Future Army Structure (Next Steps)
Encyclopedia
Future Army Structure, or FAS (Next Steps) is the name given to an ongoing review of the structure of the British Army
, and in particular its fighting brigades.
in early 2008 in a press report stating that it was considering restructuring the Army into a force of three deployable divisional headquarters and eight 'homogenous or identical' brigades, each with a spread of heavy, medium and light capabilities. This report indicated that the existing 16 Air Assault Brigade would be retained as high-readiness rapid reaction force.
Subsequently it was reported that the former Chief of the General Staff
, General Sir Richard Dannatt, wanted to see the Army structured so as to extend the interval between operational tours from two to two and a half years.
.
Combat Support and Logistics will be retained at a divisional level. It is envisaged that 19th Light Brigade, which is currently part of 3rd Mechanised Division, will be disbanded.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, and in particular its fighting brigades.
Background
The British Government gave an indication of its proposals for the future structure of the British ArmyStructure of the British Army
The structure of the British Army is broadly similar to that of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, being divided into two Commands: HQ Land Forces and the Adjutant-General. As top-level budget holders, these two organisations are responsible for providing forces at operational readiness for...
in early 2008 in a press report stating that it was considering restructuring the Army into a force of three deployable divisional headquarters and eight 'homogenous or identical' brigades, each with a spread of heavy, medium and light capabilities. This report indicated that the existing 16 Air Assault Brigade would be retained as high-readiness rapid reaction force.
Subsequently it was reported that the former Chief of the General Staff
Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)
Chief of the General Staff has been the title of the professional head of the British Army since 1964. The CGS is a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Army Board...
, General Sir Richard Dannatt, wanted to see the Army structured so as to extend the interval between operational tours from two to two and a half years.
Future Structure
The future structure was announced on 19 July 2011 in a briefing paper entitled Defence Basing Review: Headline Decisions. The reported structure involves five identical multi-role brigades each of around 6,500 personnel.Command structure
The divisional HQs of 2nd, 4th and 5th Divisions will be disbanded by 2012 and replaced by a single formation known as UK Support Command based at AldershotAldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
.
Brigade Structure
Five large multirole Brigades will be created. The brigade structure will constitute:- One armoured regiment of Challenger 2 tanks
- One armoured reconnaissance regiment
- One armoured infantry battalion in Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicles
- One mechanised infantry battalion in FV432FV432The FV432 is the armoured personnel carrier variant of the British Army's FV430 series of armoured fighting vehicles. Since its introduction in the 1960s it has been the most common variant, being used for transporting infantry on the battlefield...
Bulldog armoured vehicles - Two light role infantry battalions
Combat Support and Logistics will be retained at a divisional level. It is envisaged that 19th Light Brigade, which is currently part of 3rd Mechanised Division, will be disbanded.