; 60 x Hawk (all types); 12 x Voyager (total of 14 on order; 4 x Sentry AEW; 3 x Sentinel; 5 x Shadow R1; 24 x Hercules C1/3/4/5 8 x C-17; 5 x Reaper; 52 x Chinook (JFH); 24 x Puma (JFH); 22 x A400M Atlas will replace Hercules C1/C3 later in the decade; RAF Chinook and Puma helicopters are assigned to the Joint Force Helicopter (JFH); RAF Merlin helicopters were transferred to the Royal Navy’s Commando Helicopter Force in 2014.



JOINT FORCES

Joint Forces: 1 x Joint Forces Command HQ; Joint Helicopter Command: 4 x Royal Naval Helicopter Squadrons; 4 x Army Aviation Regiments (already listed in the above Army entry plus 1 x Reserve Regiment); 7 x Royal Air Force Helicopter Squadrons (including 1 x RAuxAF Helicopter Support Squadron).

Joint Special Forces Group: 1 x Regular Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment; 2 x Volunteer Reserve Special Air Service Regiments; 4 x Special Boat Service (SBS) Squadrons; 1 x Special Reconnaissance Regiment; 1 x Special Forces Support Group; 1 x 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 128,000 Scotland 17,000, Northern Ireland 7,200.