2 Signal Brigade is an operational Brigade

Brigade

A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...

 of the Royal Corps of Signals

Royal Corps of Signals

The Royal Corps of Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army...

 with a Regular HQ, 1 Regular Regiment, 8 TA Regiments and a number of specialist sub-units. Since the publication of the SDR New Chapter in 2001, the Brigade has been tasked with the provision of emergency and post disaster recovery communications infrastructure for Government, Armed Forces and emergency services throughout the United Kingdom by deploying and operating a variety of communications systems. During the Cold War

Cold War

The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...

, the Brigade's role was to re-establish some form of regional communications infrastructure to sustain continuity of government

Continuity of government

Continuity of government is the principle of establishing defined procedures that allow a government to continue its essential operations in case of nuclear war or other catastrophic event....

 in the aftermath of a nuclear strike

Nuclear warfare

Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...

 on the UK.

Role

The Brigade currently has two distinct operational roles:

• National Communications - To provide mobile and static communications infrastructure for Government, Armed Forces and emergency services in the mainland United Kingdom, in the post-disaster recovery environment.

• Regional Integrated Contingency Planning (ICP) Support - The various Signal Regiments provide General Officers Commanding
  General Officer Commanding
  General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
  
  , of their respective regional Brigades and Divisions, with secure Command and Control
  C4ISTAR
  In military usage, a number of abbreviations in the format C followed by additional letters are used, based on expanded versions of the abbreviation C2 - command and control.C2I stands for command, control, and intelligence....
  
   communications facilities to execute their regional Integrated Contingency Planning (ICP) responsibilities in their region. This is achieved through provision of:
  • Deployable Communications Detachments for Key Points and Brigade Headquarters, using the REEBOK LAN
    Local area network
    A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building...
    
     systems;
  • Mobile Signal Detachments and Brigade Tactical HQs and Liaison Offices, using Bowman radio and specialist data systems;

In addition, the Brigade also contributes soldiers to ongoing Operations world wide and has sole responsibility for meeting the Royal Signals contribution in the Balkans. 2 Signal Brigade units are also providing Regimental based formations as part of the UK contribution to the UN in Cyprus.

Current Units

The Brigade consists of one regular and five regiments of the Territorial Army that are under the administrative command of regional brigades throughout the United Kingdom as part of either the 2nd

British 2nd Infantry Division

The 2nd Division is a regular division of the British army, with a long history. It dates its existence as a permanently embodied formation from 1809, when it was established by Lieutenant General Sir Arthur Wellesley , as part of the Anglo-Portuguese Army, for service in the Peninsular War...

, 4th

British 4th Infantry Division

The 4th Infantry Division is a regular British Army division with a long history having been present at the Peninsular War the Crimean War , the First World War , and during the Second World War.- Napoleonic Wars :...

, 5th Divisions

British 5th Infantry Division

The 5th Infantry Division is a regular army division of the British Army. It was established by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington for service in the Peninsula War, as part of the Anglo-Portuguese Army, and has been active for most of the period since, including the First World War and the...

 or London District

London District (British Army)

London District is the name given by the British Army to the area of operations encompassing the Greater London area. Established in 1870 as Home District, it was re-formed in 1905 as London District to be an independent district within the larger command structure of the army, and has remained so...

 under HQ Land Forces. They are:

• 10 Signal Regiment
• 32 (Scottish) Signal Regiment
  32 (Scottish) Signal Regiment
  The 32nd Signal Regiment is a British Territorial Army regiment of the Royal Corps of Signals.- Regimental heritage :The 1st Lanarkshire Engineer Regiment were raised in Glasgow on 5 December 1859 as part of the Volunteer Force. The regiment was formally registered with the War Office on 27...
  
  
• 37 Signal Regiment
  37 Signal Regiment
  37 Signal Regiment is Territorial Army regiment in the Royal Corps of Signals in the British Army. The regiment forms part of 2 Signal Brigade, providing military communications for national operations....
  
  
• 38 (City of Sheffield) Signal Regiment
  38 (City of Sheffield) Signal Regiment
  38 Signal Regiment is Territorial Army regiment in the Royal Corps of Signals in the British Army. The regiment's task is to "provide contingency communications throughout the whole of Northern England, from the Scottish Borders to the Northern Home Counties...
  
  
• 39 (Skinners) Signal Regiment
  39 (Skinners) Signal Regiment
  39 Signal Regiment is Territorial Army regiment in the Royal Corps of Signals in the British Army. The regiment forms part of 2 Signal Brigade, providing military communications for national operations...
  
  
• 71 (Yeomanry) Signal Regiment
  71 (Yeomanry) Signal Regiment
  71 Signal Regiment is a Territorial Army regiment in the Royal Corps of Signals in the British Army. The regiment forms part of 2 Signal Brigade, providing military communications for national operations....
  
   (includes First Aid Nursing Yeomanry
  First Aid Nursing Yeomanry
  The First Aid Nursing Yeomanry is a British independent all-female unit and registered charity affiliated to, but not part of, the Territorial Army, formed in 1907 and active in both nursing and intelligence work during the World Wars.-Formation:It was formed as the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry in...
  
   that aid the Civil Authorities in an emergency scenario)

The Brigade also has a number of Specialist Signals units which fall within the Specialist Group Royal Signals (SGRS):

• Land Information Assurance Group (LIAG)
  Land Information Assurance Group (LIAG)
  The Land Information Assurance Group - LIAG - is a specialist Territorial Army unit, formed as a result of the Strategic Defence Review of 1998:'On Information Warfare.....
  
   - This unit has the role of meeting the needs of digitization and growing dependence on computers and network-enabled systems in order that they are properly protected against attack or systems failure.

• 81 Signal Squadron - Provides specialist expertise in order to assist in the planning, delivery, maintenance and restoration of critical defence and national infrastructure for UK Operations, Overseas Operations, and Overseas Bases.

• Land Information And Communications Specialist Group (LICSG) - To provide expertise in computer, software and network operations in order to ensure the passage of information between deployed commanders, Permanent Joint Headquarters
  Permanent Joint Headquarters
  The Permanent Joint Headquarters is the British tri-service headquarters from where all overseas military operations are planned and controlled. It is situated at Northwood Headquarters in Northwood, London....
  
   and HQ Land Forces across the spectrum of conflict and assist in the conduct and implementation of Information Communications Support at all levels.